Chikiriya

ちきりや

ちきりや (Chikiriya) is one of Kyoto’s oldest tea merchants. Founded in 安政元年 (Ansei 1, 1854) on central Kyoto’s Sanjo-dori, it has kept that address. Its Akiyama–Yonenai family line dates to 1756, when a branch ancestor opened a textile business at Sanjo Kinudana. The fifth-generation head switched to tea in 1854. Chikiriya incorporated as a joint-stock company in 1951. Representative director 米内政明 (Masaaki Yonenai) now leads it. Nine divisions cover cultivation, manufacturing, product development, quality assurance, wholesale, retail and international business across the Americas, Asia and Europe. It opened Uji tea gardens in 1888 and built a Shizuoka processing factory in 1988. Certifications include Organic JAS (2013), ISO 9001:2015 and Social Enterprise Certification (2021). Its ‘Tales of Uji’ collection features single-origin Okumidori matcha for ceremony and everyday use. The matcha is described as mildly sweet, with round, earthy umami and a fresh, grassy aroma recalling shaded Uji gardens.