Why is MIKA Selling Tea?

I discovered tea in 2022.

My first experience with Gongfu-style oolong tea was unforgettable. I had never imagined that a single cup of tea could surprise people, spark conversations, and inspire creativity. The atmosphere, the teaware, and the entire experience were filled with beauty and intention.

From that moment on, I began exploring tea more deeply. I tasted different teas, listened to the stories of tea producers, and visited tea farms to better understand the people behind each cup. Through those experiences, I realized that craftsmanship and creativity know no boundaries.

Whether it is tea, ceramics, glass, or textiles, they all share the same essence. They are born through human connection, and through the desire to pass something meaningful on to someone else.

I continue searching for teas that move me in the same way that first cup did, through the people I meet along the way. That is why MIKA is not defined by Japanese tea or Taiwanese tea alone.

Just as my first cup of tea became an unforgettable experience, I hope someone's first cup at MIKA becomes the beginning of something special. I hope that a single cup of tea can become the beginning of new connections between people.

That is the kind of tea I hope to continue sharing through MIKA.

 

 

The People Behind Our Tea

Wada Choji Shoten

Shizuoka, Japan

Founded in 1950, Wada Choji Shoten is one of Shizuoka's most respected tea wholesalers.

A tea wholesaler's role is to carefully evaluate each year's harvest and bring out the best character of every tea through roasting and blending. It is a craft that requires years of experience, sensitivity, and technical skill.

For more than 45 years, Wada Choji Shoten has consistently purchased some of the highest-quality teas at the Shizuoka Tea Market. Its third-generation owner, Natsuki Wada, received the Minister of Agriculture Award after winning the 71st National Tea Judging Competition in 2024, and continues to actively promote Shizuoka tea both in Japan and abroad.

What left the deepest impression on me, however, was not simply their craftsmanship.

It was Natsuki's love for Shizuoka—the place where he was born and raised, the place where he continues to live and work. Throughout our conversations, I could feel his gratitude for the region and his sincere desire to give back to the community that shaped him.

I believe that sense of gratitude and dedication is reflected in every cup of tea they produce.

 

 

Noboru Endo

Asahina, Shizuoka, Japan

Noboru Endo is a third-generation tea farmer dedicated to growing gyokuro in Asahina, Shizuoka.

Asahina is recognized as one of Japan's most celebrated regions for gyokuro. The tea is cultivated with extraordinary care—shade-grown for approximately three weeks before harvest, then carefully hand-picked leaf by leaf to preserve its delicate sweetness and umami.

For nearly 50 years, Mr. Endo has devoted himself not only to producing exceptional gyokuro, but also to preserving the tradition of Asahina gyokuro for future generations.

As the number of tea farmers continues to decline, he serves as an instructor for the Asahina Gyokuro Successor Program, passing on his knowledge and experience to the next generation.

Even in his seventies, Mr. Endo's curiosity and dedication remain unchanged. During our visit, he pointed to a mountainside across from us and said, "I started a new tea field up there." He explained that the higher elevation offers better drainage, different sunlight, and more favorable growing conditions than his current fields.

At a time when fewer people are drinking Japanese tea and fewer young people are entering the profession, he continues to pursue better tea as though it is simply the natural thing to do. As a fellow maker, I found that quiet determination deeply inspiring.

I feel that same quiet passion in every cup of his gyokuro.

 

 

花間茶語 (Whispers of Tea)

Dongshan, Yilan, Taiwan

Whispers of Tea is a third-generation family-run tea farm nestled in the mountains of Dongshan, Yilan. Led by tea maker Li Wei and his wife, Cola, the farm cultivates organically grown tea using spring water in a pristine mountain environment. Together, they craft seasonal teas using their own tea leaves and locally grown flowers, expressing the character of each harvest.

What left the strongest impression on me was Cola herself.

Although she did not grow up in a tea farming family, she spoke about tea, the mountains, and the future of the farm with genuine joy and energy. It was impossible not to feel how deeply she had embraced this place and the people around her.

Today, tea farming in Taiwan faces many challenges. Rising temperatures, changing weather patterns, and unpredictable harvests are forcing tea farmers to rethink generations of tradition. Rather than accepting those changes, Cola continues to explore new possibilities together with Taiwanese culinary researcher and tea author Lin Pinchun, creating new teas inspired by Taiwan's changing landscape.

Their work reminds me that preserving tradition does not mean standing still. It means allowing tradition to grow while staying true to the people and the land that make it possible.

 

 

Yan Feng Tea

Beipu, Hsinchu, Taiwan

Yan Feng Tea is a family-owned tea company with nearly 90 years of history, based in Beipu, Hsinchu—one of Taiwan's most renowned regions for Oriental Beauty Tea.

Meihua is dedicated to preserving the tea-making traditions that have been passed down through generations while sharing the beauty of Taiwanese tea with the world. Alongside carefully preserving traditional roasting techniques and bringing out the unique character of each harvest, she also explores new tea expressions, including floral teas made with locally grown Taiwanese flowers.

As a third-generation tea maker, Dongshan Peng grew up surrounded by tea. Today, he serves as a judge for Taiwan's Oriental Beauty Tea Competition and crafts a wide range of Taiwanese teas, from Bi Luo Chun and oolong teas to Oriental Beauty Tea and black tea. Despite his remarkable knowledge and experience, he has always been incredibly generous in sharing what he knows with us.

From the very first time we visited, Meihua and Dongshan welcomed us with tea and a home-cooked meal. They are a family whose warmth makes you feel at home. What stayed with me most was the pride they take in their work and the confidence with which they introduce every tea they make.

While honoring generations of tea-making tradition, they continue to explore new ways for people to experience Taiwanese tea. To me, that balance between tradition and innovation is one of the most beautiful qualities of Taiwanese tea.