Mt Fuji water is fresh, lava-filtered and sediment-rich. Its soil is rich in minerals due to Mt. Fuji’s volcanic ash. Shizuoka breeze is gentle and elegant. Tea leaves enjoy a warm, humid climate with ample rainfall. Shizuoka meets both requirements while also having four well distinct seasons, all of which promote healthy tea leaf growth.

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Top Water Quality | Washira River & Fuji Water

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High-quality purified spring water enriched with minerals grows high-quality delicious tea. The Warashina River in Shinma has some of the best water quality in the country with a steep mountain slope and good drainage. The river mist and its temperature differences between morning and evening is also a condition for making our delicious tea.

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Morning Mist Matcha & Shade Grown Technique

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Shade grown techniques are used to make delicious matcha and gyokuro. When the new shoots sprout, they will be covered with straw to block out direct sunlight. Blocking the sunlight suppresses the production of catechin, which is astringent, and retains amino acids, which are umami components, creating a unique aroma. Asahina is one of the three major gyokuro producing areas in Japan, the others being Uji and Yame. Asahina is located along a river in a mountainous area known for producing high-quality tea. The morning mist bubbling up from the Asahina River nurtures the leaves full of flavor. The seaweed-like scent is called "Ooika" and is a sign of high-quality matcha & gyokuro.

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Closest to the Sky | Umegashima & Umami

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A softer breeze yields larger, healthier leaves by preventing the loss of water through transpiration. Umegashima is located at the upper reaches of the Abe River. The tea fields of Umegashima, located at a high altitude, are the tea fields closest to the sky in Japan. Umegashima has snow and temperatures below freezing in the winter. After surviving the harsh winter, tea trees slowly sprout with rich umami and plenty of nutrients in May, one month later than the plains near the sea.​​​

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Shizuoka & Its People

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As demand for "matcha" grows globally, Japan struggles to produce for its own people. Our goal is to ethically source the highest quality matcha & green teas without ruining the industry's ecosystem. Shizuoka is the largest producer of green tea with a diverse variety of farmers and suppliers. As a Certified Japanese Tea Selector/Instructor, we work with Shizuoka locals to handpicked our favorite green tea of a highest quality.