Its history dates back to 1819, the second year of Bunsei, when the parents of the founder Tokichi Nakamura met.
Rokubei, the father of the founder Tokichi Nakamura, was born as the son of Kyubei, a sheet metal shop in Fushimi.
In the 2nd year of Bunsei, he married Tosa, the daughter of Bunemon Yamamoto, a farmer in Uji Makishima, and had five children, including Tsuru, the eldest daughter, two daughters and three sons. The fourth child (second son) named Tokichi later assumed the name Tokichi Nakamura and founded a tea business.

The first Nakamura Tokichi

The first Nakamura Tokichi

He was born on November 10, 1832, as the fourth child of his father, Konakamura Rokubei, and mother, Nakamura Tosa.

Around 1840, he began training under Hoshino Soi as an apprentice.

Around 1843, he became a clerk at a young age.

On an auspicious day in the first year of the Ansei era (1854), tea merchant Nakamura Tokichi was founded.

Died June 8, 1896 (Meiji 29)

Rise

1854, the first year of the Ansei era

Nakamura Tokichi founded

He changed his name to Nakamura Tokichi (he called himself Maruya Tokichi for about two years) and on a lucky day in the New Year, he opened a tea shop called "Nakamura Tokichi Shoten" (store name: Nakamura Tokichi Shoten) at the current location of his main store. Maruto He founded the company Maruto.

Around 1870, the third year of the Meiji era

Opened Yonago Branch and Matsue Branch in the Sanin region.

Manufacturing scene from the Meiji to Taisho era

1895 (28th year of the Meiji era)

Received numerous honorary gold, silver and bronze medals

The company won first prize at the 4th Domestic Industrial Exposition, as well as numerous other honorary gold, silver and bronze medals at competitions and expositions around the country.

1912, the first year of the Taisho era

Nakamura Tokichi III (Uyoshi) becomes mayor of Uji Town.

1913 Taisho 2

Successfully electrified matcha grinding mill

Succeeded in electrifying the matcha grinding mill, and on November 29th, received exclusive patent No. 25028, registered as Nakamura-style Matcha Grinding Machine (the prototype of the current machine).

Registered exclusive patent No. 25028 Nakamura-style tea grinding machine

1915 Taisho 4

Tea presented at the occasion of the enthronement of Emperor Taisho

Packing scene from the Taisho period

1928 (Showa 3)

On the occasion of the enthronement of Emperor Showa, the thick tea "Chiyomusukashi" was presented and purchased.

Showa era: A scene of collecting tea to be presented to Emperor Showa

1939 (Showa 14)

The Kyoto Prefectural Tea Research Institute develops new varieties for use in gyokuro tea, Kyomidori, and tencha and gyokuro tea, Ujihikari.

In order to select and develop superior varieties for the prefecture's specialty Gyokuro, Tencha, and Sencha, 106 stalks were selected, and two 100-year-old stalks were selected from the orchard. These are now the varieties developed by the Kyoto Prefectural Tea Research Institute: Kyomidori, a variety for Gyokuro, and Ujihikari, a variety for Tencha and Gyokuro.

1949 Showa 24

Changed to a corporate organization,
The company was named Nakamura Tokichi Honten Co., Ltd.

1951 Showa 26

At the first Uji Tea Festival, the head of the Urasenke school, Tantansai, bestowed the names of the thin tea "Ukishima no Shiro" and the thick tea "Sono no Mukashi" on the tea brewer.

1980 Showa 55

The head of the Urasenke school, Hounsai, bestowed upon us the names of the thin tea "Fuji no Shiro" and the thick tea "Sho no Mukashi."

The teahouse "Zuishoan" (a building from the Genroku period) was dismantled and restored after it was given to the first generation by a tea master living at a branch temple of Mimuroto-ji Temple and moved to the restaurant's courtyard.

1994 Heisei 6

To commemorate the 1200th anniversary of the founding of Heian-kyo, we started selling our secret blended tea "Nakamura Tea".

