Profile
Madame MIWAKO | Organic Tea Researcher & Creative Director, T&G
On Tea, Nature, and Being
I have worked alongside tea farmers
for over 30 years,
continuing research in organic tea cultivation.
This is the foundation of my work.
We have continued to test theories and hypotheses
in actual tea fields.
Through this accumulation,
we have shaped a system of organic tea cultivation
grounded in scientific evidence.
And through engaging with the workings of the natural world,
I have also come to understand
the true essence of brewing tea.
At the core of my practice
is a phrase passed down from a master tea farmer:
"Tea is heart."
Through a life with tea,
I hope to share
the beauty of the natural world
with people around the globe.
Profile
Madame MIWAKO
（Miwako Nanjo）
Organic Tea Researcher
& Creative Director
A graduate of Kuwasawa Design School.Graduated from Kuwasawa Design School.
While building a diverse creative career focused on environmental and regional themes, I encountered organic tea farmers in Shizuoka. For over 30 years since, I have dedicated my heart and soul to scientific-based research and field support for organic tea cultivation alongside these farmers.
Merging a creator's sensibility with new agricultural insights grounded in scientific evidence, I elevate traditional tea culture into the realms of modern "Wellness" and "Gastronomy." By redefining the role of tea for the coming era, I continue to create unprecedented new value.
Career & Activities
- 1993
Began researching organic tea cultivation together with farmers as her life's work.
Appointed Secretariat of the Shizuoka Organic Tea Farmers Association (study group). - 2003
In recognition of her long-term dedication and achievements, she was given the title
"Organic Tea Cultivation Researcher" by tea farmers. - 2006
Invited to participate, together with farmers, in the Slow Food World Congress held in Turin, Italy.
Co-founded the movement
"Let's Share Japan's Organic Estate-Grown Tea – Ichien Issha"
with an international board member of the Slow Food Association,
and presented the initiative at the World Producers' Meeting. - 2008
Launched Ichien Iccha, a study group for dedicated farmers nationwide,
focusing on the training of professional growers and the wider adoption of organic tea.
Also studied community-based organic agriculture in Varese Ligure, an organic farming village in Italy. - 2011
Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, she reassessed the foundations of organic agriculture in Japan,
including the development of domestically sourced fertilizers and the redesign of fertilization systems. - 2018
Established Rokuen Iccha, a research group formed by six leading organic tea farmers. - 2018–2019
Promoted the value of Japanese organic tea through international activities and events in
the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the United States, and Abu Dhabi. - 2024
Presented high-quality Japanese organic agricultural products to the world through tea
at the BIOFACH JAPAN JBF booth. - 2026
Launched T&G (Organic Tea & Gastronomy).
Through organic tea, she works to connect tradition and innovation,
creating new expressions and values in the world of tea.
Foundation of my Work
Rooted in more than 30 years with the Shizuoka Organic Tea Farmers Association, I have learned deeply from the fields where farmers have continually tested theories and hypotheses in actual tea gardens. Through this process, I came to understand and embrace an approach to organic cultivation grounded in scientific evidence.
This forms the foundation of my work.
By perceiving the intricate relationships within the natural world, I eventually arrived at the essence of the art of brewing tea.
At the core of my being lies a phrase passed down from a master tea farmer:
"Tea is heart." (Ocha wa Kokoro)
