Aldo and Joëlle arrived in Japan more than ten years ago. Attached to good terroir, they wanted to import Italian products. However, unpredictable events made them move to Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu. There, they fell in love with the local green tea and, with some friends, they ended up founding Ikkyu, an online tea shop that supports Kyushu tea producers. Read on to learn what makes Kyushu tea different, the keys to building a lasting trust relationship with the local producers, and the challenges of entrepreneurship in Japan. Falling in Love with Japan Originally, why did you come to Japan? Aldo: I have always had a…
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