YAMAGUCHI HITOSHI

A True Family Business

 


 

Yamaguchi En was founded in 1978 in the town of Satsuma, Kagoshima. Kagoshima is one of the top tea production areas in Japan, and in 2024, Kagoshima surpassed Shizuoka as the primary production area in terms of output, with a staggering tonnage of raw leaves produced. However, Yamaguchi En is focused more on quality than quantity.

Like many tea operations, Yamaguchi En is a family business. All of current president ‘s children and their spouses now work at Yamaguchi En in the fields, factory, or office.

When we visited at the height of first flush, we were greeted by the youngest daughter and her own child happily asleep on her chest while the factory rattled and churned around her. 

 
 
 
 

SATSUMA

The Southern Domain

Satsuma is located in the southwest of Kagoshima that retains the original name of this southern kingdom. Before the Meiji Restoration, all of Kagoshima Prefecture was known as Satsuma Domain, an independent area whose leaders were known as “tozama daimyo” or outsider daimyo, as they had opposed the installation of the Tokugawa Regime.

With a distinct background and dialect, Kagoshima retains some of that maverick air even today. Surrounded by other more prominent tea areas, such as Kirishima to the East and Minami Kyushu to the South, modern-day Satsuma town is not particularly known for tea, much less organic tea.

THE SATSUMA REGION

Ideal Weather Conditions

Nestled in northwestern Kagoshima Prefecture, the town of Satsuma is a land where tea cultivation and nature exist in perfect harmony. The Sendai river flows gently through the region, carrying with it refreshing mists that rise over the fields, while Mount Shibisan towers nearby, long regarded as a sacred and mysterious place since ancient times.

This unique landscape, where mountains and waterways meet, creates a microclimate unlike any other. Here, the warm climate is softened by the river’s cooling influence, and the relatively large variations between daytime and nighttime temperatures encourage the tea plants to grow slowly, concentrating their nutrients and aromas. The morning fog that drifts over the fields protects the tender leaves from excessive sunlight, allowing them to retain their vibrant green color and a natural depth of flavor.

The leaves harvested here are renowned for their richness, carrying a full-bodied umami—the celebrated “fifth taste”—that lingers on the palate with both sweetness and complexity.

A JOURNEY TOWARDS ORGANIC CULTIVATION

In 1993, Yamaguchi En began their journey toward organic cultivation. Around this time, Yamaguchi san began to notice issues in his own health that were especially prevalent on days when he sprayed pesticides, such as fatigue and liver problems.

This personal experience, combined with a special request from a longtime client and further consideration of his family and client’s health, led them to try organic cultivation. They received JAS Certification in 1994. Currently, Yamaguchi en uses their own recipe for organic approved fertilizer and does not use synthetic agricultural chemicals.

Yamaguchi En began matcha production in 2024, after only producing organic sencha. Yamaguchi san consulted factories in Uji, such as the venerable Hotta company, to learn how best to make matcha.

His major takeaway was the necessity of first heating, or roasting, of the leaf, where heat is directly applied from below. Without the appropriate calibration and this roasted flavor, the matcha just won’t be good.

SATSUMA'S LITTLE GEM

Enjoy These ExclusiveTreats

Now, Yamaguchi En produces sencha and cultivar-specific matcha. Their goal is to not be the biggest producer in Kagoshima, but to provide high-quality, safely cultivated tea to people who appreciate it. We feel honored being able to propose their products for the first time to foreign tea lovers all around the world !

3 products
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IKKYU's Yamaguchi en's Matcha Hiromi in its signature bag
HIROMI

Premium Matcha

ORGANIC: Yes   WEIGHT: 40g

From Satsuma in Kagoshima, a single-cultivar, single-estate matcha made with Kanayamidori cultivar. With its high roast level, this matcha can be used in many ways, and will always yield a distinctive taste. Its nutty aroma and astringency add a firm, wild flavor that is quite remarkable for an organic matcha.

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IKKYU's Yamaguchi en's Matcha Keia in its signature bag
KEIA

Competition Matcha

ORGANIC: Yes   WEIGHT: 40g

From Satsuma in Kagoshima, a single-estate, single-cultivar organic matcha made exclusively from Tsuyuhikari cultivar. Smooth, round and fragrant with high levels of umami and no bitterness, as well as a beautiful emerald color.

KIWAMI

Competition Sencha

ORGANIC: Yes   WEIGHT: 80g

From Satsuma in Kagoshima, a flavorful single-origin first-flush and hand-picked organic sencha with a beautiful light green liqueur, and a sweet and mellow body. With hints of peppermint and star anise, its incredible refreshing feeling will linger long after you finish your cup.

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