Green tea is undoubtedly one of the most consumed beverages in the world.
To become a "green" tea, the leaves of Camellia sinensis must go through a process of withering, stopping oxidation, rolling and drying. These are the different transformation processes that create all the types of tea we know so well; White Tea, Black Tea, Oolong Tea, etc.
Did you know that in China, up to 6 varieties of tea are produced! A striking contrast with Japan, which specializes only in the production of green tea. It is also in Japan that the first serious research on the health benefits of tea was conducted.
For more than a decade, we have been privileged to be able to import all our Japanese ARIEL teas from Marumatsu, an exceptional producer with legendary expertise that we will have the pleasure of introducing to you in this article.
Marumatsu: A History of Excellence & Dedication
In the mid-19th century, to avoid being invaded like its neighbors, Japan had to turn to foreign trade. The main trade activities were tea and silk. At that time, Japanese tea leaves were mostly rolled by hand. This traditional method had become inefficient considering the increasing demand.
In 1881, Kenzo Takabayashi, a practicing medical doctor, decided to close his practice in order to devote himself to his passion; tea. Seeing the problem and the need, Kenzo developed the first Takabayashi style tea processing machine.
Later, he created a machine for steaming tea leaves and another for roasting the leaves. As soon as the law to patent an invention was passed in 1885, Takabayashi received Japanese patent No. 2,3,4 for his machines. He was the first civilian inventor to receive a patent in the country.
In 1899, Matsushita Company (the present Marumastu Tea Co.) was founded. At that time, the company only sold Takabayashi type tea brewing and cooking machines.
La société Matsushita - 1902
With time and the sales of their machines, the company created strong ties with quality growers in Japan. In this way, in 1902, the company became Marumatsu Tea Co. Ltd. and began producing tea. The high quality leaves were processed using Takabayashi machines, and then enhanced with unique finishing techniques.
Today, Marumatsu continues to export only the highest quality products with the goal of making their customers happy. It is no wonder that this gold producer has won several awards such as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Want to discover our selection of 100% Japanese ARIEL Teas and Matcha Tea Candies from Marumatsu? Here they are:
