The clear waters of the Abe River and its tributary, the Warashina River, flow through the city of Shizuoka, with majestic views of Mt. Fuji to the east. The mountains along these rivers have long been renowned as a region of exceptional tea cultivation.
During the Edo period (17th to 19th centuries), tea from this area was designated as an official supply for the Shogunate and was known in contemporary writings as “Abe Tea.” Today, in the 21st century, this tradition lives on through the dedication of skilled tea artisans who have refined their craft over generations. Their efforts have preserved and elevated the legacy of what is now known as Hon-yama Tea.
Shizuoka Tea accounts for nearly half of Japan’s total tea production. Among its many varieties, Hon-yama Tea is especially prized by tea artisans for its distinctive character—often described as “tea of the mountains”—with a flavor as pure and refreshing as the rivers that nourish its leaves.
Our company, Sato Tea Production, is located in the quiet countryside of Ōhara, nestled in the upper reaches of the Warashina River, a tributary of the Abe.
Our journey began with a single tea farmer cultivating Hon-yama tea leaves in this serene mountain village. From those humble beginnings, we established our own tea processing facility, where we carefully craft our green tea, sencha, using traditional hand-finishing techniques. We also began delivering our tea directly to customers, guided by a simple wish: to share the full flavor and heartfelt care that go into every leaf.
Our passion for exceptional tea is reflected in every step of our integrated process—from cultivation and processing to crafting and direct delivery.
Our wish is simple: to bring you truly delicious tea, straight from our farm to your cup.
| Head Office | 1057 O-hara, Aoiku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka 421-1314 |
| Representative | Ken Kawaratani, President |
| Establishment | January 1980 |
| Contact | TEL(054)270-1231(Main) FAX(054)270-1320 |
| Business | Growing of tea leaves, tea farm management, manufacturing and wholesale of crude tea, manufacturing and wholesale of make-up tea |
History
- Sato Shop Opening
- Foundation of crude tea factory
- Start of tea farm cultivation 5-year project
- Enlargement of crude tea factory
- Foundation of tea make up factory
- Construction of the first refrigerator
- Start of mail and telephone order sale
- Foundation of new crude tea factory
- Construction of the second refrigerator
- Enlargement of the second raw-leave chamber
- Foundation of the new tea make up factory (yield: 3,000 kg/day)
- Enlargement of crude tea factory
- Enlargement of crude tea factory (yield: 8,000 kg/day)
- Foundation of the new head office building
- Construction of the third refrigerator
- Enlargement of tea make up factory (yield: 5,000 kg/day)
- Enlargement of head office building
- Foundation of Japanese Confectionery factory
- Foundation of raw leaves management center
- Foundation of crude tea factory (yield: 10,000 kg/day)
- Launch of the specified health food ‘Green Power Tea’
- ISO 9001 certified
- Satoen Food and Drug Research Institute New Establishment
- In-House Pesticide Residue Analysis Commences
- New Finishing Plant (Daily Capacity: 3,000 kg/day)
- “Steamed Tea with Core” Trademark Registration
- In-House Radioactivity Analysis Commences
- Factory & Direct Sales Shop “Ocha Cafe” Renovation
- New Matcha Factory
- Raw Tea Processing Equipment Refresh
Inabata & Co., Ltd. and
Daigo Tsusho Co., Ltd.