At the end of January, we celebrated our seventh anniversary. We are deeply grateful to all our members and students for their continued support over all of these years.
The celebration took place on 28th January, with two online events held to accommodate as many time zones as possible. It was truly heartwarming to connect with members across different countries and continents.
We began by reflecting on the past year, which was busy but very rewarding. In 2025, we held the Japanese Tea Master Course twice, in June and September, and welcomed 24 passionate students from around the world to Kyoto. We also welcomed three new Tea Catalysts in Italy, Switzerland, and Denmark, who have since launched our tea courses in German and Danish.
In Japan, we were delighted to welcome 30 additional university students to the Japanese Tea Evangelist Program. After studying Japanese tea with us, they continued on study abroad programs, sharing their knowledge in their destination countries. We also organized two Japanese Tea Conferences, highlighting inspiring new tea projects in Japan and exploring the global context of Japanese tea. In addition, our team participated in tea festivals around the world, including events in Czechia, Austria and Nigeria.
Following our review, members shared what inspired them to join our association and reflected on their most memorable experiences. The Japanese Tea Master Course, the immersive two week program, was among the highlights. Many members also spoke fondly of the Japanese Tea Conferences, which showcased innovative approaches to Japanese tea, as well as the joy of meeting in person and even supporting our activities at tea festivals worldwide. Some even recalled the Japanese Tea Marathon, a series of online events to introduce 15 tea producing regions of Japan that took place in 2021 alongside the Tokyo Olympics.
We were truly happy to celebrate this milestone together and look forward to another inspiring year ahead!