The future of Japanese tea?

Interview with Anna Poian from Global Japanese Tea Association. 🍃

Anna, we met last year in Prague, at the Prague Tea Fest in Karlín and you are one of the three founders of the Global Japanese Tea Association - gjtea.org  that is active in Japan as well as around the world.

Photo: Simona and Matsu with students of the Japanese Tea Master Course June 2024 after harvesting tea

What are some of the most unique aspects of Japanese tea that you think differentiate it from other types of tea? 

"The world of Japanese tea is quite diverse, so it might be difficult to generalize and put all the teas into one set of characteristics. Nevertheless, many Japanese teas are quite distinct from what other countries produce due to their prominent fresh vegetable taste, the famous umami and, at times, a marine almost salty sweetness. All these mentioned, pervade the palate and are very refreshing."

Can you describe some of your favorite types of Japanese tea and why they stand out to you?

"It is always hard to choose only one or two types of tea. Nevertheless, if I have to :) I’d say Sencha from spring harvest and Hōjicha. Probably a very standard answer, as these are two of the most common teas in Japan. But there is a reason. Sencha is the awakening of spring, the freshness, the elegance - but also a hidden intensity. Traditional Sencha must have a good balance of umami taste, astringency and bitterness. I love good bitterness in tea. Hōjicha is a roasted green tea. With its slightly smoky aroma, nuttiness, almost honey sweetness, this type of tea can give a very cozy feeling. It is very easy-to-brew and perfect for any time of the day. In Japan, this tea is considered an everyday tea, very simple, but also much loved because it is mellow and gentle on the body. Very often, when I brew it, it immediately takes me to tea producing towns in Japan, outdoors, smelling the aroma of the roasting tea leaves coming from some neighbour's house or factory. "

Do you remember when was the very first moment you decided to establish the association? And can you describe a bit more the actual situation when and how it happened and what were your inner and outer motivation to make it a reality?

"It was not overnight or a single specific moment. I’d say it was in 2016 when we started brainstorming about some projects together. But the idea of a proper association was born when us three co-founders (Simona, Matsu and myself) were traveling around Europe to promote Japanese tea in November 2017.

Due to many years of working with Japanese tea, we were well aware of the challenges that the tea industry was facing in Japan. The production of Japanese tea was decreasing year by year. Younger generations in Japan perceived tea as old-fashioned and every year fewer and fewer people were willing to work in agriculture and in rural areas. The tea farmers’ population was decreasing sharply. The trip to Europe, on the other hand, revealed how popular Japanese tea was becoming internationally. The tea seminars and workshops we organized were full of enthusiastic experienced tea lovers or surprised newcomers; and many people already had experience with Sencha or Matcha. However, even with the growing popularity, for many people outside of Japan it was still difficult to find authentic Japanese tea or accurate information about it. It is then that we realized that the situation could be greatly improved for both sides: in and outside of Japan, by breaking the barriers and connecting them. We decided our mission was to expand the Japanese tea world through global collaboration."

Now, seven years later, do you perceive the tea situation in Japan and in Europe?Are there any significant differences and trends you see today? Where are we heading?

"The situation of the tea industry in Japan is still in decline. But I think nowadays there is more awareness of it. Moreover, we see a great effort made by inspiring people working in the tea sector. On the other hand, Europe is more and more interested in Japanese tea. This is reflected in the export numbers we see in Japan. The exports have been increasing and now make up to 8% of the tea production. That is quite encouraging, for tea producers as well. Regarding differences and trends, at the moment we are seeing quite a lot of experimentation in Japan. Because of the decline in demand for traditional Japanese tea, the producers are trying new things. We can see and taste so many interesting new teas, like Wakōcha (Japanese black tea), Oolongs or even complete new innovations. In Europe I think now there is a bit of a trend with Hōjicha powder, that is taking up a little of the Matcha scene. Yet, Matcha is still quite a boom. Another trend we have been noticing is the increasing demand for organic teas from abroad. This is pushing more tea farms to change their cultivation methods. We don’t have a crystal ball to see where we are heading but we like to be optimistic. We hope that this time of decline in the Japanese tea sector will push it towards something new and very interesting. There are a lot of people out there that love Japanese tea: we think that is what will save it and make it even better."

