The Tea Team

MEET THE TEAM

Amirmohammad Asadi

Data analyst

Tea, or chai (چای), holds a deeply rooted place in Iranian culture, symbolizing hospitality, warmth, and social connection. Introduced in the 19th century and now widely cultivated in northern Iran, particularly in Gilan, tea has become the country’s most popular beverage. Traditionally brewed using loose-leaf black tea in a samovar or over a kettle and teapot, Iranian tea is strong, aromatic, and typically served in small glass cups. It’s often enjoyed with sugar cubes, which are held in the mouth while sipping, or accompanied by sweets like dates, pastries, or dried fruits. In Iranian homes, offering tea is the first act of hospitality, and families gather around tea multiple times a day as part of their daily routine. Beyond the household, tea plays an important role in religious and cultural ceremonies and has historically been a focal point in traditional tea houses (chaykhaneh), where people gathered to share stories, music, and poetry. More than just a drink, tea in Iran is a cherished ritual that brings people together and reflects the country’s rich cultural identity.

Favourite teas: Jasmin Dragon Pearls, orchid black and white teas, and Earl Grey
Anna Jankowiak

CRM Manager

Tea has been with me since childhood, when black or mint tea with a bit of sugar was always my favorite go-to drink. Over the years, my curiosity grew, and I thought I already had a pretty good grasp of the tea world, but joining Yoshi En showed me just how much more there is to discover. I'm very happy to be part of such a great team where I can keep learning and tasting something new every day. Tea is definitely a constant part of my everyday life. It's not just a drink to me - it’s the little rituals I love, like starting the morning at the office with a waking-up cup of green tea, sipping a calming mix of lavender and chamomile before bed, or taking a bottle of Earl Grey (or my favorite of all, jasmine tea) on a road trip or a mountain hike. It’s something that helps me slow down for a moment and simply enjoy it. In my role, I make sure our dear customers stay in the loop with the latest products, updates and special offers, making sure they always feel part of the brand.

Favourite teas: Cretan Herbs Tea Blend, Genmaicha Bancha, Jasmin Dragon Pearls, Thai Milk Oolong Jin Xuan, Gyokuro Karigane Yuzu, Earl Grey Lady Orange
Annabel Padley

Senior Social Media Manager

Growing up in Britain, enjoying a nice 'cuppa' was the remedy for everything – a moment of calm, comfort, and stillness amidst the daily hustle, alleviating any qualms one might have. I cherished the ritualistic nature of brewing and savoring tea, and sharing the experience with others. As a child, my mother – who was never seen without a cup of green tea – introduced me to Sencha and Matcha. From there, my interest in green tea and tea culture grew, eventually leading me to spend four months in East and Southeast Asia. During the trip, I assisted on a tea farm in Wazuka, Japan, developed a love for oolong tea in Taiwan, and met two Chinese tea masters in Kuala Lumpur who generously brewed a variety of Chinese teas. I even had the privilege of sampling Bai Ying Shang Sheng Pu Erh tea from an ancient tea tree over 2,000 years old. It’s safe to say that tea will always be a significant part of my life. At Yoshi en, it brings me joy to fuse together my passion for tea with marketing – ensuring that our content on social media inspires and educates our followers, adding value to both their online and tea-drinking experience.

Favourite teas: Shou Pu Erh, High Mt. Black, GABA and Phoenix Oolong, Uji Matcha, Kabusecha
Ann-Sophie Schafer

Head of People and Organisation

Since my childhood, tea has held a special place in my life. I vividly remember moments when I was unwell, and my mother would bring me a steaming cup of soothing herbal tea. The gentle aroma and the warmth of the cup always gave me comfort and a sense of being cared for. Tea was never just a drink for me; it was a moment of calm and rejuvenation. Today, at the beginning of my own tea journey, I find myself more captivated by the world of tea than ever before. Matcha, in particular, has always fascinated me – even as a student, I was drawn to its vibrant green hue and its meditative qualities. The energy, focus, and balance that matcha provides are a true gift, calming the mind while invigorating the body. In hectic times, its effects are especially valuable. As an HR professional, I aim to nurture this sense of mindfulness and community within the workplace. I want to foster a culture where the spirit of tea – a moment of connection and presence – is embraced in the work environment. These shared tea moments can create a space that unites us and provides a chance to pause and breathe. I look forward to continuing this journey and sharing it with others.

