A Connection with Tea Born in Onomichi
“I lacked confidence in my identity and wanted to escape from Japan,” reflects Genki Takahashi, commonly known as Gen, on his teenage years. Born as a third-generation atomic bomb survivor, he couldn’t deeply connect with Japanese culture and went to a university in Hawaii after graduating high school, only to drop out after a year.
“After I started pondering over what aspect of Japanese culture I could be proud of honing and sharing, I found my answer in tea. Studying historical pioneers like Sen no Rikyu and Hechikan, I realized that Japanese tea was something we can boast about to the world.”
In 2016, Gen-san established TEA FACTORY GEN. He cultivates native species from tea trees over half a century old in Sera, a town adjacent to Onomichi. Three years later, he came across a tea factory nearly 70 years old and began full-scale production, opening TEA STAND GEN in the Onomichi shopping district shortly after. His native tea, strictly grown without fertilizers or pesticides, is known for its natural sweetness and gentle flavor.
“At first, I saw tea as a way to express myself, using only my own tea leaves at the first store. But in today’s world, with tea culture in decline, there’s no point in producing it without a market. With YAMATE, my second shop that opened this June, I’m hoping to offer experiences that connect people with the world of tea.”
Genki Takahashi
Born in 1988 in Hiroshima Prefecture, he cultivates and manufactures Hiroshima native tea at TEA FACTORY GEN in Sera, and also runs TEA STAND GEN and YAMATE in Onomichi. His prized tea leaves can be ordered from his store online.