Only when all three come together can PHENIMAX create the exceptional Matcha and Sencha we strive for.

Organic Is Only the Beginning.

Organic is only the beginning.

No pesticides.

No chemical fertilizers.

For PHENIMAX, these are not special claims.

They are simply the minimum requirements.

What matters even more is whether the soil itself is safe and healthy.

Tea plants grow by absorbing water and nutrients from the soil.

If pollutants from the surrounding environment are carried into the field by rainwater, those substances may also be absorbed through the roots and carried into the leaves.

That is why PHENIMAX does not believe organic certification alone is enough.

“If the soil is not healthy, I would never drink the tea—no matter how organic it may be.
I cannot recommend tea to our customers that I would not drink myself.”

This is the philosophy of PHENIMAX.

The quality of every agricultural product—not only tea—begins with the soil.

Put the soil in your mouth, and you can immediately feel the difference.

In fields that have relied on chemical fertilizers and pesticides for many years, the soil can become as hard as concrete, leaving the tea plants weak and exhausted.

The soil at PHENIMAX is different.

It is soft and springy.

It is alive with microorganisms.

It is like a light, fluffy bed gently cradling the roots of each tea plant.

Living soil.

Thriving tea plants.

Why Are PHENIMAX Tea Gardens Located Deep in the Mountains?

Rain does not fall only on the tea field.

It also falls across the surrounding land.

That water eventually flows into the fields.

This is why PHENIMAX chose remote mountain locations where the surrounding environment has been touched very little by human activity.

Our commitment goes beyond avoiding pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

We insist on growing tea in places where the surrounding environment itself remains clean.

It is much like raising a child.

A parent does not think only about food.

A parent also chooses the environment in which the child will grow.

Even then, we do not simply assume that everything is safe.

We regularly test our harvested tea leaves for heavy metals—and make the results available to the public.

Choose the field.

Cultivate the soil.

Test the tea leaves.

Our starting point is so simple that some may call it selfish:

“Make the tea I want to drink.”

Then share that tea with people who value the same things we do.

That is the PHENIMAX way.

But our commitment does not end there.

The Finest Tea Leaves Do Not Automatically Become the Finest Tea

Even the finest vegetables do not become an extraordinary dish on their own.

It takes an exceptional chef to understand the character of each ingredient and transform it into something truly delicious.

Whisky is no different.

Even the finest spirits cannot become exceptional whisky without a master blender.

Japanese tea is the same.

Even the finest tea leaves cannot become the finest tea without a tea master.

Tea is not complete simply because the leaves were purchased directly from the farm.

A skilled tea master must understand the individual character of those leaves and bring them to their fullest expression.

Being a tea master is an extraordinarily demanding profession.

It requires spending the entire year immersed in the world of Japanese tea, constantly observing, evaluating, and working with the leaves.

The character of tea changes every year.

Even within the same garden, each cultivar is different.

A tea master begins watching the leaves before they are even harvested.

After harvest, the tea master must decide—on the spot—exactly how many seconds the leaves should be steamed.

Which cultivars should be blended?

In what proportions?

How many seconds should the final firing last?

Every decision must be made with precision before the tea can become a finished cup.

A difference of only a few seconds can change the color, aroma, umami, bitterness, and lingering finish.

This is true craftsmanship.

The quality of a tea ultimately depends on the skill of the tea master behind it.

PHENIMAX works with some of the finest tea masters in Japan.

Tea Master Mr. Hirayanagi, whose tea received a Gold Award at the World Green Tea Contest.

Tea Master Mr. Irie, who created the tea served when His Majesty the Emperor visited Kyushu.

Tea Master Akihiko, who created the world’s first Wholefood Organic GABA Matcha.

And Tea Master Hitomi, who was once asked:

“What would you want to taste at the very end of your life?”

Without hesitation, she answered:

“Japanese tea.”

Every PHENIMAX tea is a work of art, created through the union of exceptional tea leaves and the skill of Japan’s finest tea masters.