Aoi Seicha traces its roots back to the development of Nishio tea in the heart of Aichi prefecture. Nishio has been known the world over as the cradle of the finest Matcha for more than 800 years. Some of Japan's highest quality teas come from Nishio, known as a historic tea cultivating region dating back to the 13th century.
According to legend, the history of Nishio tea started when Shouichi Kokushi, a highest-class priest and the originator of Jissouji Temple, planted seeds of tea on the premises of Jissouji. Blessed with the natural environment optimum for cultivating tencha, such as the occurrence of river mist, a warm climate, fresh pristine river waters and fertile soil thanks to the Yahagi River, Nishio eventually grew into one of the leading tea-production areas in Japan with 90% of the tea leaves produced asTencha required for Matcha production.
The Honda family name is considered one of the prominent samurai families in ancient Japan, particularly during the Sengoku (Warring States) and Edo periods. Though not initially part of higher nobility, the Honda clan rose to prominence through their service to the Tokugawa family. The hollyhock (tachi-aoi) crest is the symbol mark of AOI Seicha and is also the family crest of the Honda family, and shares a close relation to a more well-known crest, the (Mitsuba Aoi) associated with the Tokugawa clan (and Shogunate), one of the most powerful samurai families during the Edo period (1603 - 1868).
In the early Taisho era (1900s), Honda Yasutaro reclaimed barren farmland in Nishio and opened a tea plantation, marking the beginning of Aoi Seicha. Production was done completely by hand till the 1930s when the second generation owner, Meiji Honda automated their production. Under his guidance, Nishio Tea grew in repute. He served as president of the Nishio Tea Association, town council member, prefectural assembly member and the chairman of the Aichi Prefecture Tea Business Federation. During the National Tea Competition held in Nishio City in 1955, he won the Tencha division cementing the foundations of Aoi Seicha and Nishio tea. Subsequent heads of the Honda family have progressively made various improvements to AOI Seicha, with the sole aim of allowing its tea to come to be highly acclaimed around the world.
For over 100 years now, AOI Seicha has established itself as one of the leading producers of Nishio tea.
