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Shogyokuen: Uji Producer, Seven Generations Since 1827

Shogyokuen blends Uji Hikari, Okumidori, and Samidori tencha into 13 matcha grades under seventh-generation tea master Hiroshi Kobayashi.
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Who is Shogyokuen?

Shogyokuen is a Uji, Kyoto matcha producer with family tea roots dating to 1827. Its thirteen grades blend Uji Hikari, Okumidori, and Samidori tencha for ceremonial and culinary use.

Led by 10th-dan Tea Master Hiroshi Kobayashi, Shogyokuen uses tana shading for four weeks or more before harvest. Selected leaves are stemmed, chopped, and stone-milled; Heritage Grade uses spring-picked top three leaves.

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Shogyokuen in details

Shogyokuen stands as one of Uji’s most distinguished tea producers, with the Kobayashi family stewarding the art of premium matcha production since 1827. For nearly two centuries, this family-run operation has refined the highest quality leaves from Kyoto, transforming them into matcha that once graced the tables of Japan’s aristocracy and samurai elite.

Seven Generations of Tea Mastery

The legacy began in the 10th year of the Bunsei era when the Kobayashi family inherited their first tea garden in Uji, the birthplace of Japanese tea culture. In 1923, Jiuemon Kobayashi officially established Shogyokuen Seicha, marking the formal founding of the company. Today, seventh-generation tea master Hiroshi Kobayashi leads the operation—one of only 13 professionals in all of Japan to hold the prestigious rank of level 10 tea appraiser.

This exceptional certification represents decades of expertise in evaluating tea quality, aroma, and flavor profiles. Hiroshi’s masterful blending skills have earned Shogyokuen consistent top rankings at tea competitions throughout the pre-war, post-war, and modern eras.

From Cultivation to Cup

Shogyokuen maintains complete control over their tea production process, managing everything from cultivation in Wazuka’s nutrient-rich fields to final refinement in their Kyotanabe facility. This vertical integration ensures uncompromising quality standards at every stage. The company produces both ceremonial-grade matcha for traditional chado practitioners and premium offerings for daily enjoyment.

Their flagship product, Matcha Shogyoku, exemplifies the rich umami flavor that defines the best of Uji tea. The company also produces exceptional gyokuro and sencha varieties, consistently recognized at national competitions.

Heritage Meets Modern Standards

While honoring traditional methods passed down through generations, Shogyokuen operates a modern facility staffed by 12 dedicated employees. The company sources leaves from Kyoto’s premier tea-growing regions, particularly Wazuka and the Kyotanabe area, where centuries of cultivation have created ideal terroir for exceptional Japanese green tea.

The Kobayashi family’s commitment to quality over quantity has made Shogyokuen a trusted name among tea ceremony practitioners and matcha enthusiasts worldwide. Their teas deliver the vibrant color, smooth texture, and deep umami that distinguish authentic Uji matcha from all other varieties.

About the Shogyokuen Matcha

Shogyokuen produces thirteen distinct grades of matcha, spanning ceremonial varieties to culinary applications, all guided by 10th-dan Tea Master Hiroshi Kobayashi.

Premium lines

The flagship Heritage Grade Matcha is hand-picked only during spring harvest, with just the uppermost three leaves of each sprig selected. Their Premium Hand-Picked Gyokuro uses tender new shoots chosen individually each spring, concentrating both flavor and nutrients.

Cultivars and processing

The tencha is blended from three primary cultivars, Uji Hikari, Okumidori, and Samidori, each adding a distinct dimension. Leaves are shade-grown for at least four weeks using the tana method, raising L-theanine for deeper umami and less bitterness, then stemmed, chopped, and stone-milled for a silken texture and vibrant color.

Harvest location

Shogyokuen's tea gardens flourish in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, one of Japan's most celebrated tea-producing regions, where the estate has cultivated tea for generations.

Sustainable farming

The gardens follow organic principles, forgoing synthetic fertilisers and pesticides in favour of natural methods that enrich the soil and foster biodiversity, keeping the Uji terroir pristine.

Shading and harvest

A distinctive tana shading system shelters the plants under constructed canopies for four weeks or more before harvest, shielding leaves from direct sunlight and raising the L-theanine content behind matcha's umami character. At spring harvest, skilled hands take only the top three leaves from each sprig, leaving the rest to mature and concentrating both flavour and nutrients.