1998 Heisei 10

After years of trial and error, they began selling "Ujikin Soft," a matcha soft serve ice cream in a waffle cone, topped with red beans and shiratama (rice flour dumplings), and eaten with a spoon.

Matcha raw chocolate "Chakoreto" now on sale

The company began selling matcha chocolate under the name "Chacolate," which was well-received on television, in magazines, and in newspapers.

2001 Heisei 13th year

Opening of "Coffee House" with an open terrace where you can enjoy sweets and other dishes

The tea factory from the Meiji and Taisho periods has been renovated into a modern style without any alterations to the building structure, including the pillars and beams. The coffee shop, which has an open terrace where customers can enjoy a variety of fine teas and sweets, opened on June 1st and has been well received by locals and tourists alike since its first year.

Main store Namacha Jelly

2003 Heisei 16th year

"Namacha Jelly - Matcha" will be available nationwide from May Delivery begins, well received

2006 Heisei 18

The exterior of "Gekakuro" remains the same, but "Nakamura Tokichi Byodoin" opens.

Overlooking the Uji River and located near the World Heritage Site Byodo-in Temple, the inn "Kikuya Manpekiro" has been loved by many literary figures, artists, politicians, and business people.
The exterior of "Geikakuro," named after the first Prime Minister of Japan, Ito Hirobumi, will remain intact, but the interior will be renovated in a modern style, and the restaurant will open as "Nakamura Tokichi Byodoin Store" on April 1st.

Inside the former Byodoin store

2008 Heisei 20

"Nakamura Tokichi Kyoto Station Store" will open on February 13th on the 3rd floor of Suvaco JR Kyoto Isetan

2009 Heisei 21

Nakamura Tokichi Main Store and Nakamura Tokichi Byodoin Store (formerly Kikuya Manpeki-ro) are selected as Important Cultural Landscapes of Uji.

2012 Heisei 24th year

Nakamura Tokichi Osaka store will open on October 25th on the B1 floor of Hankyu Umeda Main Store.

2013 Heisei 25th year

New head office and factory completed, head office functions, manufacturing and logistics functions transferred.

2014 Heisei 26

In conjunction with the Important Cultural Landscape Preservation Project, The main store, built in 1990, and the old roasting furnace have been repaired and renovated.

Completed in April 2014.

Examination venue

2017 Heisei 29

April 20th, GINZA SIX 4th floor "Nakamura Tokichi Ginza store" opens

The Taisho-era garden on the grounds of the head office is designated as a cultural asset by Kyoto Prefecture.

2018 Heisei 30th year

On November 28th, the JR Kyoto Isetan store opened on the basement floor of JR Kyoto Isetan.

2021 Reiwa 3

On January 21st, the main store's coffee shop was reopened after a 20-year hiatus.

On June 18th, Nakamura Tokichi Daimaru Kyoto opened on the food floor "Gochisou Paradise" on the basement floor of the Daimaru Kyoto store.

2022 Reiwa 4

On September 16th, the Byodoin store underwent its first major renovation since opening in 2006, and reopened as a self-service cafe.

important cultural landscape

A cultural landscape is a landscape that has been shaped over a long period of time in the lives and occupations of people, or in the natural climate.
'Cultural Landscape' is a global standard of value that has already been introduced into the UNESCO World Heritage Convention.
In Japan as well, with the revision of the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties in 2004, it was positioned as a new type of cultural property, and a system was put in place for the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to select particularly important landscapes as "Important Cultural Landscapes." . It is, so to speak, an important cultural property of the climate.

"Uji City Board of Education Materials 'Attractive Landscapes for the Future' Partial Excerpt"

In February 2009, the "Uji Cultural Landscape" was selected as an important cultural landscape.
[Nakamura Tokichi Main Store] ・・・As a representative building group of tea merchants' residences in the Meiji era

[Nakamura Tokichi Byodo-in Store (former Kikuya Manpekiro)] ・・・As a remnant building of Kikuya, a restaurant and inn representing Uji from the Edo period

Each building group was selected as an "Important Cultural Landscape".