Nakamura Tokichi Honten: Uji Tea House Since 1854

Who is Nakamura Tokichi Honten?

Nakamura Tokichi Honten is a matcha house from Uji, Kyoto, founded in 1854, known for Kyoto-grown first-flush leaves with smooth umami, gentle sweetness, minimal bitterness, and vibrant color. Its ceremonial collection includes Uji-no-Mukashi, Fuji no Shiro, and Seikan no Shiro, while other grades suit daily drinking, lattes, baking, and culinary use.

Matcha production uses kabusecha shade cultivation, with covers held for weeks before later harvesting of tencha at peak flavor. Tender buds are hand-picked, and nearby grasslands follow chagusaba tradition to support soil health.

Email Phone Website Facebook Instagram Youtube Google Maps

Bamboo tea scoop being shaped with a carving knife on a wooden surface

Tall green parfait with cream, crisp pieces, fruit, and a powdered emblem

Guest holding a cup at a wooden counter overlooking a river

Wooden garden gateway with a fabric curtain bearing a circular emblem

Fresh green tea shoots silhouetted against a warm sunset sky

Two white bread sandwiches filled with green cream, grapes, and citrus

White bread sandwich filled with green cream and whole mandarin cross-sections

Hands whisking green matcha in a white ceramic bowl

Dark green tea shoots beneath a softly glowing evening sky

Products

Nakamura Tokichi Honten products

Nakamura Tokichi Honten has 14 products on the platform.

Videos

Nakamura Tokichi Honten videos

Uji matcha masters since 1854

Browse the gallery to see 26 videos about matcha.

Browse the matcha video gallery

Nakamura Tokichi Honten in details

Nakamura Tokichi Honten stands as a living testament to Japanese tea excellence, having served the finest Uji matcha since 1854. For over 170 years, seven generations of the Nakamura family have preserved traditional tea-making artistry while pioneering innovations that shaped the modern matcha industry.

A Legacy Rooted in Innovation

The story of Nakamura Tokichi Honten begins in the heart of Uji, Kyoto—Japan’s most celebrated tea-producing region. What sets this historic tea merchant apart is its remarkable balance between honoring centuries-old traditions and embracing progress. In 1913, the company achieved a groundbreaking milestone by receiving Patent No. 25028 for the electrification of the matcha grinding mill, revolutionizing how tencha leaves are transformed into fine matcha powder.

This pioneering spirit didn’t compromise quality. The company has served imperial ceremonies for generations, a distinction that speaks volumes about the exceptional caliber of their tea. Their main store building, preserved for over 100 years, is now designated as part of Uji’s Important Cultural Landscape.

From Tea Leaves to Cultural Experience

Today, Nakamura Tokichi Honten offers more than premium matcha and green tea products. The main store in Uji features a cafe housed in a renovated tea factory, where visitors can experience authentic tea culture surrounded by history. The 250-year-old Horai Funamatsu pine tree—one of Uji’s 100 famous trees—graces the garden, creating an atmosphere where past and present converge.

Their signature offerings include:

Premium matcha grades ranging from ceremonial koicha to everyday usucha
Exclusive MIXCHA matcha latte blends
Traditional sencha, gyokuro, and hojicha varieties
Artisanal tea-infused sweets including their famous Tea Jelly served in bamboo cups

The Nakamura Difference

What distinguishes Nakamura Tokichi Honten from other tea producers is their meticulous approach to cultivation and processing. They employ traditional shading techniques to block sunlight during tencha growth, enhancing the natural sweetness and reducing bitterness. Each tea grade reflects careful selection—higher grades offer deeper emerald green hues, complex umami profiles, and elegant aromas with minimal astringency.

The company operates six locations across Kyoto, with additional stores in Osaka and Tokyo, yet maintains the intimate character that defined their founding. Whether you’re discovering matcha for the first time or seeking the finest ceremonial grades, their knowledgeable staff guides you through selections that match your preferences and brewing style.

Preserving Tea Culture for Future Generations

Beyond selling tea, Nakamura Tokichi Honten educates visitors about proper brewing techniques, storage methods, and the philosophy behind Japanese tea culture. Their workshops offer hands-on experiences grinding tencha with traditional millstones and participating in tea ceremonies in historic tea rooms rarely open to the public. This commitment to education ensures that the art of Japanese tea continues to thrive in modern times.

About the Nakamura Tokichi Honten Matcha

Nakamura Tokichi Honten crafts matcha from Kyoto-grown first-flush leaves, distinguished by smooth umami, gentle sweetness, minimal bitterness, and vibrant color refined over 170 years.

Ceremonial collection

The ceremonial-grade Uji-no-Mukashi is celebrated for its deep umami, subtle sweetness, and velvety texture. Additional ceremonial grades include Fuji no Shiro and Seikan no Shiro, each with a distinct profile for tea ceremony and mindful moments.

Everyday and signature

Beyond ceremonial grades, premium grades bring balanced flavor and vibrant color for lattes and daily use, while standard grades suit baking and culinary work. The signature Nakamura-cha blend combines seven tea leaves, including sencha, gyokuro, and tencha, using a secret family ratio for a uniquely balanced cup.

