The spirit of tea growers ◎ISSHINN SANNYOU We, SHOHOKUEN, follow even today our time honoroed tradition and pick our tea leaves by a method called ISSHINN SANNYOU or "three leaves from one sprig." In early summer, when young leaves have come out to number in several, we pick only the youngest three on the top leaving the rest on sprigs. This is an indispensable method for making a good quality tea and the only one that has been used by SHOHOKUEN since the day our company was founded. Our produce has thus been limited to a certain quantity, but we have always provided our customers with the tea whose quality is superb and reliable.
	◎GROWING TEA IN OUR OWN TEA FIELD We own our own tea field of 2 ha or about 5 acres in Kohata, Uji where we grow Uji Tea with a great care such as cannot be expected in mass production. We make it our rule to produce and sell only the tea that is worthy to be called Uji Tea. We have no compromise as to our quality standard which has been set to be highest in Japan and controlled strictly.
Picking leaves for the celebration, workers in formal clothes	◎THE TEA DEDICATED TO THE IMPERIAL CELEBRATION In 1915 when Emperor Taisho was enthroned and the grand celebration was held at the Imperial court, the products of the highest fame and value were chosen from all over Japan to be dedicated on this special occasion. SHOHOKUEN was chosen from among many other manufacturers of tea to have the honor of having its tea served at the Imperial table. The recognition of the quality of our tea then became nationwide.
The Grand Tea Ceremony at Kitano Shrine	◎THE FIRST TEA TO BE SERVED AT THE GRAND TEA CEREMONY On November 26 at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto, a tea ceremony is held annually in commemoration of "the grand tea ceremony party of Hideyoshi Toyotomi. The head of tea ceremony schools will each open one of the tea pots in which are sealed the highest quality teas dedicated to the shrine by tea manufacturers. The announcement is made every year that "The first pot to be opened is KOHATA" The name, Kohata, is the place where we SHOHOKUEN have our tea field. For us, tea manufacturer, there is no greater honor and prestage than to have the name of our place called out first. The recognition of the quality of our tea has been maintained to this day.