Tea Brands
Tea Brands
From Twinings, trading on the same London street for over 300 years, to Lupicia and Nittoh, which shaped how Japan drinks tea. 10 brands: how each began, who runs them now, and how many locations they have in Japan.
About these entries
Founding dates and history are included only where we could verify them against official sources. Store counts come from our map data, built from each company's own store list, and they change over time. Check the brand's own site for current products and openings.
Twinings
United KingdomFounded 1706Thomas Twining bought a coffee house on the Strand, London
In 1706 Thomas Twining bought Tom's Coffee House on the Strand in London and began selling tea. The company has traded on that same spot for over 300 years. In 1717 he turned the building next door into a shop for dry tea and coffee, where women could buy directly. Earl Grey and Lady Grey are among its staples.
Run by: Part of Associated British Foods
No stores of its own (sold through supermarkets)
Fortnum & Mason
United KingdomFounded 1707William Fortnum and Hugh Mason, on Piccadilly, London
Founded on Piccadilly in 1707 by William Fortnum and Hugh Mason, and a holder of royal warrants. Known for Royal Blend and Assam Superior, its Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon in the London store is a destination in itself.
Run by: Part of Wittington Investments
Locations in Japan 16(as of 2026-08, from official store lists)
Mariage Frères
FranceFounded 1854The brothers Henri and Édouard Mariage, in the Marais, Paris
Founded in 1854 by the Mariage brothers on rue du Bourg-Tibourg in the Marais, Paris, as a tea trading house. It sold mainly wholesale for over a century, and became widely known after it opened to the public with a shop and salon de thé in the 1980s. The flagship also houses a tea museum. Known for the breadth of its flavoured teas; its Japanese flagship is in Ginza.
Run by: Not disclosed
Locations in Japan 16(as of 2026-08, from official store lists)
Lipton
United Kingdom (Scotland)Founded 1871Thomas Lipton opened a grocery in Glasgow
Thomas Lipton opened a grocery in Glasgow in 1871, and around 1890 acquired tea estates in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), bringing growing and selling under one roof. His slogan — direct from the tea gardens to the teapot — and his pre-packed tea, at a time when tea was sold loose by weight, helped make tea widely affordable.
Run by: Its main tea business is LIPTON Teas and Infusions, owned by CVC Capital since 2022. Some regions and the RTD business were not included
No stores of its own (sold through supermarkets)
TWG Tea
SingaporeFounded 2008Founded in Singapore
A luxury tea house founded in Singapore in 2008, with a range of over 800 teas. The 1837 on its logo is not a founding date — the company uses it to mark the beginning of Singapore's tea trade.
Run by: Part of V3 Gourmet
Locations in Japan 8(as of 2026-08, from official store lists)
Lupicia
JapanPredecessor founded 1994Established as Lepicier Co., Ltd.
Established in 1994 as Lepicier Co., Ltd. In 2005 the tea shop Lepicier merged with Ryokuhekichaen, a Japanese and Chinese tea retailer, to become Lupicia; the company took that name in 2006 and opened its new flagship in Jiyugaoka in 2007. It carries over 400 teas a year and shelves black, green and oolong tea side by side, with seasonal editions and loose-leaf sold by weight.
Run by: LUPICIA CO., LTD.
Locations in Japan 151(as of 2026-08, from official store lists)
Afternoon Tea TEAROOM
JapanFirst store 1981First store in Shibuya Parco Part III
Opened its first store in Shibuya Parco Part III in 1981. It began paired with a homeware store, and has always proposed a life with tea around it. Its tearooms are found in shopping centres across Japan.
Run by: The Sazaby League, Ltd.
Locations in Japan 69(as of 2026-08, from official store lists)
Nittoh Black Tea
JapanBrand launched 1927Launched as Mitsui Tea
Launched in 1927 as Mitsui Tea, the first Japanese-branded black tea. Later renamed Nittoh, it is made and sold today by Mitsui Norin. It introduced many of the staples of tea at home in Japan, tea bags and instant milk tea among them.
Run by: Mitsui Norin Co., Ltd.
No stores of its own (sold through supermarkets)
Mikuniya Zengoro
JapanRoots 1921The first Zengoro began growing tea in Mikuni, Fukui
A tea merchant tracing its roots to 1921, when the first Zengoro began growing tea in the port of Mikuni, Fukui. Built on Japanese green tea, it carries black and Chinese teas too, with stores in shopping centres across Japan. Its depth in Japanese teas, wakoucha included, sets it apart.
Run by: Mikuniya Co., Ltd.
Locations in Japan 14(as of 2026-08, from official store lists)
Karel Čapek
JapanFounded 1987Opened by Utako Yamada in Kokubunji, Tokyo
A tea shop opened in Kokubunji, Tokyo on 5 May 1987 by Utako Yamada, who opened a Kichijoji store in 1993. It is named after the Czech writer Karel Čapek. Yamada is an illustrator and picture-book author who draws the packaging herself, which has made the tea a popular gift.
Run by: Karel Čapek Co., Ltd.
Locations in Japan 5(as of 2026-08, from official store lists)
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