Frequently Asked Questions

We have made an FAQ list of enquiries that we have received from customers.

Tea

Which is better for making tea? Soft water or hard water?

We recommend soft water. The flavour may become more plain the harder the water is and the colour may be paler.
The water in Japan is soft so it is suited to making tea but as it contains chlorine, it should be boiled before use.

How much caffeine does tea contain?

Sencha…20mg　Smoked hojicha…20mg　Genmaicha…10mg　Black tea…30mg　Oolong tea…20mg
(All extracted from 100ml of liquid) *From the 7th Japan Food Standard Ingredients Table
If you are worried about caffeine, we recommend the no-caffeine barley tea or rooibos tea.

How quickly should brewed tea be consumed?

It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

The powdered tea does not dissolve into the water and sinks to the bottom.

Powdered tea is crushed whole tea leaves so it will not completely dissolve in hot or cold water.
Pour hot or cold water over the tea and stir before drinking.
Instant tea is powdered extract so it is able to dissolve in hot or cold water.

Can I put dust tea straight into a cup then drink it?

This tea is made from the powder that results from producing sencha tea from dried tea leaves.
It is not as fine as powdered tea so it needs to be made in a teapot.

Why does hot green tea go brown after a while?

This is due to the difference in activeness of tannin oxidative formation which depends on the temperature of the water.

There is an oil-like film on the surface of the brewed tea. Is it OK to drink?

This is due to the oils contained in the tea and does not affect the quality.

I made iced tea with your black tea but it went cloudy. Why did this happen?

This phenomenon is called creaming down.
As the tea cools gradually, the caffeine and tannins in the tea crystallise and it becomes cloudy.
The best way to prevent this is to put a lot of ice into your glass and then pour strongly brewed tea over it to cool it quickly.
Even if the tea does go cloudy, it does not affect the quality so you can still drink it.
If it is re-heated to 60℃ or more, it will go back to its original state.

When I cold-brewed with a teabag, the resulting liquid separated into clear liquid at the top and dark-coloured liquid at the bottom.

This happens when the teabag sinks to the bottom and brews.
Mix well and drink.

Why is the tea packaging green?

Coloured bags are used to control how much light the tea is exposed to and to reduce the degradation of the tea leaves.

What is dextrin that is used in instant tea?

This is made from potato or corn starch. It is used to create granules that dissolve easily.
Dextrin is not a food additive; it is categorised as a food.

May the tea bag use it repeatedly?

If you are making more than one cup of tea at the same time, it is possible to re-use the teabag. However, the flavour for subsequent cups will not be as good as the first one.
We do not recommend keeping used teabags to re-use later.

Coffee

The bag of my coffee has blown up full of air. Is it OK to drink?

Roasted and powdered coffee emits carbon dioxide gas which is a flavour component.
We apply a process called ageing to remove this gas but bags may blow up full of air after they are filled, depending on how much gas the coffee contains.
Please do not worry. This does not affect the quality.

My drip coffee filters and hooks have turned brown. Are they OK to use?

This is caused by the aromatic coffee oil that coffee contains and is not a discolouration of the hook or filter. It does not affect the quality.

Please tell me how much caffeine is in the coffee.

60mg per 100ml of extracted liquid * From the 7th Japan Food Standard Ingredients Table

How do you remove the caffeine from decaffeinated coffee?

We use the fact that caffeine dissolves easily in water so we soak raw coffee beans in water to remove the caffeine. We do not use any chemicals, etc. in this process.

There is an oil-like film on the surface of the coffee tea. Is it OK to drink?

This is due to the aromatic coffee oil contained in the coffee and does not affect the quality.

The hook does not hang on my cup.

Cut along the perforated line and open the hook out like wings to form a rectangular opening.
Then place it on the cup.
There are some cases in which the hook will not hang on the cup depending on its size or thickness.

How do I store drip coffee that is not individually wrapped?

Please store them in a zip-lock bag or an airtight container.

Product in general

The expiry date for my product has passed. Can I still drink it?

The expiry date is the period within which the flavour of the product can be enjoyed fully before the package has been opened.
There will be no adverse effects if you drink it after this date but it may lose some of its original delicious taste.

How soon after opening should I use up the product?

The flavour will start to degrade due to oxidization and moisture absorption so it should be used as quickly as possible after opening.
Guidance...tea: 1 week – 1 month, coffee (powder): 7 – 10 days, coffee beans: 1 month

Is it better to store the products in the fridge (freezer)?

If you want to store an unopened product for a long time, please store in the fridge (freezer). If you are going to use it up quickly, it is OK to store in a cool, dark place.
Points to note about storing in the fridge (freezer)
・Place in an airtight container or bag. (This will prevent the aroma from transferring onto other foods.)
・Be careful of condensation when removing it.
・Portion out and only remove as much as you need each time.

Do you use pesticides?

We use them in all products that are not organic in accordance with the Food Sanitation Act but we do test for residual pesticides to check the safety of the products.

I accidentally swallowed the deoxygenating agent.

The deoxygenating agent is not a food but it has been checked for safety with acute toxicity tests.
However, if you do, for some reason, swallow it, please consult a doctor.