COMPANY PROFILE

Founded during the Tempo Era (around 1850), a tea wholesaler based out of Uji, Kyoto, has dedicated exclusively to the tea industry.
We proundly introduce our company and its long history below.

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY

Management Policy

We will continue to meet the requirements of the existing customers, and all employees will work together to take on the challenge of gaining new customers for the future.

Our company values tradition and craftsmanship, and aims to improve product quality and manufacturing capacity by introducing equipment in line with the new era.

Provide products that offer safety and peace of mind in accordance with the food safety management system.

GREETINGS FROM THE CHAIRPERSON

We, Hotta Katsutaro Shoten Co.,Ltd., have been working in the tea industry since the Tempo era until today, in Kyoto, Uji, the land of Uji tea.

In Uji, we have passed down our traditional techniques from one generation to the next, adapting them to the changing daily lives and preferences of our customers. We always strive to meet and exceed their expectations.

Our factory is equipped with facilities that meet rigorous global standards, not only improving the quality of our Japanese tea, but also ensuring that customers worldwide can appreciate our products with confidence.

Our company has always placed great importance on its relationships and its deep bonds with tea growers, with all the actors of tea industry throughout Japan, with a particular emphasis on Kyoto.

To satisfy our customers and in the pursuit of an enriching life for all those involved in the world of Japanese tea, we will continue to face the daily challenges of the industry, with passion.

Representative director, Hotta Katsutaro Shoten Co., Ltd.

Junko Karasawa

CORPORATE PROFILE

Founded	Tempo Era (around 1850)
Incorporated	February 17, 1978
Chairperson	Junko Karasawa
Capital	10 million yen
Head office/factory location	41-8, Nabekurayama, Shirakawa, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0022, Japan
Contact	TEL: +81-774-20-8876　FAX: +81-774-22-1604
Business hours	Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed:Sundays, national holidays and Saturdays (according to our company calendar)
Business details	The tea industry(Matcha and green tea)
Number of employees	Approximately 50
Banks	MUFG Bank, Ltd., Mizuho Bank, Resona Bank, Bank of Kyoto, Kyoto Chuo Shinkin Bank, Nanto Bank, Shiga Bank, Kyoto Shinkin Bank
Main Customers	Famous tea stores, tea wholesalers, food manufacturers, cafes, and trading companies across Japan
Affiliations	JA ZEN-NOH designated bidder for Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture Tea Cooperative Association, Japan Organic & Natural Foods Association, Kyoto Prefecture Tea Industry Federation Youth Organization, Kyoto Midori Association, Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Uji City Tourist Public Interest Incorporated Association

ACCESS TO HEAD OFFICE AND FACTORY

41-8, Nabekurayama, Shirakawa, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0022, Japan

● About 8 minutes by car from the nearest station Uji on the JR Nara Line.
● Board the Kyoto Keihan bus, Tachiba Line 180 (bound for Ichu-mae) from JR Uji Station or Keihan Uji Station, and get off at the ""Shirakawa Toge"" stop.

COMPANY HISTORY

Tempo Era

Founded (circa 1830-1844)

1978

Incorporation of Hotta Katsutaro Shoten Co., Ltd.

1990

Construction of Factory 1

1994

Construction of Factory 2, Construction of freezer, Construction of Factory 3 (Careful selection processing line)

2000

Obtained Organic JAS JONA certification

2002

Introduction of sachet packaging (production line)

2010

Construction of a new head office plant with state-of-the-art hygiene equipment
Matcha pulverizer based on our unique specification introduced
Obtained organic NOP (U.S. Organic Certification)

2018

Millstone introduced
New dedicated freezer

2019

Obtained FSSC22000 certification

2020

Powdered tea filler introduced

2021

Introduction of foreign substance removal device

2024

Constructed Tea bag factory

HISTORY

History of Hotta Katsutaro Shoten

The Hotta family has been a samurai family for generations since the Edo period, and Hotta Yoshiteru Saemon was a samurai who was appointed to the position of Shugoshoku (Military Commissioner) of Yodo Castle in Kyoto.

As the era of the samurai came to an end and the Meiji Era (1868-1912) dawned, Hotta Kisaburo, who continued the samurai lineage, became a "tea leaf broker" and founded our business.
Among the tea leaf brokers, the second generation, Hotta Kazuo, was deeply trusted by many long-established tea wholesalers.
Among the hundreds of "tea leaf brokers", Kazuo was regarded as a pioneer in the field because of his excellent judgement of tea leaves, keen sensitivity and humanity.

Hotta Kazuo worked mainly in Uji, Kyoto and significantly contributed to the development of the Uji tea industry by purchasing local Uji green tea at the request of long-established wholesalers.
When Hotta Kazuo unfortunately passed away in an unexpected accident, all the long-established wholesalers jointly organized a memorial service, which shows the extent of the trust they had in him.

President Hotta Katsutaro, the third generation, foresaw the future of the tea industry and the trends of the times, and promptly quit working as a ""tea leaf broker"". In 1978, he established his company (processing and sales company), Hotta Katsutaro Shoten Co., Ltd., that purchased tea leaves from tea growers.

Thus, our long history, traditions, and founding spirit permeate to our employees, and the entire company works as one in striving for excellence every day.