The Japanese Tea Master Courses returned in 2025, with the first session held in June. Twelve students from eight different countries, including the United States, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Lithuania, South Korea, Singapore, and Japan, gathered to participate.
Over ten days, students were fully immersed in Japanese tea, exploring both the tea industry and science in the classroom, while also visiting various tea sites in nearby towns. The course offered opportunities to experience both traditional methods of harvesting and processing tea, as well as observe modern techniques. Even the occasional rainfall did not dampen spirits, as students enthusiastically harvested tea beneath light showers.
Students also encountered the cultural depth of Japanese tea through hands-on experiences in both the matcha-based tea ceremony and the lesser-known sencha ceremony. They were also able to visit a traditional pottery town, and a town known for bamboo whisks – chasen.
Throughout the program, eighteen instructors generously shared their expertise and passion. All students, including those already based in Japan, were grateful to join the course and expressed appreciation for the rare, behind-the-scenes experiences it provided. We now look forward to seeing how this deepened knowledge and understanding will flourish in the future.