Modern Tea Brewing, Traditional Taste

By Daniel de Bomford, Sean McBride, Sasha Lauture

“I think the four seasons in Japan are the biggest attraction of the country,” Sakurako Shigemura, President of Ujien Co., Ltd., says as she talks tea and its cultural significance. For over 155 years, the tea manufacturer has successfully balanced preserving traditional flavors while experimenting with modern tastes. Like the seasons, Ms. Shigemura describes how flavors can reflect the variety in life and Ujien has long created tea flavors to inspire and delight changing tastes.

Ujien’s gotas tea is the prime example of its pursuit of a perfect combination of tradition and modernity. Developed by Masaru Shigemura, Ujien’s Chairman & CEO, it is brewed with Japanese water for an authentic flavor profile, balancing the traditional tea drinking experience with the accessibility that comes with a bottle. Featured regularly at global summits and events, Ujien’s considered approach to accessibility won it the Grand Prize for Packaging at the World Green Tea Contest. Its distinguished flavor had gotas featured in tea pairings offered by Xavier Thuizat, the 2022 Best Sommelier of France, at Hôtel de Crillon in Paris.

Whether one is a foreigner wishing for an authentic green tea experience or a Japanese person looking for that comforting familiarity, Ujien has created an experience faithful to the dynamic culture of Japan. Ms. Shigemura says that “Japanese tea represents Japanese culture,” and Ujien succeeds in delivering an authentic experience with gotas, alongside its many blends.

To hear more from President Sakurako Shigemura of Ujien, check out this interview with him