About ITO EN

Q: How long has ITO EN been around?

A: ITO EN was established in Japan in 1966. In 2002, we brought our knowledge of tea culture and quality tea to the US. We have been in Brooklyn, New York since then.

Q: I’ve bought tea from ITO EN before, but what is the ITO EN Gift Shop?  

A: It is a virtual holiday pop-up shop where we have a curated limited edition Holiday Collection for tea lovers! Gifting is a concept that is deeply embedded in the Japanese culture and tea is often gifted on celebratory occasions to send well wishes to friends and loved ones. We created this Holiday Tea Collection to continue this gifting tradition with a unique line of holiday teas to celebrate the warming sensations and flavors of the season.

Accounts

Q: I already have an account with Itoen.com, will it work here too?

A: Our virtual holiday pop-up shop is independent of itoen.com, which means you will have to create a new account here.

Products

Q: Where is the tea from?

A:  We source our Holiday Tea Collection from around the world, including USA, Europe, Asia and South America. Our limited edition Brooklyn Breakfast blend is blended in small batches right here in Brooklyn.

Q: What is the shelf life for the teas?

A: It’s best to consume all loose leaf tea within 12 months. We recommend you keep them in air-tight and away from light. Look for the Best-by date on the bottom of matcha LOVE® Usucha tin.

Q: What is matcha?

A: Made from shade grown and stone-ground delicate green tea, matcha is traditionally used for Japanese Tea Ceremonies that honor balance & mindfulness.

Matcha differs from most common forms of green tea in that rather than drinking steeped tea leaves, you are actually drinking the whole tea leaf — which has been finely ground—and has the effect of a gentle, grounding boost of energy and mental clarity.

Want to make your matcha at home? Get our matcha LOVE® Matcha Starter Kit.

Q: What do the characters 野点 mean?

A: The characters written on the bamboo whisk reads “no-da-te”, it translates to “open air tea ceremony”. Sometimes a Japanese tea ceremony can take place outdoors picnic-style. This whisk is designed to be compact and easy to transport for these occasions. As part of the matcha LOVE® Matcha Starter Kit, it is perfect for the modern, on-the-go lifestyle.

Orders & Payment

Q: What payment methods do you accept?

A: We accept credit card payments of Visa, Master Card, American Express or Discovery. You can also pay through PayPal, Amazon Pay and Apple Pay. You will need an account with these third-party applications in order to check out using these payment methods on our site.

Q: When will my credit card be charged?

A: We bill your card at the time your order is placed so that shipment can be processed.

Q: Can I change my order once placed?

A: We do our best to fulfill orders as soon as they are received, typically on the same day. Therefore, you may not change your order after it’s placed. However, if there’s any issue with your order, please contact us at comments@itoen.com so that we can sort it out for you!

Q: Do you offer gift receipt and gift wrap?

A: We don’t offer gift wrap at this time. However, if you’re sending our tea or gift set to someone as a gift, just check the box at checkout indicating this is a gift, we will not include the price with the package.

Shipping & Delivery

FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $39! Any order received after 12 PM EST will ship the next business day. Our goal is to get your gifts to you as fast as possible. 

We will be closed observing Christmas until 12/26 as well as New Year's Day. 

Q: How do you ship and how much does it cost?

A: We ship everything via UPS. We offer UPS Ground, UPS 2 Day Air and UPS Next Day. Shipping is FREE for all orders over $39, otherwise we charge shipping by weight. You will be able to see the shipping estimate when you select your preferred shipping method at checkout.

Q: Where do you ship to?

A: We ship to all 49 continental states in the US. At the time, we are not able to ship to HI, AK, or internationally.

Q: Do you ship to PO Box?

A: Sorry, but UPS doesn’t allow us to ship to a PO boxes at this time.

Q: When will my order arrive?

A: We ship all orders from Brooklyn, New York. UPS Ground typically takes 3-7 business days depending on your location. Once your order is shipped, we will also notify you via email with tracking information included. However, during the holiday season, UPS may experience a high volume of traffic, which can cause delays. Don’t wait till the last minute! Shop Now!

Returns

Q: How do I return an item?

A: All products in our Holiday Collection contain tea, so for safety reasons, all sales are final and non-returnable. However, if you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at comments@itoen.com so that we can find a solution for you!

Still have questions? Contact us at comments@itoen.com