Green Tea Shop
Download a licensed digital photo: pix4japan.picfair.com
Order a print: pix4japan.smugmug.com
Surviving War and Time: The Enduring Legacy of Hamaya from Groceries to Green Tea
Location: Gumyoji, Minami Ward, Yokohama, Japan
Timestamp: 18:03・2024/04/09
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 3200 for 1/20 sec. at ƒ/11
Classic Negative film simulation
Established in 1928 as a small family-run grocery shop, Hamaya has endured for nearly a century, including surviving the hardships of World War II. After the war, in 1945, it transitioned to specializing in green tea and roasted coffee beans.
The shop has two sections: on the left, they sell green tea, Chinese tea, and tea-related products; on the right, they sell roasted coffee beans.
Most of their Japanese green tea varieties are sourced from Shizuoka Prefecture, the heart of Japanese tea cultivation, offering over 50 varieties to choose from. A closer look at my photo reveals other products, including health-conscious teas, seaweed, teapots, tea utensils, and gift-packaged teas.
In only a few more years, this shop will be celebrating its centennial anniversary. I hope to return to Hamaya and chat with the owners to discuss their plans for the next 100 years!
References:
