Farm inputs such as rice, fish, and canola oil play important roles in tea farming. Farming methods have a strong connection with Japanese food culture and with the local environment of farms.
Autumn in Wazuka, Kyoto, Japan.
Welcome!
OCHADOZO offers Matcha and Japanese tea workshops and cultural experiences using premium teas and handmade tools selected from Japan. We are based in Hong Kong. Our events are both in-person and virtual.
In 2017, OCHADOZO started offering pop-up Matcha (powder green tea) and Sencha (brewed leaf green teas) workshops in Hong Kong, and have been fortunate to have served tea to more than 300 guests from Hong Kong and from other diverse cultural backgrounds at our events. We carried big bags of tools, Matcha bowls, Kyusu tea pots & cups (and even a chest freezer in 2021!) to places like a co-working space, ceramic shops, retail stores, and at corporate and public events to serve tea.
While trying different kinds of teas (e.g. Matcha, Sencha, Koicha, Hojicha), we came to realize that every tea is different and there are numerous ways to make a "oishii (tasty)" tea. Various factors such as the producers' values, landscapes, tea blending, seasonal climatic variations, etc. make each tea unique. Whisking and brewing methods have a major impact on the taste and aroma too.
All the teas and tools used in our workshops are selected for premium quality. The tea producers we work with take care of their farms every day to have a good harvest. For Matcha, grinding dry tea flakes into powder with a stone-mill is a time-consuming process requiring close attention and skills. Not only do producers use traditional techniques passed down for generations, they also constantly pursue new production and processing methods in today's ever-changing environment.
Our selection of Chasens (bamboo Matcha whisks) are all handmade by artisans. Using their hands, fingers, and tools, they get an intricate feel for how thinly they need to scrape bamboo and how strongly they need to apply pressure in order to make a flexible and yet durable whisking tool.
This is why we think a simple bowl of Matcha is packed with passion and dedication from so many producers, professionals, and artisans. When whisking and drinking their teas, we feel a magical connection with nature and the people behind the teas. Through OCHADOZO, we would like to serve such teas to our guests and share heartwarming moments together.
We are continually experimenting with different event formats, both one-off (e.g. Koicha and ice cream pairing; a tea film viewing and Matcha tasting event) and regular short courses, hoping to offer interesting tea-based cultural experiences to our guests. This is one of the ways that we hope to promote Japanese tea culture to guests and friends.
Hope you will join our events and take a look at our products (Available soon - please stay tuned)!
Yuki Futami
OCHADOZO CO.
