Shizuoka Tea Brand "Fuji-Ocha," which achieved ~220% of its crowdfunding goal, begins first in-store sales at Michi-no-Eki Satomi in Ibaraki

TeaBreak Inc. (CEO: Takayuki Nakajo), which operates the Shizuoka tea brand "Fuji-Ocha," has launched the brand's first-ever in-store sales starting May 2026 at "Michi-no-Eki Satomi" in Hitachiota City, Ibaraki Prefecture. The products available are four types: Sencha, Hojicha, Japanese Black Tea, and Matcha.

This marks Fuji-Ocha's first in-store sales and its first appearance at a Michi-no-Eki (roadside station). Japanese tea, which has been delivered mainly through the official online store, can now be picked up and chosen by hand at a Michi-no-Eki, a "regional hub."

The history of tea production in Shizuoka, where Fuji-Ocha partners with local producers, spans approximately 400 years.

"At 70, I'm the youngest here" - The real voices from the production area and our challenge Across Japan, long-standing traditional industries and local small and medium-sized enterprises are quietly disappearing due to a lack of successors and the loss of sales channels. Even with solid technology and culture, producers are aging, markets are shrinking, and the baton cannot be passed to the next generation. We hear such voices in the mountain tea gardens we partner with, such as "At 70, I'm the youngest in this tea garden community," and "Demand for delicious tea leaves has disappeared because people drink from plastic bottles." The tea, cultivated with great care, can no longer support the livelihoods of its makers.

That is why TeaBreak Inc. was born as a startup to "preserve a disappearing Japan." Our mission is to connect Japan's culture and technology, which are fading due to a lack of successors and sales channels, to the next generation and the world with the power of AI. We are starting by rebuilding a "sellable system" and "reachable sales channels" with the producers. The Shizuoka tea brand "Fuji-Ocha" is the starting point that best embodies this philosophy.

Shizuoka tea chosen by 56 people worldwide - Achieving ~220% of the Kickstarter goal This sense of crisis is not ours alone. In a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, Fuji-Ocha's project "Sustain Japan's 400-Year Tea Legacy with Shizuoka's TeaBreak" was successfully funded, raising 659,901 JPY from 56 backers in Japan and abroad, against a goal of 300,000 JPY, an achievement rate of about 220%. The support from home and abroad shows the growing interest and empathy for Shizuoka's Japanese tea. The in-store sales at Michi-no-Eki Satomi are the next step in connecting this empathy to a tangible experience where customers can pick up the product at a regional hub.

Simultaneous debut of all four types (Sencha, Hojicha, Japanese Black Tea, Matcha) We have debuted four types with different characteristics at the same time. You can choose according to the scene, from a daily cup to a relaxing time. All are delivered in small-batch production in collaboration with producers in Shizuoka. - Zairai Sencha (Premium Green Tea) 80g: Carefully selected only from native tea varieties from Shizuoka, Japan's leading tea-producing region. A cup filled with 400 years of history. - Hojicha (Roasted Green Tea) 50g: A special roasted tea prepared during "Daikan," the coldest time of the year. Enjoy its clear, fragrant aroma and natural sweetness from low-temperature roasting. - Japanese Black Tea 50g: Uses the "Sayamakaori" tea leaf variety grown in Shizuoka. It has low astringency when made into black tea, with a gentle, natural sweetness and a clean aftertaste unique to Japanese tea. - Authentic Matcha 40g: An original blend of "Yabukita" for umami and "Okumidori" for aroma and lightness, in a unique 3:7 ratio. Only carefully selected organic JAS-certified tea leaves are used.

[Michi-no-Eki Satomi First Store Opening Commemoration] Limited quantity of 4 types available in-store To commemorate the brand's first in-store sales, a limited quantity of the four types is available at Michi-no-Eki Satomi. Limited to 10 units each for Sencha, Hojicha, and Japanese Black Tea, and 30 units for Matcha. - Sales Location: Michi-no-Eki Satomi (694 Kosuge-cho, Hitachiota-shi, Ibaraki) - Sales Start: From May 2026

From Shizuoka overlooking Mt. Fuji to a Michi-no-Eki in Ibaraki - Why start from a "Michi-no-Eki" now? Fuji-Ocha is a brand with the philosophy of "Bringing authentic Japanese tea from Shizuoka to the world." Introducing local products that are disappearing despite their excellent technology and culture at a Michi-no-Eki, a hub of the local economy, is a practice of regional revitalization and business succession, and the first step in embodying our mission. Fuji-Ocha starts this initiative from Michi-no-Eki Satomi, bringing a cup passed down in Shizuoka overlooking Mt. Fuji to a mountain village hub in Hitachiota, Ibaraki.

CEO Takayuki Nakajo states, "In the production areas, we hear voices like 'At 70, I'm the youngest,' and there is a sense of crisis that the culture of brewing tea with leaves may be lost. Our role is to 'preserve and connect' the cup that has been protected and passed down by generations of makers, adapting it to the current era. The sales at the Michi-no-Eki are a small but sure first step."

Future Development The first store opening at Michi-no-Eki Satomi was made possible by the kindness of its manager, Mr. Shintaro, who handles many natural products. TeaBreak Inc. will continue to expand its collaboration with regional hubs and retailers to deliver Japanese products, starting with Shizuoka's tea, to more people both in Japan and abroad.