Osada Tea Japan

I think that tea made with a “gentle and organic heart” full of perseverance and joy for nature is the best way to go about it.

– Natsumi Osada

The deeper you dive into the world of tea the thicker the liquor becomes. I discovered Yamabuki Nadeshiko tea through Zerama in 2021 and instantly fell in love with it. What I didn’t realize at the time was that this is a unique tea produced only by Osada Tea which I discovered through World Tea News (read the article it’s awesome!). Osada-san and HIRO-san were extremely kind to allow me to interview them over Google Meets. We had a wonderful talk and now I am happy to share it with you all below!

Website:  https://osadateajapan.com/en

Location(s) Headquarters:  Shizuoka, Japan.

Company Focus:

• Organic Japanese Tea. Though the organic label is not required domestically, this is mainly for international consumers.

Most popular company tea(s)?

• Organic Koiai Matcha. The most unique is Yamabuki Nadeshiko which is a favorite of all the employees.

Does the company name have a meaning?

• Named after the owner, Natsumi Osada, who is the fifth generation of a line of tea producers. This is a family business.

Do you participate in any charities?  

• Not currently listed on the website but will be added soon.
• Shuchi Noein Farm – Many older farmers are at risk of losing their fields that they can no longer farm. Shuchi Noein comes in to help them while still allowing the original farmer to keep his fields. You won’t be able to find any mention online but HIRO mentioned this amazing farm and I want you all to know about it too.
• TeaTiff also wants to add that the work OSADA Tea does to support producers that wish to go organic and keep supporting them speaks volumes. Japanese tea farming is becoming harder with older farmers and with not many of the younger generation wanting to join in because of the hard work. Supporting the farmers is incredibly important.

What is your and/or your co-workers’ favorite tea?  

• We drink Yamabuki Nadeshiko every day! HIRO – Koshin oolong cultivar.

What are your thoughts on transparency in the tea industry?  

• It is important for us to know where the tea is coming from and the farmers who grow the tea. In order to grow good tea we have to make sure the farmer’s needs are met. We also need to understand consumer wants and needs. Do they like the tea and how do they feel about it?

What role does tea play in our lives?

• It is a little hard to explain but we see it as a triangle. A cycle where each point is important: farmer, customer, us (Osada). The tea industry develops to become better with organic relationships.

Anything else you’d like to add? (Feel free to add codes here for customers if you wish)

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TeaTiff Picks: Yamabuki Nadeshiko. If you enjoy dark tea you won’t want to miss trying this tea. Actually, I don’t care what type of tea you like, just try this tea. This one-of-a-kind tea was made by Natsumi Osada in a unique manufacturing method you can read more about here. Yes, it is a dark tea. And yes it does have notes that are reminiscent of a dark tea with musty and earthy tones but it also has intense woody and minimal varnish notes, barely any astringency, and some unique very dark chocolate aftertaste flavors. I also get a slight sensation of a homemade waffle cone as it slides down my throat.