News On Japan

Gion Tsujiri Removes 'Uji Tea' From Its Logo as Matcha Boom Intensifies

OSAKA, Jan 27 (News On Japan) - The global matcha boom is showing no signs of slowing, with producers saying demand has surged to unprecedented levels and prices have jumped sharply, raising concerns that the trend is shifting from a boom into a bubble.

Behind the matcha frenzy, however, the strain is spreading to everyday tea, a staple of daily life in Japan, as the impact of soaring demand begins to reach even products traditionally valued for their affordability.

Changes are now appearing at well-known tea brands, including Gion Tsujiri, which has removed the words “Uji tea” from its logo, signaling a shift in how the company presents itself amid the rapidly evolving market.

A senior executive at Gion Tsujiri said the brand had long promoted itself as “Uji tea’s Gion Tsujiri,” but has now dropped the Uji tea wording from its logo, as the company navigates an industry being reshaped by runaway global demand.

With overseas buyers reportedly requesting purchases as large as 100 kilograms of tea leaves, experts warn that prices are unlikely to stabilize anytime soon, underscoring how the matcha-driven surge is transforming the tea market in unpredictable ways.

Source: KTV NEWS

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

The admission fee for the World Heritage-listed Himeji Castle in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, was revised on March 1st for the first time in 11 years, introducing a dual pricing system that significantly raises costs for visitors from outside the city.

An avalanche struck an advanced-level course at Madarao Kogen Ski Resort, which spans Niigata and Nagano prefectures, on February 28th, leaving four people injured, including two family members.

An eight-year-old Australian girl died after a snowmobile overturned in Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture, at around 11 a.m. on February 28th, with authorities investigating the cause of the accident.

The assembly of a massive shield machine for tunnel construction at the Kanagawa Station site of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen has been completed, with the site opened to the media as excavation prepares to move forward toward Nagoya.

Although February is typically the height of the hibernation season, bears have already been sighted across Japan, raising concerns of another wave of deadly encounters.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Food NEWS

In the culinary world, this is the "Great Debate." It’s the kitchen equivalent of choosing between a heavy-duty pickup truck and a precision-engineered Italian sports car.

This is behind the counter in Japan at Eiraiken, a small machi-chuka, or Japanese style Chinese restaurant, tucked away in a quiet Yokohama neighborhood. (Paolo fromTOKYO)

A crispy, savory bread known as “mentaiko France” is drawing long lines and racking up viral views on social media, with specialty shops emerging and demand surging as the rich, roe-filled baguette gains momentum across Japan.

Japan byFood and Shizuka try a new, luxury yakitori restaurant tucked away on a backstreet in one of Tokyo’s most popular entertainment hotspots, Shibuya’s Dogenzaka area.

The unbelievable discipline these Japanese elementary school students have to serve each other lunch in Japan is so heart warming to see! (Japanese Food Craftsman)

An American man came to Japan with a dream — but without the language. Inspired by anime, he moved to Japan and began working at a small eel shop in Kobe.

This is a day in the life in Japan, following Shota, a fourth generation Japanese oyster farmer at Yamaguchi Suisan in Noto. (Paolo fromTOKYO)

Seven-Eleven has raised prices on its onigiri in response to soaring rice costs, with the increases introduced gradually since February 10th across 29 items including rice balls and boxed meals.