SHIZUOKA — A tea merchant in this central Japan city has launched an original green tea blend inspired by the illustrations on packaging of plastic models, which is a major industry in the city.

Released in early May by long-established tea company Koyamaen, based in the city’s Aoi Ward, the tea was produced in collaboration with master blender Kosuke Fujita, who has a 10th-“dan” ranking in tea appraisal, the highest in the industry and not held by many others.

Marketed as “Ryokucha Yaro T-Team” or “Green Tea-Team,” the product is sold exclusively within Shizuoka Prefecture as a souvenir in model kit-style boxes. It features a striking military-themed box illustration depicting four fictional “tea supply troop” soldiers in action. The artwork is by Eiji Shimamura, an illustrator from Shizuoka known for his work on box art for leading model manufacturer Tamiya Inc., headquartered in Shizuoka’s Suruga Ward. The distinctive style is instantly recognizable to Tamiya model fans.

The project was planned by advertising company Oozin Aahs Records LLC, located in Aoi Ward. Its president Takanori Murata said that since the box art was a key factor in the blending of the tea, detailed character profiles for each soldier were developed before the artwork was commissioned to Shimamura so that he could easily create an image.

For example, “Colonel Shogun,” the commander giving orders with a teacup in hand, has “two honorable injuries from combat and is willing to make any sacrifice for Shizuoka tea.” The kettle-carrying Sergeant Mohawk, who is in charge of boiling the water, is described as a “hot-blooded muscleman of exceptional strength in hand-to-hand combat.”

Fujita, who oversees all tea procurement, finishing and blending for the company, blended the product based on the completed box art. Keigo Naruoka, a director at the company, stated, “We aimed for a flavor with a ‘strength’ surmounting the harsh conditions of conflict zones and the ‘calm’ born from that. It’s an original blend with an aroma enhanced by advanced roasting techniques.”

Ryokucha Yaro T-Team is priced at 1,000 yen (roughly $6.77) excluding tax for a pack of 10 5-gram teabags. It is available only in physical stores, such as Koyamaen’s Gofukucho main store in Aoi Ward, the Shizuoka Service Area on the Shin-Tomei Expressway and the Grand Kiosk Shizuoka inside JR Shizuoka Station, to ensure it is purchased exclusively by visitors to Shizuoka. It will also be featured at the Shizuoka Hobby Show, Japan’s largest model exhibition, in Shizuoka from May 14 to 18.

(Japanese original by Koichi Tanno, Shizuoka Bureau)