Japan’s tea export volume grew substantially, soaring by 21.0% to 7,579 tons in 2023. This surge in volume underscores the growing international demand for Japanese tea products across various market segments.
TAIPEI, TAIWAN (The CTP News) – In recent years, there has been a noticeable surge in the availability of matcha-flavored options despite coffee and tea traditionally dominating as the most popular choices. This trend underscores the growing popularity of matcha within the beverage industry, leading many beverage and dessert establishments to introduce matcha-infused menus to meet consumer demand.
According to trade statistics from Japan’s Ministry of Finance, tea export is poised for significant growth in 2023, with a projected increase of 33.3% compared to the previous year. This surge is expected to propel tea exports to a record high of 29.2 billion yen, marking the fourth consecutive year of setting new records. Notably, “powder tea” varieties, such as matcha, experienced a substantial increase of 46.7%, while other tea categories, like sencha tea, saw a more modest growth of 5.9%. Export volume also saw a notable increase of 21.0%, totaling 7,579 tons. Sales of powdered tea led to this growth, experiencing a significant increase of 34.8%, compared to a 6.7% increase in other tea varieties.
The United States is the largest export destination for Japanese tea, an increase of 49.6% over the previous year, reaching 15.7 billion yen, accounting for 53.8% of the total. Taiwan ranked second with a growth of 16.8% of 2.2 billion yen, and Germany ranked third at 7.0% of 1.9 billion yen. Among them, the sales volume of matcha has increased most significantly. Matcha food is becoming more and more widely used. Many beverage and dessert shops have launched matcha-flavored menus, showing that matcha has become a new favorite among consumers.
Matcha has excellent nutritional value and unique flavor and carries Japanese tea ceremony culture, making it popular among many Japanese culture fans. Rising global health awareness and matcha’s health-promoting and nutrient-rich properties will continue to drive market growth. In addition, matcha has a fresh taste and can be added directly to desserts or drinks to create a bright color and rich aroma, giving consumers a sense of surprise and pleasure. Matcha is a natural ingredient or drink and an integral part of Japanese tea ceremony culture. This cultural significance drives consumption and attracts tourists seeking an authentic Japanese tea ceremony experience.
The Beitou Museum in Taiwan is committed to promoting the Japanese tea ceremony. It holds several festive tea parties yearly, including the Spring Tea Party for Girls’ Day, the Iris Tea Party for Men’s Day, the Summer Chinese Valentine’s Day Tea Party, and the Autumn Double Ninth Festival Tea Party. This year’s Men’s Day Iris Tea Party will be held on June 2. The event includes an introduction to Japanese festival customs, explaining and practicing tea ceremony etiquette, enjoying the month’s limited-edition tea kaiseki, freshly brewed matcha, and seasonal wagashi, and taking photos with the festival decorations. Let the participants experience the formal tea party, feel the tea room decoration and atmosphere, and appreciate the aesthetic essence of the tea ceremony.
In addition to the tea ceremony’s overall ritual, the tea room’s environment and layout also show the artistic conception’s subtlety. The tea room is decorated with hanging scrolls corresponding to the seasons, which are the works guests will first appreciate when entering the tea room. “Nanfang Lu” states: The hanging scroll is the most critical tea prop. It can be seen that the hanging scroll is one of the vital tea props that create a tea room atmosphere, and it is also a carefully collected art piece by many tea ceremony enthusiasts.
Le Yu, the publicist of Kasashima Gallery in Osaka, said: Hanging scrolls are an indispensable prop in tea ceremony culture. Common hanging scrolls are primarily paintings and calligraphy of flowers, birds, and landscape. The most popular are Zen monks’ calligraphy, ancient handwriting, or letters written by tea masters. Hanging scrolls not only focus on calligraphy and painting skills but also emphasize the artistic conception and Zen of the content. Many people who love tea ceremonies will collect multiple hanging scrolls and choose suitable ones according to the season to create a mood and atmosphere in the tea room.
By passing on tea ceremony knowledge and etiquette, tea ceremony tea parties make drinking matcha a taste enjoyment and a feast for the soul. Participate in a formal tea ceremony, feel the organizer carefully create a peaceful gathering for the guests, and appreciate the host’s dedication to presenting a bowl of good tea to the tea party guests. People who love Japanese culture must attend this tea party event. Visit the Beitou Museum, taste matcha, and feel the beauty that the tea ceremony brings to life.
