Japanese tea has faced challenging times with dwindling interest. But there are people who really love it and are striving to create a brighter future for it. To support this effort, we launched the Japanese Tea Conferences in 2023, aiming to highlight innovative tea projects and provide a space for tea-minded people to connect. 2024 was the second year to hold it and the first one took place in Tokyo on 21st July.
This year the conference featured an expanded program. The event began with a welcome speech from our president, Simona, followed by three keynote speeches from Japanese Tea Innovators – tea professionals in Japan, who are exploring Japanese tea from different perspective and are trying to bring new inspiration to the Japanese Tea industry.
Kazuhiro Koyama from Chushutsu-sha discussed making Japanese tea more accessible, through easy-to-use utensils, interactive tea competitions and informative media. Mikito Tanimo from the TOKYO TEA JOURNAL emphasized a mindful approach to agriculture that ensures a livable world for future generations. Finally, Ryo Iwamoto from the Tearoom Inc. highlighted the importance of connecting tea industry with tea culture.
Following the keynote speeches, the focus shifted to university students from the Japanese Tea Evangelist Program. These students, having learned about Japanese tea, shared their experiences of promoting it during their study abroad programs.
The conference ended with a tea party featuring 12 teas from different regions of Japan. Participants eagerly mingled and connected with each other, while enjoying some delicious and unique teas brewed by the Japanese Tea Evangelists. The event wrapped up with an emotional speech from our Vice-President Matsumoto, leaving attendees moved and connected.
