The founder

Suil Hong was born and raised in Tokyo Japan. He worked to promote Japanese cultural products to an international audience and manage Japanese culture events in New York. It was on a trip home, traveling through his country’s beautiful rural landscapes, where he met traditional Japanese tea makers and a new passion was born.

He was aware of the challenges—both natural and economic—facing Japanese organic tea farmers. Back in America, Suil started a new company, Nodoka, with the mission to connect traditional tea farmers with the rest of the world—taking them into the new, connected economy, while helping to preserve their craft

The tea farm

We currently operate a certified organic tea farm and factory in Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan. Shizuoka prefecture produced and processed 40 percent of Japan’s raw tea leaves. Shizuoka, meaning quiet hill in Japanese, has an ideal climate for growing green tea plants and the fresh melted water from Mount Fuji helps to grow great tasting tea leaves.

Our organic tea powder, grown on tea field in 1970 ft elevations with cooler temperatures, which naturally curtail bugs and pests. The sharp difference in the day and night temperatures on this high elevation produces tea with a bright green color and rich with a full body taste.

Nodoka Founder Suil Hong is on a mission to bring Japanese tea culture to the world: one of care, dedication, and respect for the land.

Spring leaves first harvest only

Green tea is commonly harvested three times throughout the year in Japan. We only use leaves picked at the first harvest, usually happening at the beginning of May. We selected the youngest, most tender leaves. The first flush teas are known for its color, taste, fragrance and nutritional elements, especially when making pure tea with just water, you can really tell the difference.

Certified organic

The mist protects the tea leaves from direct exposure to the sun, helping the tea leaves to retain as much of their amino acids, the main elements contributing to the natural sweetness of the tea leaves. Now the entire tea farm and tea manufacturing facility have received JAS and USDA organic certification, which is so rare that only 3% of tea grown in Japan is certified as organic.