Harvest location

Nakamura Tokichi Honten sources its matcha from the renowned Uji region of Kyoto Prefecture, designated an Important Cultural Landscape, whose distinctive terroir has shaped Japan's finest tencha over centuries.

Shade cultivation

Production centres on kabusecha, in which new tea shoots are covered during growth to block sunlight. This suppresses the shift of sweet and umami compounds into bitter, astringent ones, giving premium matcha its mellow sweetness, rich aroma and vibrant green colour. The cover typically stays on for several weeks before harvest.

Harvest and cultivation

Uji's harvest is orchestrated so that non-shaded leaves are taken from late April, while shaded teas such as tencha are picked later at peak flavour. This once-yearly harvest demands precise timing for maximum umami and minimal astringency. Grasslands maintained near the fields in the chagusaba tradition support soil health, and the finest, most tender buds are hand-picked.

Nakamura Tokichi Honten History

Nakamura Tokichi Honten was founded in 1854 when Tokichi Nakamura, an apprentice under Hoshino Soi from 1840, opened his shop in Ujibashi-dori, Kyoto, later adopting the Maruto brand.

Milestones

Nakamura Tokichi III served as mayor of Uji Town.
The company electrified its grinding mill, earning Patent No. 25028.
Its tea was presented at the enthronements of Emperor Taisho and Emperor Showa.

January 1, 1854

Founding of Nakamura Tokichi Honten

Tokichi Nakamura established his tea shop at the current location in Ujibashi-dori, Kyoto, after apprenticing under Hoshino Soi since 1840. The shop initially operated under various names including Hoshino Soyotei Nakamura Tokichi and Maruya Tokichi before settling on the Maruto brand name.

January 1, 1912

Civic Leadership and Community Service

Nakamura Tokichi III (Uyoshi) served as mayor of Uji Town, demonstrating the family's deep commitment to their local community and establishing their role as civic leaders beyond the tea industry.

January 1, 1913

Revolutionary Matcha Grinding Innovation

Nakamura Tokichi Honten successfully electrified their matcha grinding mill and received Patent No. 25028 for the Nakamura-style Matcha Grinding Machine, modernizing production while preserving traditional methods and setting new industry standards.

January 1, 1915

Imperial Recognition Under Emperor Taisho

The company's exceptional tea was presented during the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Taisho, marking the beginning of imperial recognition and establishing Nakamura Tokichi as a purveyor of the highest quality matcha to the Japanese imperial court.

January 1, 2009

Cultural Heritage Designation

Both the main store and Byodo-in Store were designated as Important Cultural Landscapes of Uji, officially recognizing their historical and cultural significance in preserving traditional Japanese tea culture and architecture for over 150 years.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers.

What does Nakamura Tokichi Honten matcha taste like?

Nakamura Tokichi Honten makes matcha from Kyoto-grown first-flush leaves. Its stated profile combines smooth umami, gentle sweetness, minimal bitterness, and vibrant color. The ceremonial-grade Uji-no-Mukashi adds deep umami, subtle sweetness, and a velvety texture, while other named ceremonial grades provide distinct profiles for tea ceremony and mindful drinking.

Which Nakamura Tokichi Honten matcha grades suit different uses?

Nakamura Tokichi Honten’s ceremonial collection includes Uji-no-Mukashi, Fuji no Shiro, and Seikan no Shiro for tea ceremony or mindful moments. Beyond those options, premium grades offer balanced flavor and vibrant color for daily use and lattes, while standard grades are intended for baking and other culinary preparations.

Where does Nakamura Tokichi Honten source its matcha?

Nakamura Tokichi Honten sources its matcha from Uji in Kyoto Prefecture. The record describes Uji as a renowned tea region and an Important Cultural Landscape whose terroir has shaped tencha for centuries. Production uses Kyoto-grown leaves, including first-flush material selected for the brand’s matcha offerings and flavor profiles.

How does shading affect Nakamura Tokichi Honten matcha?

Production centers on kabusecha cultivation, in which new tea shoots are covered to block sunlight. The cover generally remains for several weeks before harvest. According to the record, this suppresses the conversion of sweet and umami compounds into bitter, astringent ones, supporting mellow sweetness, rich aroma, and vibrant green color.

What is the history of Nakamura Tokichi Honten?

Nakamura Tokichi Honten was founded in 1854 after Tokichi Nakamura, who had apprenticed under Hoshino Soi beginning in 1840, opened a shop in Ujibashi-dori, Kyoto. The company later adopted the Maruto brand. Its history also includes electrifying its matcha grinding mill and receiving Patent No. 25028.

Other brands like Nakamura Tokichi Honten

As of August 2026, we have listed 137 brands on best-matcha.com.

Tsuki Matcha

4.0 (4 reviews)

Tsuki Matcha offers shade-grown Yabukita from Shizuoka and Kagoshima, spanning sweet ceremonial powders, vanilla matcha, and vegetal culinary matcha.

View

Matchaeologist

4.4 (27 reviews)

Matchaeologist offers ceremonial and culinary matcha powders, plus houjicha powder, with varied floral, roasted and earthy profiles.

View