Ito En
No chance of your spokesperson causing off-camera scandals if they don’t exist off camera.
Almost all drink makers caution against it, but one says it’s safe as long as you follow some special rules.
Third premium offering in line of matcha is set to please the palate while hurting the wallet.
Green tea has always been a popular drink in Japan and is widely consumed here even in plastic bottles. Visitors to Japan are sure to have seen a variety of green tea drinks at convenience stores or vending machines, including those from major tea and beverage maker Ito En.
Now, Ito En and department store Isetan have teamed up to put on a delightful promotional event which they’re calling the “Green Tea Party“, and the event is exactly that – one big tea party, where you can have so many different types of green tea and tea-based beverage creations that you’ll feel like you stepped into a wonderland of Japanese tea. Naturally, we weren’t about to stay away from a good tea party, so we made our way to the branch of Isetan in Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighborhood. Let’s take a look at what we saw and tasted at the event, shall we?
Japan may have invented the tea ceremony, but that doesn’t mean that every occasion to drink the beverage is considered a solemn cultural experience. Modern residents of Japan don’t generally have the time for a highly ritualized brewing and sipping of a cup of tea, and are instead far more likely to satisfy their cravings with an inexpensive bottle of green tea bought from a vending machine or convenience store.
But swinging the pendulum back the other way is beverage company Ito En, which is releasing a super-premium bottled green tea made with Japan’s highest quality leaves, and an eye-popping price to match.
MOST POPULAR
Now
New Travelling Bento pouches turn your luggage into a Japanese lunch box
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Naruto jerseys coming to Major Leage Baseball theme nights, Hello Kitty to take over a field
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
New Japanese KitKats come in sakura flavour, with poetic symbolism for success
Foreign man arrested for walking on Shinkansen tracks, claims he was on the run from yakuza
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Schoolkids learn life skills through shopping field trips at street markets in Kochi Prefecture
Viral 3D ice creams land in Japan… but are they worth the hype?
This is what ramen with 100 slices of chashu roast pork looks like
Weekly
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Tokyo teahouse serves up a sakura matcha dessert you won’t find anywhere else
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
Monthly
- Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
- Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
- Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Foreign man arrested for walking on Shinkansen tracks, claims he was on the run from yakuza
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Schoolkids learn life skills through shopping field trips at street markets in Kochi Prefecture
Viral 3D ice creams land in Japan… but are they worth the hype?
This is what ramen with 100 slices of chashu roast pork looks like
Peanuts and Coke becomes a viral hit in Japan, but is it a trend worth joining?
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Convenience store fried chicken gets approved as food for Japanese space program
Ki&Ki: The new face of traditional Japanese music
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Does a long line mean a sweeter deal? We compare two sweets from a Hokkaido food fair【Taste test】
-
