Producer: Yuzuya Honten
Ingredients: Yuzu (Korea and Japan), granulated sugar, honey
Suggested use: To prepare honey yuzu tea, combine 1 packet of concentrate with 120ml (~½ cup) of water (hot or cold) and stir to combine. Can also be combined with sparkling water or alcohol to create flavorful beverages. Try drizzling on toast, yogurt, or ice cream and adding to marinades for a touch of sweet yuzu flavor.
With a refreshing sweet-tart flavor and no caffeine, this Honey Yuzu Tea is perfect for relaxing after a long day. Made with high-quality yuzu sourced from Yuzuya Honten’s own farm, in addition to carefully selected citrus from Korea, this jam-like tea concentrate has a luxurious citrus aroma and mellow taste. The natural sweetness and subtle floral and citrus notes of acacia honey pair beautifully with the slight bitterness of the finely chopped yuzu peel, keeping this tea from being overly sweet. Packaged in a single-serving packet, you can enjoy this Honey Yuzu Tea anywhere, anytime. Just add water!
Yuzuya Honten began in 1978 when founder Kin Yu first started making and selling orange juice. Today, the company offers a wide array of authentic products showcasing the natural flavors of local citrus. Headquartered in Hagi City in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Yuzuya Honten operates a farm with over 2,500 yuzu trees and has also expanded to include a Korean restaurant and a salt business. Aiming to enliven Yamaguchi’s local economy, the company proudly offers its products to customers and chefs in over 45 countries.
Producer: Yanoen
Suggested use: Pour the contents of one stick into a cup, add 140ml (~5 oz) of hot or cold water, and stir well to combine. Can be enjoyed hot or iced. For a houjicha affogato, combine one stick with 50ml (~1.5 oz) of hot water and pour over ice cream.
Renowned as the birthplace of Japan’s tea ceremonies, the small city of Uji, Kyoto, is known worldwide for its high-quality green tea and matcha. Made by roasting Uji’s distinctively flavored green tea to bring out a warm and nutty flavor, houjicha offers a full-bodied aromatic taste that blends beautifully with the richness of milk. This easy-to-make houjicha cappuccino provides a luxurious cafe experience at home, with a smooth and creamy texture punctuated by the mellow, toasted flavor of houjicha. Lightly sweetened with a touch of sugar and low in caffeine, it’s the perfect alternative to a traditional cappuccino.
Founded in 1836 by Genzaburo Yano, Yanoen is still family-operated today. Since its start nearly 200 years ago, the company has expanded internationally and domestically, which has led to several tea expo awards. In Yanoen’s many years of business, the company has won several awards, including prizes from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries as well as prizes from the Minister of International Trade and Industry.
Producer: Goto Soy Sauce
Suggested use: Shake well before using and enjoy in place of your favorite salad dressing. Can also be used to marinate meat. Try it in the Simple & Juicy Yakitori (Chicken Skewers) recipe included in this booklet!
Storage: Refrigerate after opening.
Although less common than its green counterpart, red shiso is an integral part of Japanese cuisine. Often used as a natural food coloring, it’s commonly found lending its vivid red hue to things like umeboshi (pickled plums) and pickled ginger. Aside from its bright color, red shiso has a bright aroma and a unique, herbal flavor. Often slightly spicy and bitter with notes of mint, citrus, and cinnamon, it is quite refreshing. This red shiso dressing has a complex sour flavor layered with the umami of soy sauce and kelp and adds the perfect pop of freshness to any summer salad.
For over 110 years, Goto Soy Sauce has used its unique manufacturing methods to produce delicious soy sauce. Since its founding in 1913, the company has worked hard to help preserve the traditional taste of Kyushu’s sweet, umami-rich soy sauce, while expanding to also offer additive-free miso, ponzu, dashi, dressings, and more.
