At the Portland Tea Festival in July (of this year, the time of this writing), Oolong Owl dragged me to a Japanese tea vendor booth. This was markedly weird for two reasons: one, the Owl rarely dragged—more like, prodded. Two: it was a Japanese tea vendor. I always assumed she was just a puerh stan. She never fails to surprise.
The man she introduced me to was Kei Nishida, purveyor of the Japanese Green Tea Company.
Me and Kei Nishida. Image owned by Japanese Green Tea Company.
The outfit was exemplary for two reasons: they only sold tea from one garden. The second? Their western presence was right in my backyard.