We participated in our first ever boutique pop-up last Friday, which was held in our very own Studio Kitchen located in the heart of Daikanyama, Tokyo— our home. The event came together thanks to Simi Khanduja, a long time friend and founder of Akoya Atelier, whose shop gathered a lively crowd over at the table next to us. Simi’s independent business sells fine jewelry that are made from hand selected Japanese Akoya pearls. With everything from sourcing to production completed domestically (much like our teas), Akoya Atelier is a gem of a find for the pearl-obsessed.      ..read more

Hugo, from the a | round tea collective, sat down with his co-founder Michi on his show “Vision to the Future” with Forbes Japan. They spoke about entrepreneurship in contemporary Japan, the state of the Japanese tea industry and how to support it to build a sustainable future for all farmers and partners involved. Listen on:  Official Page： https://www.kitchenandco.net/vttf/ Forbes JAPAN： https://forbesjapan.com/series/vttf Instagram：@vttf_community ..read more

Looking to learn more about the wondrous world of Japanese green tea? Look no further! It’s time for a history lesson, folks…  Have you ever wondered just how the heck green tea became such a thing in Japan? We can thank Monk Myouan Eisai. While he is most prominently credited for bringing the teachings of Rinzai Zen to Japan, he is also known officially as the “Father of tea”.  He was responsible for bringing tea seeds back from China and cultivating tea culture throughout Japan. About Eisai: Lived 1141 - 1215. Studied and became ordained under the Tendai (Japanese) school of Bud ..read more