Emperor's Cup Sencha

Award-winning heritage tea from the fields of Shizuoka. We bring you the story of Emperor's Cup Sencha, as told by our producer:  The Emperor’s Cup is considered the highest honor in Japan for those involved in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. To receive an award directly from His Majesty the Emperor is a once-in-a-lifetime honor — a moment filled with deep pride and confidence that remains forever. The Emperor’s Cup system was established approximately 70 years ago, and each year, it recognizes the most outstanding individuals or companies in the field of agriculture and related industries. However, it is not awarded to tea producers every year. In the entire 70-year history, only 14 tea companies have received this prestigious award — and our producer is honored to be one of them. After Japan was devastated in World War II, his grandfather started our tea business with a strong determination: “To become the best tea company in Japan.” His lifelong dream was to win the Emperor’s Cup — a dream he, unfortunately, did not live to achieve. Our producer's father, inheriting that dream, joined forces with tea farmers who were once close companions of his grandfather. Together, they worked tirelessly for years, and in 2020, 14 years after his grandfather’s passing, his company finally received the Emperor’s Cup!  It was in 1921 that my great-grandfather left behind his rice farming and planted his first tea bush, beginning our journey as a tea family. From that day, our family has lived by the principle: “Cherish farmers, protect farmers, and grow prosperity together with farmers.” I believe it was this unwavering philosophy that earned us the recognition. To commemorate this deeply meaningful award and the generations of dedication behind it, we created this special tea — the “Emperor’s Cup Sencha.”