
鹿児島製茶株式会社
Kagoshima Seicha (鹿児島製茶株式会社) is one of Kyushu's most storied tea producers, tracing its roots to 1881 when the Mori family opened the original Birouen (美老園) tea house in Kagoshima City. The company was formally incorporated as Kagoshima Seicha Co., Ltd. in 1947 to expand its wholesale operations, while the beloved Birouen retail brand continued — and still operates today with multiple storefronts across Kagoshima and Nagasaki. The name Birouen (美老園) reflects the founders' philosophy: beauty and longevity through tea. From its headquarters in Kagoshima City's Taniyama Tea District, the company processes, wholesells, and retails green tea under the Birouen, Kagoshima Seicha, and Satsumarche labels. Their premium matcha lineup includes the flagship Matcha Sayaka (抹茶さやか), crafted from the Sayaka cultivar grown in Kagoshima, celebrated for its vivid green color, deep umami, and minimal astringency. Kagoshima Seicha holds ISO22000 and FSSC22000 food safety certifications and has won the World Green Tea Contest Grand Gold Prize (2014, 2015), multiple Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries awards, and a Minister of International Trade and Industry Award.

Culinary Matcha

Kagoshima Matcha

Sayaka
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Official stores and authorized retailers in Japan.
Kagoshima Seicha Official Site
Supports: Company overview, business description, 130+ year history
Kagoshima Seicha — History Page
Supports: Founded 1881, Birouen 1883, formally incorporated 1947, ISO22000 2007, FSSC22000 2010, World Green Tea Contest Grand Gold 2014 and 2015
Supports: Matcha product lineup: Matcha Sayaka, Kagoshima Matcha, Culinary Matcha prices and descriptions
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