Introducing our Partner - Marutama Tea Company
Today, we’d like to introduce one of our dearest partners, Marutama Tea Company, a tea farm located in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka.
With the motto “Tea we can confidently serve to our own children,” they grow tea without herbicides, chemical fertilizers, or pesticides, handling everything from cultivation to production and sales as a family.
There’s a warmth in the people of Marutama Tea Company that you can truly feel in the gentle taste of their tea! We often speak with Suzuki san, who shares interesting tea facts and new ways to enjoy japanese tea. We’ll be sharing more of those insights in an upcoming post, so don't miss it!
＜Tea Farming＞
While tea is typically harvested 4–5 times a year, Marutama Tea Company focuses only on the first flush (“Ichibancha”), spending 2–3 months carefully harvesting this single crop. Ichibancha is naturally more resistant to pests and known for its soft aroma and clean, delicate flavor.
Since 2008, they have also been practicing a circular farming method using reeds (yoshi) that grow by Lake Sanaru in Hamamatsu.
Yoshi grows to about 1–2 meters tall and, when laid by hand across the tea fields, acts like a natural “blanket” for the soil. Rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, it becomes a natural fertilizer, protects the tea trees from winter cold and wind, and keeps nutrients from washing away even on rainy days.
This approach reflects their commitment to tea farming that is gentle both on nature and on the tea trees themselves.
＜The Café＞
Right next to the tea fields is “Marutama Chaya,” a renovated café offering original menu items and hands-on workshops.
(We’ve enjoyed their tea, desserts, and even joined a wagashi confectionery workshop—it's one of those places where you just end up staying longer than planned!)
With roof tiles, linen noren curtains, and furniture over 50 years old, the café has a nostalgic, quietly comforting atmosphere that feels deeply, authentically Japanese.
As tea farmers, they aren’t bound by the idea of “how things should be done,” and instead propose new ways to experience and enjoy tea, with a spirit of creativity and openness.
Through their work, we’ve learned that the balance between protecting tradition and embracing innovation is what carries the value of Japanese tea into the future.
＜Shizuoka & LITTLE LEAF＞
As we mentioned in our previous post, “Where is Shizuoka?”, the region is filled with the charms of Japan—tea, hot springs, seafood, and Mt. Fuji all in one place.
If you’ve become curious about Shizuoka or our partner tea farms through LITTLE LEAF, feel free to sign up with your email!
We’ll be sharing:
Local tips only the community knows
Stories from the tea farms
Special updates you won’t find anywhere else
We can’t wait to introduce you to more of Shizuoka’s charm:)