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1738

2. The spread of Sencha

In 1738, Nagatani Soen, a tea master from Ujitawara, succeeded in refining "Aosei Sencha" (the prototype of modern-day Sencha), which was bright green in color and had a fragrant aroma.
Nagatani Soen went to Edo to try to sell this tea widely, and visited Yamamotoyama, the store's owner. The owner, Yamamoto Kahei, recognized the tea's quality at first glance, and bought it all on the spot, and even promised to buy more the following year.

Kahei Yamamoto named it "Tenkaichi" and began selling it in Nihonbashi. Its smooth texture met the tastes of the common people of Edo, and it quickly spread throughout the city.

1816

3. The revival of Sayama tea

In 1816, the fifth generation Yamamoto Kahei supported the revival of "Sayama Tea".
Tea has been cultivated in the Sayama Hills since the Middle Ages, and people would drink it by crushing the tea leaves and infusing them in hot water, or by boiling the tea leaves as is.

During the Edo period, as "steamed sencha" became more popular, experimental sencha production began in Sayama, and sencha from Sayama was sent to Yamamoto Kahei (the fifth generation) to check its quality.
"I never thought that Sayama would have such delicious tea. It is as good as Uji tea. I too will spread the word about this tea throughout the country." Yamamoto Kahei is said to have praised the tea highly.

1835

4. The invention of Gyokuro

In 1835, the 6th generation Yamamoto Kahei invented Gyokuro.

When Kahei Yamamoto visited Kinoshita Kichizaemon's tea factory in Ogura Village, Uji, and was stirring the tea leaves with his hands, he noticed that as the tea leaves dried, they stuck to his hands, and when he tried to remove them forcefully, the tea ended up twisted into sticks.

After repeatedly recreating and tasting this tea with his fellow craftsmen, he discovered that it had a refined flavor and a bright, lustrous color, like nectar. When he brought this tea back to Edo and began selling it under the name "Gyokuro," it received rave reviews and became one of the Edo specialties.

*There are various theories about the origin of Gyokuro.

1947

5. Seaweed sales

In 1947, Yamamotoyama began selling "nori" seaweed.

Impressed by the deliciousness of seaweed from the Ariake Sea in Kyushu, the ninth generation owner, Kahei Yamamoto, decided to sell seaweed, as there were many similarities between the storage methods of tea and seaweed, both of which dislike humidity, and because the seasons for tea and seaweed are different, it would be possible to sell the product throughout the year.

In this way, Yamamotoyama expanded its business by offering two seasonal products per year: "spring tea" and "winter seaweed."

1960～

Sixth, business expansion

Yamamotoyama will continue to expand its business so that more customers can enjoy tea and seaweed.
In 1963, we launched Japan's first "Japanese tea tea bags," which made it possible to easily enjoy high-quality tea without using a teapot.
In the 1970s, Yamamotoyama accelerated its overseas expansion. In 1970, the company established a local subsidiary in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Located on the other side of the country from Japan, Brazil has a climate suited to tea cultivation, and the company began producing tea there.

In 1973, we established a local subsidiary in Los Angeles, USA. With the growing popularity of Japanese food, we strengthened sales of tea and nori seaweed to overseas customers.

2000～

7. Present

In 2017, Yamamotoyama underwent a rebranding and revamped its core products. The numerous product lines were streamlined, and the product packaging was redesigned based on the concept of "Edo aesthetics," which is the origin of Yamamotoyama.

In 2018, Yamamotoyama Fujie Sabo will open in the original location of Yamamotoyama in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. In addition to being able to enjoy specially selected teas from around the country brewed in a special way, the cafe will also be offering dishes featuring seaweed and tea-themed sweets, proposing new value to customers in the combination of tea and seaweed.