Tea vendors I've never tried or heard of . . .

[Uji]

http://www.greentea-direct.com/

http://www.kaburagien.co.jp/english/index.php

http://www.ochadokoro.com/

http://www.masudaen.com/web_eng/mas_profile.htm

http://www.ohkuraen.com/

Anybody familiar with them. Kaburagien in particular has interesting looking teas, some they say are competition winners.

Inquiring minds want to know!

[Kevangogh]

There are at least a thousand of these...

[Uji]

There are at least a thousand of these...

I don't have time to look for all the others.

[rdl]

Anybody familiar with them.

in general, there are "a thousand" companies that don't grow tea but buy large quantities of tea to create their brand of wholesale blends that are carried in upscale shops to local shopping centers. i think most people here are looking for smaller tea merchants who work more closely with their grower/supplier, rather than companies that purchase bulk tea to blend.
Kaburagien began as a wholesale vendor but if i read correctly also sells retail. i also noticed Ohkuraen teas can be purchased at a mitsuwa market.
the fact that there so many of these companies shows that their tea is purchased and consumed in japan and i would guess makes up the vast majority of tea bought not only in japan but distributed worldwide. over the years i have tried above average grade tea from some of these kinds of companies bought at mitsuwa or local japanese shops and have enjoyed them. in japan i trust the higher grade teas to be fresher and have purchased several.
sorry i cannot be more specific to the vendors you've listed above.

[fracol]

this works if you can find a way to buy in yen