Our Safety Management

Creating Tea Together with Producers, Not Just Purchasing Finished Tea

We mainly handle naturally grown tea cultivated without pesticides or fertilizers. For some teas, although they are not completely pesticide-free, we source from low-pesticide tea gardens that adhere to Japanese pesticide standards and verify the actual pesticide levels through testing.

The key point in pesticide management is how thoroughly we "verify." Even in pesticide-free tea gardens, unexpected factors such as drift from surrounding areas can result in pesticide detection, so 100% safety cannot be guaranteed. We strive to minimize risks as much as possible and deliver safe tea by verifying from multiple angles.

For example, when people hear "China," many assume "cheap and poor quality," but based on my experience, this is a misconception. In reality, there are teas in Japan that exceed their own pesticide standards, while there are completely pesticide-free teas in China. It is important to verify facts individually without preconceived notions.

HOJO's 10 Initiatives for Safety Management

1．　Staying in Production Areas for 2 to 3 Months Each Year to Inspect Tea Gardens and Producers

HOJO places the utmost importance on on-site quality verification. During the tea season from March to June, we stay in overseas production areas for a total of 2 to 3 months each year, monitoring quality by directly inspecting tea cultivation and production sites. The number of tea gardens visited during this period reaches into the hundreds. (Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, on-site visits were not possible in 2020 and 2021.)

The first point of verification is the condition of the ground. In naturally maintained tea gardens, the ground is covered with various weeds even in spring. Sparse weeds raise concerns about herbicide use.

If the ground has been dug up, fertilizer use is likely. Fertilizer increases the amino acid content in tea leaves, and since insects are attracted to amino acids, the leaves become more susceptible to pest damage — which in turn increases the likelihood of pesticide application.

We also examine the tea leaves themselves. Tea from unfertilized, pesticide-free gardens tends to have pale yellowish leaves, small leaf size, thin veins, and thick, sturdy stems. Conversely, large leaves with prominent veins and deep green color suggest fertilizer use, raising concerns about pesticide application during summer.

2．　Sourcing Directly from Primary Producers Without Intermediaries

There are various methods for procuring tea. The general distribution chain is as follows:

Most tea companies source their tea from wholesalers or local trading companies. However, for these intermediaries, local information is a valuable asset and they rarely disclose producer information openly. Obtaining accurate details about the production area through intermediaries is therefore very difficult.

To achieve our ideal quality and procurement costs while ensuring rigorous safety management, we visit production areas in person and trade directly with primary producers — tea farmers and local producers/processors. Local producers are often located in extremely remote areas. In Yunnan Province, for instance, sourcing black tea and pu-erh tea can require traveling more than 20 hours beyond Kunming, the provincial capital. Sourcing directly from primary producers involves significant hurdles: local knowledge, language, communication, purchase volume, payment methods, and logistics. Drawing on years of experience, HOJO now sources over 80% of its tea directly from primary producers.

3．　Sourcing Only from Producers with Established Traceability

In tea production areas, blending tea from multiple gardens is common practice — not with any ill intent, but simply because a single garden may not produce enough to meet a customer's order volume. However, many producers keep no records, operating with the mindset that "all local tea is the same."

Without records, managing pesticide use and ensuring consistent quality year after year becomes impossible. HOJO therefore works exclusively with producers who practice proper lot management, allowing us to trace each batch back to the specific tea garden, plucking date, and farmer.

4．　Pesticide Analysis at Accredited Labs Before Importing Non-Organic Certified Tea

For tea from gardens managed under low-pesticide protocols in accordance with Japanese or European standards, we conduct pesticide analysis through institutions such as SGS and Eurofins each time we change tea gardens, confirming compliance with Japanese standards before procurement. For Taiwanese tea, we analyze over 400 types of pesticides across every production lot to maintain ongoing safety monitoring.

5．　Regular Pesticide Testing to Monitor Tea Garden Conditions

Even for established products sourced from producers whose gardens have already been confirmed safe through analysis, we conduct periodic pesticide testing every few years to keep track of changing conditions in the field.

6．　Pre-Export Pesticide Testing for Every Lot of Taiwanese Oolong Tea

HOJO primarily sources Taiwanese oolong tea from low-pesticide gardens that meet Japanese pesticide standards. For every production lot, we conduct pesticide analysis at an accredited testing institution and review the data before importing.

7．　Official Import Procedures and Mandatory Safety Inspection by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

All tea exported from its country of origin to Japan is imported through official channels. At Japanese customs, we submit a food import notification to register shipments as commercial cargo, pay applicable duties, and undergo quarantine safety checks.

Because tea is frequently imported in small quantities, it is often declared as personal-use goods. Regardless of import volume, we declare all shipments as commercial cargo to ensure every lot undergoes inspection — a policy that functions as our final line of defense.

8．　100% Hand Selection by HOJO's Specialized Staff

All incoming tea — whether destined for wholesale or retail — is hand-selected by our skilled staff to minimize the risk of foreign matter contamination. The sole exception is compressed pu-erh tea in cake form, which cannot be hand-selected due to its solid shape.

9．　Moisture Management for All Incoming Tea to Prevent Microbial Deterioration

The moisture content of all incoming tea is monitored during inspection. When moisture levels are elevated, we dry the tea in-house to prevent the growth of mold and other microorganisms.

10．　Oxygen-Free Packaging to Preserve Freshness and Prevent Deterioration

In addition to moisture management, all tea is packaged in an oxygen-free environment to maintain freshness and inhibit microbial growth simultaneously.