Shincha (New Raw Tea) (濃くうま新茶)
Producer: Tea Life
Suggested use: Add one tea bag to a teapot and fill with hot water. Brew for about 30 sec and swirl the pot in a circular motion to distribute flavor before serving. For cold brew tea, use 2-3 tea bags per liter of water, stir well, and chill in the refrigerator until desired strength.
Celebrated for its freshness and highly coveted due to its limited quantities, shincha is made with the first harvest of tea leaves that are picked before the arrival of the rainy season. Harvested from late March through mid-May, these young tea leaves have a slightly sweet, rich flavor and a refreshing aroma. Tea Life’s shincha features locally cultivated tea leaves from tea farms in Shizuoka, which are picked at the peak of flavor development. Upon opening the package, you’ll be enveloped in the incredible grassy aroma of this vibrant green tea, transporting you straight to the rolling green tea fields of Shizuoka!
Since its founding in 1983, Tea Life has been committed to putting customers first and prioritizing high ethical standards. To support their goal of helping people live to be one hundred, the company offers a wide variety of unique goods, including health foods, beauty products, and of course, teas. Tea Life takes pride in providing wellness to customers via their high-quality products.
Producer: Aoyama Mameju
Prefecture: Kyoto
Ingredients: Sugar, rice flour, kinako (roasted ground soybeans), ground cinnamon, sesame (incl. soy and sesame)
Suggested uses: Enjoy as is. Pairs well with a green tea such as sencha* and matcha*. (Note: Baked yatsuhashi are quite crunchy and dense. Enjoy with care!)
Aoyama Mameju, based in Kyoto and located near the entrance to Sennyuji Temple, has been producing traditional sweets and snacks since 1912. Their shop transports you back to the Edo Period and the ancient winding roads of Kyoto with its shelves of snacks, cookies, rice crackers, and more.
Producer: Morinoya
Suggested uses: Enjoy chilled and sliced into domino-sized pieces with a cup of tea (find your favorite tea on our website or discover new ones in our Japanese Green & Specialty Tea: “Ryu” Package). It can also be thinly sliced and used in place of jam on toast or sweet bread for a uniquely tea-flavored treat.
A traditional Japanese sweet, yokan is a jelly-like confection typically made from red bean paste, sugar, and agar. This unique yokan is made with white bean paste, which has a milder flavor and allows the delicate taste of the tea to shine through. The refreshing and robust flavor of Sayama green tea, which is grown locally in the southern part of Saitama Prefecture, pairs beautifully with the light sweetness and subtle earthiness of the yokan. Considered somewhat rare to find outside of Japan, the Sayama green tea also imparts a vivid green hue, making this yokan a stunning sweet treat.
Specializing in yokan, Morinoya works in close collaboration with local Saitama farmers and their families to source its ingredients. As interest in Japanese sweets and teas continues to grow globally, Morinoya works hard to create innovative new products, like green tea cola, and to expand their line of confections with exciting new flavors inspired by regional agricultural specialties.
Producer: Kuramaan
Suggested use: Enjoy as is! Pairs well with tea, beer, or other alcoholic beverages. Can also be enjoyed as part of a charcuterie board. Storage: Room temperature.
These bite-sized rice crackers showcase the strong spice of sansho pepper, which is similar to Sichuan peppercorns but lighter and with citrus undertones. Sansho is an essential ingredient for those who crave authentic Japanese flavors. The addition of tamari soy sauce, konbu and bonito gives these crackers deep umami flavors with a hint of sweetness. The resulting cracker is the perfect blend of citrus, salt, spice & sweet!
Established in 1931 by a founder who had apprenticed under the famous okaki maker, Masuda Eishodo, Kuramaan is now in its third generation. While many traditional companies in Japan, including rice cracker stores, have seen a decline in recent years, Kuramaan has persevered through hard times and remains as 1 of only 23 rice cracker shops left in Kyoto. Dedicated to the founder’s philosophy of producing the best rice crackers, the company continues to use high-quality ingredients and traditional production methods today.