Favourite teas: Hashiri Shincha Saemidori, Silver Needle Moonlight, Hojicha Nagatani Yabukita, Matcha Uji Premium
Asky Petynka

Art Director

People who have known me for many years know that I like tea. As a result, I've received several tea sets in my life. I started to develop a taste for tea during my studies when I visited the first place that offered leaf tea in Kraków, in the centre of the Old Town. I mainly drank black tea then, it wasn't anything special, but you have to remember that it was the mid-nineties in Poland. After a while I discovered Japanese green teas and the very popular Genmaicha, which is often served in sushi bars. When I came to Berlin in 2016 and started working at Sunday Natural I met a man who opened the doors to a whole new world of tea. His name is Jörg and since then I have designed many tea labels and was also at the birth of Yoshi en. Tea isn't just a drink for me, it is about architecture, aesthetics and history: I admire the Floating Tea House designed by Kengo Kuma, the minimalistic works of Takashi Endoh but also the traditional Sukiya style tea pavilion. For me personally, tea is synonymous with the proverb 日々是好日 – “every day is a good day” – so we must enjoy it.

Favourite teas: Kyobancha, Shou Pu Erh, Hojicha, Manipur Smoked Wild Tea, Matcha Eisai, Mizudashi Fukamushi Sencha, Keemun Gong Fu
ATSUKO NISHIMURA

Product & Purchasing Manager Japan

For Japanese people, tea and its culture are inseparable from daily life. As a kid, I drank barley tea with every meal, and in the afternoon my grandmother would make Matcha, and we enjoyed Japanese sweets together – but all very casually. After moving to Berlin in 2011, I realised that I had taken these customs for granted, they were very precious experiences, and that it’s not so easy to find good Japanese tea and beautiful teaware outside of Japan. At Yoshi en, together with my tea-loving colleagues, we meticulously research and test products to ensure we are offering our customers something tasty and beautiful. As a Japanese person living in Europe, I believe that I can understand the values of both cultures and come up with exciting new product ideas.

Favourite teas: Sencha Kinezuka Yamakai, Matcha Jōō, cold brew Mt. Kenya Silver Needle, High Mountain GABA Oolong

Benjamin Skalski

Customer Service Team Lead

I discovered my passion for good tea quite unexpectedly at the turn of the millennium. After several years of very competitive Shōtōkan karate training, I sought a new, more harmonious path for myself, which I finally found in Aikidō. For the next two decades I gained some experience in Aikikai: the classical and harmonious style of Aikidō according to the teachings of the founder or Ōsensei, Ueshiba Morihei (植芝盛平). During this very formative time, I had the opportunity to train with some wonderful people at the dojo several times a week and learn a lot about Japanese culture in addition to martial arts. Some of my Japanese friends from the dojo would regularly invite me to their families' homes after training, where I was very often offered fresh green tea. I loved this incredible hospitality and love, which was shown to me, a virtually unknown person at that time, right from the start. Since that time I have associated the word "family" with the enjoyment of good Japanese Sencha tea. Over the years, I have come to know and love many different varieties and methods of preparing tea – not only Japanese, but also Chinese and other teas of the world. Through my love of tea I came into contact with our company founder Joschi a few years ago, whom I am proud to count among my good friends. In our team I'm not just an employee, but a friend and a part of the tea family.

Favourite teas:Intense and very aromatic Senchas, preferably from Shizuoka as well as fine, fully shaded Gyokuro, preferably of the Saemidori cultivar and Kabusecha (partially shaded tea)
Caterina Bartali

Head of Design

Once upon a time, there was a girl born and raised in Italy who was always surrounded by true coffee lovers. Not just any cup of coffee, but Espresso. Considered not just a habit, but a country cultural symbol that opens the day, ends lunch and spices up the afternoon. That girl is me and for me honestly the transition to the world of tea was not at all easy, but challenging, and then very fascinating. The culture of tea captivated me when I was on a study holiday in England. My host family were tea lovers. Not the one in sachets, but true lovers and connoisseurs of quality leaf teas. Together with them I took my first steps into a world of a thousand flavours, tastes and aftertastes. At the age of 16, I started making my own tea every morning and every night before going to bed. But the turning point came when I discovered the world of Yoshi en, of our experts who, before each meeting, prepare a tea, always special, unique, different, which opens every conversation with another karma. Why did I get hooked on tea? Because good tea asks nothing of you. It gives you. It gives you generously. It reassures you in its silence, it challenges you in all its types to feel in harmony with it. To find your own silence in every sip.

