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origin
all our Japanese teas are grown and hand-made by a small tea farmer in Onomichi, Japan
the japanese tea room ‘cha-shitsu’
Genki Takahashi
raised in Hiroshima, Genki decided to dedicate his life to tea at age 20 after returning overseas to reflect on his Japanese heritage
“the peace I felt sitting in the temple and chashitsu was different – tea for me is the Japanese soul”
inspired by its long history, Genki started working to revive traditional methods for growing, brewing, and serving tea
rewriting matcha
matcha has spread rapidly in the last few years, straining farmers and sellers alike in its production. understanding this issue first requires understanding matcha’s complex history and how we unknowingly perpetrate classicism today.
the tea ceremony
the Japanese tea ceremony, chado, started as a way to practice a path to enlightenment. Sen no Rikyu’s perfection of the chado created the intricate ceremony that has largely stayed the same for hundreds of years.
chado slowly turned into a powerful tool, one that was offered as a gift to forge alliances among the upper classes. the focus on tea became dilute, and the meaning tied in with a politically cutthroat environment.
because matcha, ‘powdered tea’, is prepared in the ceremony, it became a drink that came to represent the elite. most common people would go their whole lives without drinking matcha or experiencing any kind of tea ceremony
the modern envionment
matcha’s characteristic bright green color comes from the way the tea leaves are grown, in the shade. tea, like any plant, requires partial sun to grow consistently well.
to make matcha on the scale it is demanded at today, fertilizer and pesticides became necessary.
this also meant that small farmers could not possibly outcompete large companies, despite how high their tea quality was. many large companies have provided subsidies for farmers to stop growing it and bought up their land and production facilities.
matcha’s popularity today has only furthered its perpetration of social inequality.
teas of the people
genmaicha
sencha
bancha
genmaicha
the people’s tea | popcorn tea | brown rice tea
sencha
brewed tea | every day tea
bancha
loose leaf teas
‘sea breeze’
$120
50 servings
100 g | 3.53 oz | 2019
‘everyday’
$100
50 servings
100 g | 3.53 oz | 2016
‘clear’
$50
25 servings
50 g | 1.26 oz | 2018
‘roasted rice’
$10
10 servings
‘
$10
10 servings
‘japanese black’
$10
10 servings
pearls
tea pressed into a longzhu or ball shape
ripe puerh
set of 3
$12
white tea
set of 3
$10
hamacha
Hamacha, or ‘sea tea’, was invented by my tea teacher named Genki Takahashi. Living in a small town near Hiroshima, Genki started growing his own tea in the countryside and sharing it with people in Onomichi at his Tea Stand Gen.
while other black teas rely solely on enzymes in the leaves to oxidize the leaves, puerh leaves are fully fermented by microbes, fungi, and other molds present in the tree. the resulting tea has a uniquely rich and earthy taste
origins
A richly diverse land, the Yunnan region is home to 25 recognized minority ethnic groups. The ancient groves of tree teas are cared for by indigenous groups like the Blang and Dai, whose stewardship preserves the delicate balance between nature and tradition.
According to Blang legend, an ancestor named Pa Aileng discovered the medicinal benefits of tea in the 10th century and began cultivating these treasured trees. Today, his legacy lives on as the Blang continue to honor nature’s spirit, producing teas that are less bitter and richer in nutrients thanks to their careful, sustainable cultivation methods.
Puerh tea is often called “drinkable gold”
sho 熟 puerh
rich and earthy, sho means ripe or cooked. ripe puerh leaves are kept in a moist environment to support quicker fermentation. the tea matures like wine, gaining more complex flavor and sweetness with age
sheng 生 puerh
vibrant and brisk, sheng means raw and is sometimes likened to a sharp green tea. sheng puerh has bright, floral notes with a natural bitterness. its minimal processing and natural fermentation makes older batches extremely desirable
