ABOUT OUR FARMERS
Yusando
NARA, JAPAN
Ryotaro Isozaki applies his background in eastern philosophy to his daily life in farming. He runs his farm in a century-old folk house nestled in the mountains of Nara where he strives to create every natural ingredient involved in tea ceremony. Whether it be the tea itself, rice for sake, food being served, or even the delicately grown trees for charcoal, his vision is endless.
At the core of Isozaki's tea business is a strong desire to "create tea that supports our health and is kind to the earth." He finds it crucial for the tea industry to return to methods that harness nature's inherent strength in order to carry on the culture of tea ceremony. His dream is to open a tea shop in Kyoto and share his passion for tea.
Kishōen
Ujitawara, kyoto
Akira Nakamura's path to natural tea farming started right next door to where he grows today. For eleven years he worked part-time at a conventional matcha operation, until the day he was handed a gas mask and told to spray fertilizer. He refused to wear it, but continued spraying all day long. By evening he was so sick and nauseous that he knew he could never go back to farming that way.
In the eight years since, he and his wife have tended to their own small plot in Uji, Kyoto without a trace of pesticide or fertilizer. The work is slower and more precarious, but they wouldn't have it any other way. "I was deeply moved by the beautiful scenery of tea harvesting and realized my deep love for the plant itself. With a desire to share this feeling with people around the world, I dedicate myself daily to perfecting our taste."
Today his matcha is enjoyed in tea ceremonies across Japan, and is the matcha of choice for renowned tea master, Tsuruko Hanzawa.
Kihara
UJITAWARA, KYOTO
Shinichi Kihara was born in Ujitawara, the birthplace of Japanese tea and matcha. He grew up on the small tea farm his father started, and still grows his tea on those same fields today. He truly lives and breathes tea, with a deep understanding for his own fields.
Over the course of twenty years, he has made the farm his own, becoming one of the first growers in his region to commit fully to natural farming. He brings a quiet decisiveness to everything he does. Spend a day with him and you will notice he is out of the parking lot moments after the car is on, already headed towards his next destination.
As a pioneer of naturally-farmed matcha, Kihara-san has guided many of Kyoto’s young tea farmers, including Ryotaro Isozaki, who crafts our Yusando matcha. Today he continues his father’s legacy, mentoring the next generation, and letting nature guide him in preserving the true taste of matcha.
Coba Farm
Hyogo, JAPAN
Kazumasa Kobayashi began his journey teaching health and physical education at a local high school, stressing the importance of mental and physical health. However as the years went by, he became concerned with the state of lifestyle-related ailments amongst the Japanese youth.
In searching for a solution, he stumbled upon the idea of natural farming. “I had never considered becoming a farmer, but after hearing the farmer’s words, I felt compelled to apply these principles to my family’s rice fields.”
With no prior experience, he dove head first into learning natural farming techniques and striving to create the best produce possible. He is now a beloved farmer in his community and is constantly evolving his farm through education programs as well as addressing issues of agricultural depopulation in his region by actively taking on abandoned farmland.