Our Story

It all started with just a cup of tea.

My life-changing encounter with tea

I was born in Ujitawara, Kyoto Prefecture, known as the birthplace of Japanese green tea. Tea-picking classes were held in elementary school, and tea was available simply by turning on the tap. Tea was a familiar presence, and I probably had more opportunities to drink tea than most. However, around the age of 20, I encountered tea that would shape the rest of my life. I happened to drop by a local festival. A famous tea farmer quickly brewed me some tea, saying, "Here you go," and the moment I took a sip, I couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow!" The tea I tried was gyokuro, and its rich flavor and aroma set it apart from any tea I had ever tasted. I stared at the tea in my teacup, completely overwhelmed. I had no idea something this delicious was being produced in the town where I was born and raised. It should be more widely known—that feeling became the origin of "Hokuzan."

Learning the true essence of tea at a long-established wholesaler before going independent

That's when my exploration of tea began. In search of that same taste, I spent every day buying and drinking every tea labeled "gyokuro." However, no matter what I tried, it never tasted the same. No matter how expensive the gyokuro, the result was the same. I later learned that even the same gyokuro can have completely different flavors depending on the farm, region, production method, and year of production. Immersed in the depth of this knowledge, I decided to embark on the path of tea without hesitation. After working in sales at Ito En and selling at Maiko no Cha Honpo in Kyotanabe City, I finally trained as a tea master at the long-established tea wholesaler, Shotokuen, where I strived to understand the true essence of tea. After earning a tea master's license and repeatedly representing Kyoto Prefecture in the National Tea Judging Skills Competition, a competition of tea connoisseurs, I went independent in 2017. Hokuzan tea is now served in cafes and hotel suites.

Members of Hokuzan

Representative: Yuji Yamakita

Originally from Ujitawara Town, Kyoto Prefecture, he was inspired to pursue the path of tea by a cup of tea he encountered while he was a student. After working in sales at Ito En Co., Ltd. and training at Shotokuen, a long-established tea wholesaler in Kyotanabe City, Kyoto Prefecture, he went independent in 2017 and continues to work there today. He achieved outstanding results, including second place at the Kyoto Prefecture Tea Judging Skills Competition, a competition of tea discerning judges, and has represented Kyoto Prefecture in the National Tea Judging Skills Competition many times. He is a judge at the 32nd Kyoto Prefecture Tea Appraisal and the 72nd Kansai Tea Appraisal. He has a fourth-degree degree in Kyoto Prefecture Tea Appraisal Skills and a seventh-degree degree in National Tea Appraisal Skills. He received the Excellence Award at the Japan Made Beauty Awards 2018.

Designer Juho Viitasalo

Originally from Finland, he has worked on projects with world-renowned companies and organizations such as Finnair, NASA, and Volvo, and is active in a wide range of fields including industrial design, packaging design, and 3D printing.