We have been passing down our traditional skills from generation to generation since the beginning of the Edo era (1600 onward), when we started tea cultivation on the land of Uji and Ogura. This is the origin of Yamamasa Koyamaen. During late the Edo era, our founder Masajiro Koyama started selling tea. Since then, we have been putting continuous effort into product manufacturing, from the cultivation of tea to the manufacturing of matcha, while becoming successful in various measures to improve breeds. “Quality to relish” is what we have valued since our earliest times, but at the same time, we also make sure to maintain traditional skills and implement rational production and trading schemes, so that we can provide the highest quality products with appropriate pricing.
Beginning of the Edo era (around 1600 onward)
The focus was on cultivation of tea on the land of Uji and Ogura. Tea manufacturing skills were passed down to later generations.
Edo Bunkyu (around 1861) to the Meiji era
Our founder Masajiro Koyama started selling tea in 1861 (the first year of Bunkyu). The business ranged from managing tea plantation fields to the manufacturing and selling of tea. The second generation Masajiro Koyama started a retail business, and expanded the sales channels nationwide.
Taisho (around 1912) to the mid-Showa era (around 1940)
Yamamasa Koyama Masajiro Shoten was established as an unlimited partnership. This company built the industry’s very first matcha plant that was equipped with air conditioning and refrigerators exclusively for tea. They started selling the first canned matcha, in a can weighing 10 monme (approximately 37.5 grams), and helped build the base for the popularization of canned tea.
The third generation Masajiro Koyama worked together with a farmer from Uji called Jinnojo Hirano to cultivate and evaluate elite varieties, such as Asahi, Samidori, and Komakage. These were honored as varieties recommended by Kyoto prefecture.
Late Showa (around 1940) to the Heisei era (until 2019), Reiwa era (2021)
The company reorganized to become a limited company. A tencha plant and a second matcha plant were built to improve the production capacity and reconstruct the selection factory to respond to increase in sales volume. The third and fourth plants were also built for further production enhancement. The company was renamed to Yamamsa Koyamaen Co., Ltd.. We continue to manufacture, process, and conduct wholesale business of tea as a whole in order to keep receiving Cha-mei (name of tea) from each tea schools, and strive to show strength especially in high-end matcha.
