Den's Tea
Den's Tea presentation
Since 1923, Den’s Tea has carried forward a family tradition that began when Denshiro Shirakata opened his first tea shop in Tokyo. Now spanning three generations, this family business bridges Japanese tea heritage with Southern California’s matcha community, offering authentic ceremonial-grade matcha sourced directly from Japanese tea gardens.
A Century of Tea Expertise
Den’s Tea built its reputation on understanding the nuances that separate exceptional matcha from ordinary powder. The family’s century-long relationships with Japanese tea farmers ensure access to first-flush Tencha leaves grown under shade for approximately one month before harvest. This traditional cultivation method intensifies chlorophyll content and natural sweetness while reducing bitterness.
Each matcha grade serves a distinct purpose. The brand educates customers on the differences between Koicha (thick tea) and Usucha (thin tea) preparations, helping matcha enthusiasts select the right product for their needs.
Comprehensive Matcha Selection
Den’s Tea offers a thoughtfully curated range that spans ceremonial to culinary applications:
- Ceremonial grades including Usucha Honyama, Organic Matcha, and Matcha Koicha for traditional tea ceremonies and mindful drinking
- Restaurant grades designed for lattes, smoothies, and culinary creations without compromising flavor
- Specialty options like powdered Sencha for those exploring different Japanese tea experiences
The brand provides detailed brewing instructions and recipes, ensuring customers extract maximum flavor and health benefits from whole-leaf consumption. Unlike steeped green tea, matcha delivers complete nutritional value including vitamin E and fiber.
Tradition Meets Accessibility
Den’s Tea makes authentic Japanese tea culture approachable for modern matcha drinkers. Their educational approach demystifies matcha grades, preparation techniques, and quality indicators. Customers learn to distinguish between ceremonial and culinary applications, understanding why specific grades excel in particular uses.
The family’s three-generation perspective informs every aspect of their business, from farmer relationships to customer education. This depth of knowledge transforms casual matcha buyers into informed enthusiasts who appreciate the craftsmanship behind each tin of vibrant green powder. Den’s Tea doesn’t just sell matcha—they share a century of accumulated wisdom about Japan’s most revered tea tradition.
Den's Tea newsfeed
- Den's Tea has not yet been verified. The newsfeed is disabled.
Matcha produced by Den's Tea
Den’s Tea offers a carefully curated selection of matcha grades, each crafted to deliver distinct flavor profiles and brewing experiences. Their matcha collection represents traditional Japanese tea craftsmanship with modern accessibility.
Ceremonial Grade Matcha Collection
Matcha Usucha represents their everyday ceremonial-grade matcha, sourced from Nishio, Aichi and crafted from first flush Yabukita (arrow bamboo) cultivar. This light, creamy matcha offers subtle vegetal notes with natural sweetness, making it ideal for daily enjoyment. Den’s Tea recommends whisking 1 gram with 2 oz of 180°F water using a traditional chasen (bamboo whisk) to achieve the signature frothy consistency of usucha (thin tea) style.
Matcha Koicha delivers an intense, luxurious experience typically sourced from Uji, Kyoto. This thick tea grade features a blend of Okumidori (deep green) and Samidori (early green) cultivars, creating rich umami depth with creamy texture and minimal bitterness. The preparation method involves kneading the powder with minimal water to create a smooth paste, reserved for special occasions and traditional koicha (thick tea) ceremonies.
Ceremonial Matcha Uji represents the pinnacle of their collection, exclusively sourced from Uji, Kyoto – the birthplace of matcha. Crafted from heritage cultivars including Gokou and Uji Hikari, this matcha exhibits complex umami, delicate sweetness, and a lingering finish with refined aroma. It embodies the principles of traditional Chado (tea ceremony): harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.
Culinary Grade Matcha
Premium Restaurant Matcha is specifically designed for culinary applications, sourced from Shizuoka and crafted primarily from Yabukita cultivar. This grade features robust flavor, vibrant green color, and balanced sweetness with slight astringency, making it excellent for lattes, smoothies, baked goods, and ice cream preparations.
Additional Matcha Varieties
The research also references Ikuyo No Mukashi Matcha, meaning “matcha from times gone by,” which is produced using traditional methods from Kagoshima. This variety offers an umami-forward profile with grassy, slightly sweet, and nutty notes balanced with sufficient bitterness for a harmonious flavor experience.
