The Story Of A Man Passionate About Making Tea

Recently I discovered a special brand of organic tea made in Japan called Nodoka that caught my attention for many reasons. I had the honor of connecting with founder Suil to discuss the product he is proudly making and trying to share with the rest of the world. 

Suil and his farmer Yoshimitsu on the Nodoka farm

Suil once worked promoting Japanese culture, traditional products and food overseas. During a visit to the USA he realized that the green tea he was drinking wasn’t made in Japan and wondered why. Also, he noted that the quality of the tea was average and nothing like what he typically enjoyed back in his homeland. When he returned to his country he started to do some research and discovered that “despite its vast popularity, 98% of tea grown in Japan stays in Japan”. This meant the rest of the world was missing out! Also, “according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, there were 59,248 tea farmers in 1995. 15 years later, that number dropped by almost half”. He was shocked by this information and felt empowered to turn things around. 

In the summer of 2016, Suil founded Nodoka in hopes of sharing the best quality Japanese tea with other countries and cultures around the globe. He wanted to produce something that was not only full of great flavor and aroma, but something that was also extremely nutritious. Turns out, “only 3% of tea grown in Japan is certified as organic”. This was yet another fact that astounded Suil. Organic awareness in Japan is slowly spreading as people are beginning to understand that "organic" is more than just a trendy label, it’s in fact essential for the health and wellbeing of not only us but that of the environment. When the small team at Nodoka find harmful insects on their crop, they remove them by hand so that when you drink Nodoka tea, you can be sure to get a lot of health benefits, not harmful chemicals.  

To Suil, it is his mission to promote organic farming and business in Japan. He currently has 2 happy and dedicated farmers working the land, as well as a business partner to help with marketing abroad. To Suil, drinking tea is a sacred ritual that brings people together and creates a moment of calm and peace in the day. Tea balances the body and makes you feel good from the inside out. What makes this tea different to regular tea is they grind the leaves into powder form, ready for you to mix simply with water or add to your favorite recipes. “By drinking green tea as a powder, you receive the benefits of the whole leaf instead of only the water-soluble parts.”

Try it for your self and experience the superior taste and quality that Nodoka has to offer. I love the story behind this tea and the modern design of the packaging. I wish Suil and this team all the best in pursuing their dream of being a leading organic Japanese tea producer. Enjoy the short video below and visit their beautiful website to check out their fine tea selection. You can also support them to achieve their goals by contributing to their fundraising campaign.