Global Japanese Tea Association is a membership-driven, non-profit, non-governmental organization that aims to expand the Japanese tea world through global collaboration.
The Idea and Genesis
The idea of the association was born outside of Japan, when our three founders: Simona, Matsu and Anna, were travelling around Europe to promote Japanese tea in November 2017.
Due to many years of working with Japanese tea, our founders were well aware of the challenges that the tea industry was facing in Japan. They saw that the production of Japanese tea was decreasing year by year. They knew that younger generations in Japan perceived tea as old-fashioned and every year fewer and fewer people were willing to work in agriculture and in rural areas.
The trip to Europe, on the other hand, revealed how popular Japanese tea was becoming internationally. Their tea seminars and workshops were always packed; and many people already had experience with Sencha or Matcha. However, even with the growing popularity, for many people outside of Japan it was still difficult to find authentic Japanese tea or accurate information about it.
It is then that our founders realized, that the situation could be greatly improved for both sides: in and outside of Japan, by breaking the barriers and connecting them. They set on a mission to expand the Japanese tea world through global collaboration.
Current Activities
After a year of grass-roots work, The Global Japanese Tea Association was officially established in Japan in January 2019. Ever since our activities have been focused on community building, information sharing and education.
Through our membership program we provide the space for tea sellers, tea producers, tea educators and others with passion for Japanese tea to connect with one another, learn from each other and work together.
We regularly share current and relevant information about Japanese tea through our website and newsletters. By working with several tea organizations and experts we are able to provide rare and unique perspectives on Japanese tea.
Tea education is the key in understanding Japanese tea and engaging with it productively. We offer several different tea courses, held in Japan, around the world and online, that provide in-depth, hands-on learning about Japanese tea, not available elsewhere.
Join us and together we can bring what we all love – Japanese tea, to a brighter tomorrow!
Global Japanese Tea Association
Established on 31st January 2019
Located in Kyoto city, Japan