Deliver Their "Pride"

A shop in a department store in Osaka regularly deals with a tea master Mr Matsumoto’s six different kinds of tea. His sencha has a soothing aroma and a deep flavor. His hojicha has very refreshing toasty aroma. His wakocha (black tea) has a flowery aroma and complexity. Depending on brewing, the taste nicely changes, which is very interesting too. In addition, since all the tea in his farm is grown without any chemicals, herbicides and fertilizers, the tea is also appreciated as safe amid increasing awareness of food safety and security. 

This weekend, the shop welcomed him to Osaka all the way from Kumamoto (app 700 km away) to promote his tea. 

Mr Matsumoto  -Sakuranoen-

People usually don’t know who grows, where and how tea is produed. During his two-days promotion, people sampled some tea made by the tea maker while enjoying talking with him. As you do so, I believe, knowing the background of the products gives us the feeling of safety. Learning where they are grown and how they are produced arouses our interest. When we come to learn that the maker has the warm and friendly personality, it also gives us more a feeling of trust.

Unlike the conventional style, which tea dealers or companies buy and blend tea according to their own taste, the face-to-face sales style is more often seen these days. Tea farmers are not only tea farmers anymore. They also make a great effort to deliver their own "pride" and more.