Meet the d:matcha Kyoto Team
Daiki Tanaka | Founder / Entrepreneur
Passion for healthy living and respect for Japan’s culture and history have driven Daiki to build a different kind of business - one that improves society and encourages others to create something new with him. Daiki and his cofounders care about producing healthy food in Japan, values that his family has instilled in him since childhood.
Three key goals lay the foundation for d:matcha's vision: sustaining the culture of Japanese tea farming and the environment, producing health from farm to table, and passing the passion for this culture on to a local and global audience.
Misato Tanaka | Culture Enthusiast / Design Lead
In the metropolis of Kyoto, Misato immersed herself not just in her undergraduate studies at Kyoto University, but also in learning the traditional tea ceremony. As she learned more, she came to love the spiritual connectedness found in sharing this cultural moment with others. Wanting others to enjoy this ceremony as much as she does,
Misato is passionate about offering adaptations that invite guests from all levels of knowledge into a deeper tea experience. She is also a qualified Japanese tea instructor.
Hiroki Aka | Farm Production Lead / Head pâtissier
Hiroki studied agriculture in Okinawa. He is passionate about farming. After completing his education, he worked for several farmers (vegetable farmers, tea farmers) to gains skillsets as an apprentice. Through those experiences, he has a much better understanding and knowhow about how to produce high-quality tea leaves.
Hiroki is also the chef and pâtissier for d:matcha Kyoto Café&Kitchen. His complete knowledge about tea production and consumption allow him to produce, cook, and bake premium tea products.
Hiromi Nakamura | Store Staff (Shipping & Farming)
Hiromi is from Wakayama Prefecture. She happened to come across the Wazukana Jikan Aid Farming Project and decided to participate, gaining experience by working part-time on a tea farm. Drawn to the lush green landscapes and the warm-hearted people of Wazuka, she made the decision to move to the town.
At d:matcha, Hiromi is primarily responsible for shipping operations and product management. She has a great love for nature and often engages in conversations with the plants and creatures she encounters during her neighborhood walks.
Hiromi's diverse experiences and passionate spirit contribute significantly to d:matcha's endeavors.
Seiya Alan Hiromoto | Processing Assistant
Born in the United States, ever since he was a child, Alan’s dream was to live in Japan. When he was graduated high school, he went to a professional school for Chado (way of tea) in Kyoto for three years and received a professional degree at the age of 22. He usually enjoys whisking matcha green tea for people and even travels around with his own matcha set. He is hoping to expand his horizons by studying different Japanese influencers and even does live streams to share the world of Japanese tea.
Siti Mahdaria | Digital Marketer
Ria was formerly a Lecturer at one of the best private universities in Indonesia, teaching communication studies. Graduated from Master of Marketing Communications at the University of Melbourne, she was once an intern at d:matcha. She deeply fell in love with matcha during her study in Australia. She found that matcha helped her a lot to keep up with the students’ life there.
She decided to pursue her career as Digital Marketer at the d:matcha while diving into her passion towards matcha. As a full-time staff member, she manages all d:matcha’s global communication channels. Currently, she is experimenting a lot on the modern way of enjoying matcha while keep updating her adventure in Japan thru her Instagram and YouTube channel.
Sora Nakajou | Confectionery Assistant
Born in Niigata Prefecture, Sora has loved matcha since childhood. He decided to work at d:matcha and moved to Wazuka Town to be surrounded by the tea fields.
After graduating from a confectionery school, Sora obtained certifications as a confectionery hygiene master and Japanese tea advisor. At d:matcha, Sora mainly engages in confectionery production and farm work. Sora loves sweets and spends holidays making them or taking short trips to visit cafes.