Photo: Anna with some of GJTea members at Prague Tea Fest. Photo by Sofie Vercauteren

Can you mediate the significance of the Japanese tea ceremony in today's world?

"In Japan, the practice of tea - chadō - has also been decreasing. Currently, it is mainly practiced by older generations. In present days its appeal is not too high, as it takes a lot of constancy and practice; and often it is considered quite rigid. We live in a fast-paced world and very often people even ask about faster methods to brew a cup of tea: you can imagine a several hours long tea ceremony might not fit completely into today’s standards. On the other hand, it is exactly the speed and the stress of our daily lives that make us want, very often, to stop. A lifetime tea practice of course, but also only a single tea ceremony now and then, a tea gathering - or even making tea for oneself or for friends -  is a chance to slow down and reset our minds. Leave it “blank” for a few seconds from the noise of the world (or minutes, or hours, or once per week) while you focus entirely on making tea. Among us tea lovers, we often say that tea brings peace. It might be utopic and maybe too optimistic. But indeed making tea gives you a chance for some peace of mind and, at the same time, a chance of connecting and sharing with others, in a calm and peaceful way. The Japanese tea ceremony is an example of this at its best."

How does the Global Tea Association collaborate with tea producers and enthusiasts in Japan to promote authentic Japanese tea?

"All this time we have been trying to put the tea producers in the spotlight: they are often not really seen despite being the ones making the tea. We have been creating different projects to share more information on Japanese tea and its makers, on tea producing regions and on inspiring people involved very actively in the tea industry. We have been doing this through events (both online and in presence), our courses, Japanese Tea Conferences once per year and video documentary projects (our “Tea Regions of Japan'', for example). We have also been focusing on young Japanese university students, giving them training on tea (the “Tea Evangelist Program”). Recently this year, we have named the “30 Japanese Tea Innovators”, a list of people that are creating the future of Japanese tea through innovative initiatives."

What do you personally value the most as the greatest achievement of GJtea so far?

And are there any other dreams and wishes you wish for...?

"To be honest, each and every single project has been very rewarding and has even surpassed our own expectations. Probably one of our biggest achievements was the “Japanese Tea Marathon”: a 15-day live broadcast from 15 different tea producing regions of Japan, where we interviewed and spent time with many tea farmers, talking about each place's peculiarities and even tasting their teas. We did it during the Tokyo Olympics and we did not expect to have as many as 900 people from all over the world connecting and joining through the span of those 15 days! It was amazing - and still, we cherish it so much. It helped show the diversity of Japanese tea, the faces and voices of many tea farmers while at the same time creating a sense of community among all the Japanese tea lovers that joined. It was a big jump for GJTea. Another project that surprised us immensely is the “Japanese Tea Evangelist”. Every year Japanese university students who plan to spend study time abroad, can join this program and learn about tea. At the end, they get a tea-set to take on their travels and share Japanese tea with their new friends, classmates, host families and so on. Last year we were astounded by the enthusiasm of each of the students and the many initiatives they managed to do abroad to share Japanese tea. With this project, we are able to share Japanese tea all through different parts of the world, often with people who have never tasted it before. On the other hand, it engages young people in Japan with tea, helping them re-discover it and appreciate it. When they come back, some of them even want to work in the tea sector! We think this is really important for the current situation.

One more thing I would really like to mention: our lovely community of tea lovers. Through these years, many enthusiastic members have kept connecting with us, joining our events, engaging with fellow tea friends. Every month we meet for an online casual meeting and it is always so inspiring and warm. At the beginning of the year at Prague Tea Fest, a total of 22 GJTea members visited the festival. We met - some for the first time in person! - shared lots of tea, of course, and spent a very nice time together. Here and there, all through the festival, I could see familiar faces and bright smiles from this community. There was a beautiful sense of connection and friendship. And even lots of help was offered with our stand and during our talk! It felt a privilege being part of an active and warm community, all of it thanks to Japanese tea!"

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