Kenzo Takabayashi and the tea machine
This precious matcha tea is a product of the Marumatzu family, famous tea growers since 1881 and the grower Kenzo Takabayashi.
However, Japan needed to strengthen its power to avoid being colonized as had happened to neighboring Asian countries. One way to strengthen the country was through foreign trade. Therefore, around the 19th century, after 300 years of isolation, Japan decided to open its ports. The main export products at the time were silk and tea.
However, tea production was based on an inefficient production method that involved a hand-rolling stage.
Kenzo Takabayashi, a practicing physician who also grew tea leaves in Saitama Prefecture, was farsighted and realized Japan needed to increase its volume of tea production to stabilize national finances. So he abandoned medicine and began to focus on inventing an automated tea processing machine.
Tea processing requires that the leaves be dried to maintain their aroma and luster that make it unique. It took many years, dedication and research to invent the Takabayashi style tea processing machine. Shortly after the machine was invented, a technological competition of agricultural experiments was held in Tokyo. The Takabayashi style machines beat the Otozo Oishi tea master by far in terms of quality and processing time. Kenzo’s machines, unrecognized until then, became famous in Japan.
Takabayashi also invented a tea cooking machine and a tea roasting machine. He applied for Japanese patents as soon as the Japanese patent went into effect in 1885 and and so he was granted Patents No. 2, 3 and 4.
Kenzo was the first civilian inventor to obtain a patent in Japan. Recognized for their high performance, Takabayashi-style tea processing machines became widely used, laying the foundation for modern tea production in Japan.
Kousaku Matsushita and the spread of tea
After fierce competition, the rights to produce and sell Takabayashi-style tea processing machines went to Kousaku Matsushita in the city of Kikugawa, Shizuoka Prefecture. In 1899, he founded the Matsushita Company began in the Horinouchi area in the city of Kikugawa, where it is still located today (although the current name is Marumatsu Tea Corporation). Soon after, Matsushita and Takabayashi began the production and sale of Takabayashi-style tea.
Through the sale of Takabayashi-style tea processing machines, Kosaku Matsushita consolidated ties with farmers of various types of tea leaves throughout Japan. Later, Matsushita began buying raw tea processed by Takabayashi-style machines, and this became the foundation of the tea leaf supply system operated by Marumatsu Tea Co., Ltd. that we still know today.
At Marumatsu, high quality tea leaves are processed using Takabayashi-style machines and the processed leaves were further improved using unique finishing techniques. Marumatsu’s tea was sold throughout the country and iMarumatsu became a manufacturer and wholesaler of the tea.
1946: Seikichi Sano and the birth of Marumatsu Tea Co.
Seikichi Sano took over the Marumatsu Tea Co., Ltd. during the turbulent post-World War II period. Determined to “bring smiles back to people’s faces through tea,” Sano dedicated himself to promoting the tea industry. In particular, Sano developed close partnerships with a number of excellent tea growers in order to improve product quality and expand green tea consumption. Seikichi Sano’s desire lives on in Marumatsu Tea.
Seikichi Sano took over the Marumatsu Tea Co., Ltd. during the turbulent post-World War II period. Determined to “bring smiles back to people’s faces through tea,” Sano dedicated himself to promoting the tea industry. In particular, Sano developed close partnerships with a number of excellent tea growers in order to improve product quality and expand green tea consumption. Seikichi Sano’s desire lives on in Marumatsu Tea.
“San gram” – the unique taste As a tea maker with a long history, Marumatsu Tea Corporation created the “san gram” brand in 2015 to help spread awareness of the goodness of green tea. “San gram” aims to bring to light the unique taste of each grower.
