About
What is The Tea Crane and who is Tyas Sōsen?
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My story
Have you ever had a dream in pursuit of which you felt you could just leave everything you had behind?
I HAD to come to Japan, and leave everything behind to make this dream come true. But I never imagined the way things would turn out.
In this video, taken from my talk at PechaKucha Night in Kyoto on July 30, 2016, discover:
- How my encounter with Japanese culture and tradition changed my life instantly.
- What I did during my initial years in Japan.
- Why I decided to start The Tea Crane.
- How I envision traditional Japanese tea and why I want to share it.
It’s an oldie, taken half a year after I started out, but what I express is still as valid today as it was back then.
Tyas Sōsen
Who am I
I am Tyas Sōsen. Over 10 years ago I relocated to Japan in order to discover its culture and tradition.
Having trained in various martial-, and traditional performing arts, I eventually fell in love with the Japanese rite-of-tea, and with Japan’s tea culture as a whole.
Now, as a full-time instructor in both areas, I conduct workshops and lessons through which I share both knowledge and innovative ideas with a broad audience of interested people.
Not a day of mine goes by without any tea-related activity – be that in the form of the-rite-of-tea, or just a fragrant cup of sencha savored at home. I travel throughout Japan in search of the most exceptionally-authentic producers of strictly-naturally nurtured tea, and learn from them of their organic and natural farming methods, and of the philosophies that underlie these.
Tea has become a way of life, and a way of viewing the world we live in. I have learned to be more appreciative of the things we have, respectful towards other people, have more reverence for our natural environment, and am more able to be present in the current moment.
I believe that tea helps us to live a more fulfilling and happy life, and I want to share this joy with you through providing new and enlightening information on matters such as flavors, the farming-methods employed, brewing-processes, the farmers, their visions, and much more.

The Tea Crane's Mission
The Tea Crane’s mission is to inspire a ‘movement’ of people that believe in living a happier and better life and look to tea for their methods and inspiration.
In addition The Tea Crane aims to build a bridge between artisan Japanese tea producers and consumers abroad. Traffic on the bridge goes both ways. The consumer receives value in the form of high-quality tea and unconcealed information. In turn their contributions help to support artisan tea farmers and their feedback inspires them to progress.
Through rediscovering and sharing the universal and traditional values that can be found in ‘tea’, I believe that we can inspire many to enrich their lives with tea. And they, in turn, can inspire others to do the same. In effect, we all contribute to the creation of a better world.
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