Ujitawara Seichajo Offers Approximately 19,000 Cups of Tea Tasting in One Month Since Opening

Ujitawara Seichajo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Ujitawara-cho, Kyoto), a company with approximately 100 years of history in Ujitawara, Kyoto, the birthplace of green tea, and engaged in mail-order sales centered on tea, announced that its tea tasting stand "Cha wo Hiraku. Ujitawara Seichajo Chokubaibu" provided 18,707 cups of tea tasting within one month*2 of its opening.

This store, opened on April 6, 2026, on the 1st floor of KYOTO TOWER SANDO, beneath Nidec Kyoto Tower in front of Kyoto Station, combines a circular bar counter where visitors can experience multiple tea tastings for free, with a shop selling tea and teapots. Based on four seasonal basic sets, it offers over 10 types of tea, including genmaicha, smoked tea, and sakura tea, with plans for seasonal rotations.

*1 According to our research. Kikicha (tea tasting) is the tea version of sake tasting, where one discerns the variety, origin, and quality of tea by observing its taste, aroma, and color. Based on our research using this definition of tea tasting, we could not confirm any permanent stores exceeding our figures in publicly announced cup counts, thus making this store Japan's No. 1 in terms of cups served.

*2 Cumulative number of tastings from April 6, 2026, to May 5, 2026.

Image of tea tasting (1 to 4 cups provided)

"Cha wo Hiraku." was launched as a project to advance tea innovation, spearheaded by Ujitawara Seichajo Chokubaibu. It is an initiative to expand the possibilities of tea from a new perspective, free from conventional ideas. At this store, the company offers multiple original brand products, such as "Kyogenmaicha Agaruiru," which recreates the "origin of genmaicha," "KUNtea," which challenges the unique combination of "Japanese tea x smoking," and "SUKIMA," a personal teapot for enjoying tea in modern-day downtime. In the store, customers can enjoy the story behind the tea at a counter designed after the "Haikenba," a "sacred place" found in every tea wholesaler for assessing tea quality (color, aroma, taste), creating new opportunities for customers to encounter tea.

Photo: Image of Haikenba inside Ujitawara Seichajo

Store Overview Store Name: Cha wo Hiraku. Ujitawara Seichajo Chokubaibu Business Hours: 10:00 - 21:00 *Closing days and business hours are subject to KYOTO TOWER SANDO regulations. Floor: KYOTO TOWER SANDO 1F

Cha wo Hiraku. Ujitawara Seichajo Chokubaibu store

"Cha wo Hiraku." Project to advance tea innovation

A new project developed by Ujitawara Seichajo Chokubaibu. It is an initiative to expand the possibilities of tea from a new perspective, free from conventional ideas. It aims to unravel the stories residing in each tea leaf, utensil, and brewing method, opening up "new tea moments" in daily life, rather than just viewing tea as a beverage to quench thirst. The project features "Kyogenmaicha Agaruiru," created by blending carefully charcoal-roasted mochi rice with selected Uji tea to recreate the "origin of genmaicha," and "KUNtea," which challenges the unique combination of "Japanese tea x smoking" using proprietary technology that maintains the original color and taste of tea while imparting a smoked aroma. Furthermore, in December 2025, the third brand, "SUKIMA," the smallest compact teapot in Japan for single servings, designed to add color to "downtime," was launched.

Kyogenmaicha Agaruiru KUNtea

SUKIMA Cha wo Hiraku.

URL: https://ujt-chokubaibu.com/

Ujitawara Seichajo: Founded nearly 100 years ago in Ujitawara, the birthplace of green tea, challenging tea innovation.

A tea manufacturer headquartered in Ujitawara-cho, Kyoto. Since its establishment in 1926, with the philosophy of "delivering health and happiness through tea," it has been manufacturing and selling high-quality Japanese tea, mainly Uji tea. In addition to publishing the mail-order catalog "Gekkan Chanoma," in recent years, it has been challenging tea innovation by developing the "Cha wo Hiraku." project, which proposes diverse ways to enjoy tea tailored to modern lifestyles.