©Hiraokashoten Co., Ltd.
Hiraoka Shoten was founded in 1956 by founder Shizuo Hiraoka with the desire to spread tea from his hometown, the Tamakawa district of Shizuoka City, throughout Japan and the world. This passion has been passed down through generations, and in order to protect the Tamakawa tea-producing region, we ship products both domestically and internationally that utilize the fragrant and flavorful tea produced in Tamakawa. In addition to sourcing high-quality tea from contract farmers in the Tamakawa district, in 2021, third-generation brothers Yuta and Kota Hiraoka took over their relative's tea plantation and tea factory*, and now produce tea at their own farm in the Nagatsumata district of Tamakawa. In the Nagatsumata district, tea has traditionally been withered for approximately 12 hours after picking before being processed, and by adhering to this method, they produce sencha with a unique sweet aroma and a long-lasting finish. Focusing on tea grown in Tamakawa, Yuta Hiraoka, who received the highest rank of 10th Dan in tea judging skills, commonly known as "Tea Master 10th Dan," in September 2023, utilizes his honed judging skills to provide original blends to clients across a wide range of industries.
Farm Owner & Tea Farm Management:
Managing Director : Kota Hiraoka
Aracha Processing:
Managing Director : Yuta Hiraoka
Hiraoka Shoten's management philosophy is “Kyushin" which means uniting our hearts to serve customers with sincerity and effort. With this word in mind, we work together as one to ensure customer satisfaction. Also, we promise to deliver delicious, high-quality tea to our customers by our daily activities and efforts.
Earning customer satisfaction is a source of joy and fulfillment for all our employees. Ultimately, this also boosts the motivation of our stakeholders.We wish for everyone connected to Hiraoka Shoten to find joy and happiness through tea.
“Tamakawa” is the region name whrer our company located in Shizuoka prefecture.
We enhance the competitiveness and originality of all products and services made from “Tamakawa Tea,” the primary tea we handle.
We foster communication between our customers and tea-producing farmers, understanding each other's needs and information to elevate the quality of both “Tamakawa Tea” and our services.
Eurofins / Pesticide Residue Standards We practice reduced-pesticide cultivation. To ensure safety, we outsource our pesticide residue testing to Eurofins / Dr. Specht Laboratorieen in Germany, which is known for having some of the world's most stringent analysis standards. We are proud to confirm that our products meet the EU pesticide residue limits (MRLs).
Organic JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standard) We have obtained organic certification for the handling of organically grown teas and herbal teas from JONA (Japan Organic and Natural Foods Association). JONA is Japan’s first organic certification body and is renowned for its rigorous inspection standards.
ISO 9001:2015 /Quality Management System Scope of Registration: Manufacturing and sales of green tea, black tea, and herbal tea.
In September 2023, Yuta Hiraoka, Executive Director of Hiraoka Shoten, was certified as a 10th Dan in Tea Appraisal Skills—the highest possible rank. At the time of his certification, he was one of only 23 individuals in Japan to hold this prestigious title, commonly known as “Chashi 10th Dan.”
The rank is awarded based on performance at the National Tea Appraisal Skills Competition which was established in 1956 to refine the art of tea identification. The competition gathers elite tea masters who have won regional qualifiers across Japan to compete in their ability to identify tea origins, cultivars, and quality. Ranks are awarded based on the competition results, and ranks range from 1st to 10th dan.
The Journey to Achieving the Highest Rank (10th Dan) in Tea Appraisal Skills
First Participation
2015 – Participated in the 62nd National Tea Appraisal Skills Competition (Kagoshima Tournament)
Placed 10th in the Individual Competition and was certified as 6th Dan in Tea Appraisal Skills.
Second Participation
2016 – Participated in the 63rd National Tea Appraisal Skills Competition (Shizuoka Tournament)
Promoted to 7th Dan in Tea Appraisal Skills.
Third Participation
2019 – Participated in the 66th National Tea Appraisal Skills Competition (Shizuoka Prefecture Tournament)
Promoted to 8th Dan in Tea Appraisal Skills.
Fourth Participation
2022 – Participated in the 69th National Tea Appraisal Skills Competition (Fukuoka Tournament, held remotely)
Placed 5th in the Individual Competition and was promoted to 9th Dan in Tea Appraisal Skills.
Fifth Participation
2023 – Participated in the 70th National Tea Appraisal Skills Competition (Kagoshima Tournament)
Runner-up in the Individual Competition and promoted to the highest rank, 10th Dan, in Tea Appraisal Skills.
As of the conclusion of the 2023 competition, there are only 23 individuals in all of Japan who hold the prestigious 10th Dan rank.
| Company Name | Hiraoka Shoten Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Representative | Yoichi Hiraoka, President |
| Location | Headquarters: 5-3 Suido-cho, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka, Japan Factory: Nakazawa, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka, Japan |
| Established | April 1956 (Reorganized as a corporation on February 1, 1984) |
| Capital | 10,000,000 JPY |
| Number of Employees | 14 |
| info@hiraoka88.co.jp |