History of Den's Tea
Den’s Tea represents a century-long journey of Japanese tea mastery that began in 1923 when Denshiro Shirakata, a Kyoto-trained tea connoisseur, founded Shira-Den Shoten in Tokyo. His unwavering philosophy, “Quit your business if you sell a bad product,” became the cornerstone of what would evolve into a three-generation tea dynasty.
The company’s strategic evolution took a pivotal turn when Denshiro relocated his operations to Shizuoka, the epicenter of Japanese tea cultivation. This move wasn’t merely geographical—it represented a commitment to direct farmer relationships and uncompromising quality control that would define the brand for decades to come.
Under the stewardship of Yuzo Shirakata, Denshiro’s son, the company embraced both tradition and innovation. Yuzo’s creative vision birthed the iconic “Den-chan doll,” inspired by a figurine from a Kyoto temple. This whimsical mascot became synonymous with the brand’s dedication to quality, serving as a symbol of peace and relief while expanding mail-order tea sales across Japan.
The new millennium marked a transformative chapter when Masanori Den Shirakata, the third-generation custodian, established Den’s Tea in Southern California in 2000. This expansion represented more than business growth—it was a cultural mission to introduce authentic Japanese tea traditions to North America. The establishment included a state-of-the-art, climate-controlled storage facility, meticulously designed to preserve the delicate characteristics of each tea varietal.
Den’s Tea’s matcha collection showcases the diversity of Japanese tea regions and cultivars. Their Matcha Usucha from Nishio, Aichi offers ceremonial-grade quality with the Yabukita cultivar, while their Matcha Koicha from Uji, Kyoto presents intense umami through carefully blended Okumidori and Samidori cultivars. The pinnacle Ceremonial Matcha Uji features heritage cultivars like Gokou and Uji Hikari, embodying the principles of traditional Chado (tea ceremony).
The company’s commitment to traditional processing methods includes the time-honored oishita (shading) technique, careful ichibancha (first flush) harvesting, precise seijou (steaming), and the meticulous stone-grinding process using traditional granite mills. Each step reflects the accumulated wisdom of three generations dedicated to preserving authentic Japanese tea culture.
5 events from Den's Tea's history
January 1923
Foundation of Shira-Den Shoten
Denshiro Shirakata, a Kyoto-trained tea connoisseur, founded Shira-Den Shoten in Tokyo after working as an apprentice at a tea wholesaler in Kyoto. His guiding principle was ‘Quit your business if you sell a bad product,’ establishing the foundation of the family tea business with an unwavering commitment to quality over profit.
January 1950
Strategic Relocation to Shizuoka
Denshiro Shirakata moved operations to Shizuoka, the epicenter of Japanese tea cultivation, establishing Shirakata Denshiro Shoten. This strategic relocation enabled direct engagement with tea farmers and built the foundation of direct tea sales that challenged the traditional framework of the Shizuoka tea industry.
January 1960
Creation of the Den-chan Doll
Yuzo Shirakata, the second generation, created the iconic ‘Den-chan doll’ mascot after being inspired by a figurine at a Kyoto temple called Doll Temple. This symbol of peace and relief became central to product development and advertising, expanding mail-order tea sales to tea-loving customers throughout Japan.
January 2000
Establishment of Den's Tea in Southern California
Masanori Den Shirakata, the third-generation tea merchant, established Den’s Tea in Southern California to introduce authentic Japanese tea culture to North America. The expansion included a state-of-the-art, climate-controlled storage facility designed to preserve the delicate nuances of each tea varietal.
January 2023
Centennial Celebration
Den’s Tea celebrated its 100th anniversary, marking a century of dedication to the art of Japanese tea. This milestone represents three generations of unwavering commitment to quality and the successful preservation of traditional Japanese tea culture across continents.
Gallery and medias
Find below images and videos uploaded by Den’s Tea as of November 2025.
Frequent questions
Find below some answers to the most common questions about Den’s Tea.
Locate Den's Tea
Contact Den's Tea
- Den's Tea has not yet been verified. Direct messaging is disabled.
Latest products as of November 2025
There are no results matching your search
Find a matcha brand like Den's Tea
Click below to see the profile of a matcha brands similar to Den's Tea.
