On October 5, 2026, an interview article and video featuring our company’s Hiroaki Kitagawa were published on the official website of the Shizuoka tea branding project “JAPAN TEA SHIZUOKA” as Volume 4 of the interview series “Tea Diversity Shizuoka.”

In an article titled “The Charm of the ‘Living Room,’ Woven from People, Places, and Time,” we discuss the following themes, centered on our belief that even the same tea tastes different depending on who you drink it with, when, and where.

• Tea production in Kanaya, Shizuoka—a tradition spanning over 100 years, primarily focused on OEM manufacturing

• Shizuoka’s post-harvest processing techniques (sorting, roasting, and blending), which have brought out the best in tea leaves from all over Japan

• An Initiative That Bridges the Gap Between Tea Merchants and Producers

• "Tea Station," where you can choose tea based on how you're feeling

• The "BEYOND MATCHA" Initiative in New York

JAPAN TEA SHIZUOKA has also featured us on its official Instagram account. Be sure to check it out.

About JAPAN TEA SHIZUOKA

“JAPAN TEA SHIZUOKA” is the “Shizuoka Tea Branding Project,” through which Shizuoka Prefecture aims to redefine the value of Shizuoka tea on the global stage and promote it as a global brand originating in Japan. In 2025, the project welcomed creative director Kashiwa Sato as its executive producer, and it is now being advanced through the collaborative efforts of producers, tea merchants, and a wide range of other individuals involved in the tea industry.

The name combines “JAPAN TEA”—which appeared in “Ranji” script on labels for tea exported from the Meiji period onward—with the regional name “SHIZUOKA.” The logo is a modern reinterpretation of this Ranji script, designed with Mount Fuji and the tea fields stretching out before it as its motifs.

The project positions tea made from “100% first-flush tea from Shizuoka Prefecture” and “100% processed in Shizuoka Prefecture” as “JAPAN TEA SHIZUOKA,” highlighting not only the quality of the tea leaves themselves but also the technical expertise in processing that Shizuoka has cultivated over many years.The technique of “perfecting” a cup of tea through sorting, roasting, and blending—as Kitagawa discussed in this interview—is precisely one of the values this project holds dear.

Our colleague Kitagawa is also participating as a member of the project committee. Please also check out the official website, which features “Tea Diversity Shizuoka”—a series of interviews with people involved in the tea industry in Shizuoka—as well as “Tea Column,” which introduces the basics of tea.

Article Information

Published in: JAPAN TEA SHIZUOKA (Official Website of the Shizuoka Tea Branding Project)

Series: Tea Diversity Shizuoka, Vol. 4

Title: The Charm of the "Living Room," Woven from People, Places, and Time

Article: Click here to read the article

Video: Watch on YouTube

View posts from Instagram: @japan_tea_shizuoka

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone at JAPAN TEA SHIZUOKA for their coverage.

We will continue to cherish the “spaces and moments woven by tea” and deliver tea that enriches your daily lives.