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Den’s Tea: California Japanese Tea House Since 1923

Den’s Tea draws on family tea expertise dating to 1923, offering Uji and Nishio matcha for koicha, usucha, and culinary preparations.
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Who is Den's Tea?

Den’s Tea is a Southern California matcha brand with family tea roots dating to 1923. Its range draws from Uji, Nishio, Shizuoka, and Kagoshima, with grades for usucha, koicha, and culinary use.

Matcha Usucha uses first-flush Yabukita from Nishio, while Matcha Koicha blends Okumidori and Samidori from Uji. Sourcing follows direct farmer relationships and tencha process, including oishita shading, steaming, and temperature-controlled granite stone grinding.

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Three generations of authentic Japanese matcha since 1923

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Den's Tea in details

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.

About the Den's Tea Matcha

Den's Tea offers a curated selection of matcha grades, each crafted for a distinct flavor and brewing style, reflecting traditional Japanese craftsmanship.

Ceremonial grades

Matcha Usucha is an everyday ceremonial grade from Nishio, Aichi, made from first-flush Yabukita with subtle vegetal notes and natural sweetness for usucha, or thin tea. Matcha Koicha, typically from Uji, Kyoto, blends Okumidori and Samidori for deep umami, creamy texture, and minimal bitterness in thick tea. Ceremonial Matcha Uji, made from Gokou and Uji Hikari, shows complex umami, delicate sweetness, and a lingering finish.

Culinary grades

Premium Restaurant Matcha from Shizuoka, made mainly from Yabukita, delivers robust flavor and vibrant color for lattes and baking. Ikuyo No Mukashi Matcha from Kagoshima offers an umami-forward, grassy, nutty profile.

Harvest location

Den's Tea sources from several of Japan's most prestigious tea regions, keeping direct relationships with farmers so each origin contributes its own terroir.

Growing regions

  • Uji, Kyoto: heritage cultivars Gokou and Uji Hikari for the highest-grade ceremonial matcha.
  • Nishio, Aichi: the Yabukita cultivar for Matcha Usucha, light and creamy.
  • Shizuoka: Yabukita for Premium Restaurant Matcha, robust with vibrant colour.
  • Kagoshima: varieties such as Ikuyo No Mukashi, emphasising umami and balance.

Production

All matcha follows the tencha process, beginning with shading (oishita) about a month before harvest using straw mats or fabric to raise chlorophyll and umami. First-flush harvesting (ichibancha) in April or May selects tender 2 to 3 cm leaves, which are steamed for 15 to 20 seconds, then stone-ground in temperature-controlled granite mills.

Den's Tea History

Den's Tea traces to 1923, when Kyoto-trained connoisseur Denshiro Shirakata founded Shira-Den Shoten in Tokyo under the maxim "Quit your business if you sell a bad product."

Milestones

  • 1950 — relocated operations to Shizuoka for direct farmer relationships.
  • 1960 — Yuzo Shirakata created the Den-chan doll mascot.
  • 2000 — Masanori Den Shirakata established Den's Tea in Southern California.
  • 2023 — celebrated its centennial.
January 1, 1923

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 1, 1950

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 1, 1960

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 1, 2000

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 1, 2023

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.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers.

Where does Den’s Tea source its matcha?

Den’s Tea sources matcha from Uji, Nishio, Shizuoka, and Kagoshima through direct relationships with farmers. Uji supplies heritage cultivars for ceremonial matcha, Nishio supplies Yabukita for Matcha Usucha, Shizuoka supplies restaurant-grade Yabukita, and Kagoshima supplies varieties associated with umami and balance.

What is the difference between Den’s Tea Matcha Usucha and Matcha Koicha?

Matcha Usucha is an everyday ceremonial grade from Nishio made with first-flush Yabukita. It has subtle vegetal notes and natural sweetness for thin tea. Matcha Koicha generally comes from Uji and blends Okumidori with Samidori, offering deep umami, creamy texture, and minimal bitterness for thick tea.

Which Den’s Tea matcha is suitable for lattes and baking?

Premium Restaurant Matcha is Den’s Tea option for lattes and baking. It comes from Shizuoka and is made mainly from the Yabukita cultivar. The record describes it as having a robust flavor and vibrant color, distinguishing its intended culinary role from the brand’s usucha and koicha ceremonial grades.

How is Den’s Tea matcha produced?

Production follows the tencha process. Tea plants are shaded about a month before harvest using straw mats or fabric. Tender first-flush leaves are selected in April or May, steamed for 15 to 20 seconds, and then ground in temperature-controlled granite stone mills to create the finished matcha.

What is the history behind Den’s Tea?

The family tea business traces to 1923, when Kyoto-trained Denshiro Shirakata founded Shira-Den Shoten in Tokyo. Operations moved to Shizuoka in 1950 to develop direct farmer relationships. Third-generation merchant Masanori Den Shirakata established Den’s Tea in Southern California in 2000, and the business celebrated its centennial in 2023.