Department store in the Ikebukuro area
Finding exactly the right tea for each customer.
Which brand would you miss the most?
When do you drink it?
I have a cup of matcha to wake me up in the morning.
Why would you miss it?
Boiling water in the morning marks the start of my day. Piping hot matcha warms me up from the inside out, and clears the fog in my head. I love the way it's both mellow and refreshing.
How do you prepare it?
For a winter morning, I recommend drinking matcha piping hot. I pour the contents of a matcha stick into a largish cup, pour on piping hot water, and mix it with a spoon. It's very easy.
When I have matcha with something sweet, I put in a little more effort. At times like that, I cool the water a little (to about 80°C), and whisk it with a bamboo whisk. The feel on my tongue and the mellowness are amazing.
Department store in the Kyoto area
Greeting customers with a smile to cheer them up.
Which brand would you miss the most?
When do you drink it?
It's good for taking a break to wind down after I get home from work.
Why would you miss it?
I like to have a peaceful moment after the evening meal. At times like that, I use a drip tea bag to make a cup of hojicha. The hojicha aroma billows out as soon as you pour on the hot water, and that seems to take away the day's worries and cares. The roasted aroma really helps me to wind down.
How do you prepare it?
I use boiling hot water for the first cupful for maximum wind-down. For the second cup, I pour the tea over ice to cool it down, and use it for rehydrating after a hot bath. Properly cooled hojicha is great for that.
Logistics group
Overseeing all the Ippodo logistics, like a control tower.
Which brand would you miss the most?
When do you drink it?
I drink it throughout the day, at all times and in all situations. When I'm thirsty, and at mealtimes, too.
Why would you miss it?
It fits well into any everyday scene. It's really easy to use. It fits in with any meal, whether you’re eating Japanese-style or Western-style cooking, or having it with something sweet, or with sake. It also has a good aroma and a light flavour, which makes it good for rehydrating when you’re thirsty. It's satisfying even for that alone.
How do you prepare it?
I boil three litres of water in a kettle and add six tablespoons of tea leaves. That makes me enough tea to last all day, so I prepare it like that every morning. It keeps well enough at room temperature in the kettle, but in summer I recommend cooling it in the refrigerator, and then enjoying it really cold from an aluminium mug.