Shogyokuen History

Shogyokuen traces to 1827, when Harueemon Kobayashi inherited tea land in Uji, Kyoto, laying the foundation for the family's tea craft, though the Kobayashi involvement with Uji tea is said to reach further into the Edo period.

For more than seven generations the family has served tea to court nobles and the samurai class. In 1923, Jiichi Kobayashi formally named the company Shogyokuen Seicha, and it is now led by Hiroshi Kobayashi, a tenth-rank tea master, one of only a handful in Japan.

January 1, 1827

Harueemon Kobayashi (小林治兵衛) inherited tea land in Uji, Kyoto, establishing the foundation for what would become Shogyokuen. This marked the beginning of the family's formal involvement in tea cultivation and production in the historic Uji region.

January 1, 1923

Jiichi Kobayashi (小林 治市) officially formalized the family's tea business by naming the company Shogyokuen Seicha (祥玉園製茶). This milestone represented the transition from a family tea operation to an established tea company with a formal identity.

January 1, 2024

Under the leadership of Hiroshi Kobayashi, a 10th-rank tea master (茶師十段), Shogyokuen continues to blend tradition with innovation. The company has earned prestigious recognition including the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Award, and produces exclusive blends like Yamagumo for international partners such as Kettl.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers.

What makes Hiroshi Kobayashi's 10th dan Tea Master status so significant for Shogyokuen's matcha quality?

Hiroshi Kobayashi holds the extremely rare distinction of being a 10th dan Tea Master, a rank achieved by only a handful of individuals across all of Japan. This exceptional mastery allows him to create matcha that transcends ordinary quality standards, expertly blending tencha (shade-grown tea leaves) from Shogyokuen's specific cultivars including Uji Hikari, Okumidori, and Samidori.

His expertise enables Shogyokuen to craft matcha suitable for both traditional tea ceremonies and modern culinary applications, ensuring each of their 13 distinct grades captures the unique essence of Uji's terroir with precise flavor profiles.

How does Shogyokuen's Heritage Grade differ from their other 12 matcha grades?

Heritage Grade represents Shogyokuen's most exclusive matcha tier, requiring strict adherence to traditional methods passed down since 1827. Only the most skilled hands, trained in ancestral wisdom, may touch the leaves during the spring harvest.

  • Leaves must be hand-picked using their Premium Hand-Picked Gyokuro technique
  • Only the top three leaves from each sprig are selected
  • Undergoes their signature 4+ week shading process under canopies
  • Crafted exclusively by masters familiar with generations of Kobayashi family methods

This meticulous approach concentrates both flavor and nutrients, creating matcha that embodies nearly two centuries of Shogyokuen expertise.

Why does Shogyokuen blend tencha from Uji Hikari, Okumidori, and Samidori cultivars specifically?

Shogyokuen carefully selects these three tencha cultivars because each contributes distinct flavor dimensions that complement their blending philosophy. The Uji Hikari, Okumidori, and Samidori varieties each develop unique characteristics during Shogyokuen's minimum 4-week shading process, which increases L-theanine content and enhances the signature umami flavor.

By blending these specific cultivars, Hiroshi Kobayashi can create 13 distinct grades of matcha, each with carefully balanced flavor profiles ranging from ceremonial preparations to culinary applications, showcasing the full spectrum of Uji's terroir.

What does Shogyokuen's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Award recognition mean for tea quality?

This prestigious award represents the highest governmental recognition for tea excellence in Japan, validating Shogyokuen's commitment to quality since Jiichi Kobayashi officially established Shogyokuen Seicha in 1923. The award acknowledges their consistent ranking among Japan's top tea producers in national competitions.

Combined with their ISO22000 certification for food safety standards, this recognition confirms that Shogyokuen's organic farming practices, traditional hand-picking methods, and stone mill grinding techniques meet the most stringent quality criteria established by Japanese agricultural authorities.

Can I visit Shogyokuen's facilities in Uji to see their traditional matcha production process?

Shogyokuen has been rooted in Uji, Kyoto since 1827, where they continue their traditional production methods including the Premium Hand-Picked Gyokuro harvesting and stone mill grinding processes. Their facilities showcase nearly 200 years of tea-making heritage, from the original techniques established by founder Harueemon Kobayashi to current innovations under 10th dan Tea Master Hiroshi Kobayashi.

Visitors can observe their unique 4+ week shading process, where tea plants are covered under canopies to develop the high L-theanine content that creates matcha's characteristic umami flavor, and witness the careful refinement process that removes stems and veins before grinding their 13 distinct grades of matcha.