Favourite teas: Oriental Beauty Oolong, Shou Pu Erh Tea Bar
Christopher Maaß

CMO & Co-CEO

As a student, I enjoyed watching old black-and-white films with friends, playing Trivial Pursuit and drinking tea – and spending many free periods together in the “Samowar” tea house. Back then, tea played a somewhat secondary role; what mattered most to me was being together, the relaxed, cosy atmosphere, and the personal exchange. Even in later years, sociability and enjoyment remained central themes in my life – for a long time, espresso and wine played a slightly bigger role in that regard. Because of its health benefits, tea has become much more important to me in recent years. The more intensively I engage with the fascinating world of tea, the more captivated I am by its sheer endless variety. This can be seen in the many cultivars, terroirs, ceramics, and preparation methods, as well as in the centuries-old cultural and spiritual traditions that promote mindfulness, well-being, and harmony. At Yoshi en, we share a passion with our customers that I feel during every internal tasting, every photo shoot, and through every piece of customer feedback. All of this aligns seamlessly with our mission: we offer the finest premium teas and matcha from the world’s best tea gardens to provide a moment of calm, harmony, and beauty with every cup.

Favourite teas: GABA Oolong, Genmaicha, Shincha, Matcha, Mountain Tea
Finn Plotzki

Head of CRM

As a child, I was introduced to classic English black tea with milk or lemon by the English half of my family and gained my first experiences with various combinations of teas and ingredients. Since I never liked coffee, I was a dedicated tea drinker from the start, though I initially went through a long phase of drinking only tea using tea bags. Afterwards, I discovered loose herbal tea blends and Indian chai. Preparing Indian chai with high-quality black tea and aromatic spices, the depth of flavor in loose tea blends, and the cultural and historical aspects of tea completely won me over. Since then, I've always sought out local variations and preparation methods of tea and tea culture when I travel, whether it's teahouses in Copenhagen, tea ceremonies in Japan, sea buckthorn blends on Rügen, or mountain tea blends in Georgia. At Yoshi En, my team and I, together with the content team, create a connection between our large and high-quality selection of teas and our customers.

Favourite teas: Wakocha Ashikita Benifuuki Spring, Mursalski Mountain Tea Blend, Gyokuro Tencha Usuore Musō, Aged Moonlight Tea Bar
Hendrikje-Hjördis Osuji

Head of Operations

My personal tea journey started in a traditional tatami room in a Japanese village on Kyushu in February 2004. I was alone in a foreign country among people I did not know (yet), surrounded by a language I could not speak. A certain loneliness befell me that I had not felt before. My host mother brought me some freshly made Sencha from Kagoshima with some Wagashi. With each gentle grassy sip and each smiling face my spirit rose again. Until this day Sencha only means one thing to me: home. At Yoshi en I am able to combine my love for tea with my love for numbers. Together with my great colleagues I carry the responsibility and honour to bring this feeling of coming home to our customers.

Favourite teas: Sencha Karigane Sakura, Genmaicha, Jasmine Dragon Pearl
Isa Chen

Product & Purchasing Manager, China

After finishing my studies in Germany, introducing Chinese teas was my first profession. After so many years, I cannot count how many tea gardens and nice folks I have visited, and the delightful tea times I have enjoyed with them. Tea is like going on a journey with a beautiful landscape without actually knowing where the destination is. Until the moment I realised that travelling to the Wuyi Mountains had become an annual pilgrimage, was I able to understand Okakura’s saying “Teaism is essentially a worship of the imperfect, as it is a tender attempt to accomplish something possible in the impossible thing we know as life." Working at Yoshi En encourages me to present the best features and the soul of this magic leaf to those who also want a life with tea. A daily cup of tea has the power to offer comfort, evoke memories and a gentle dialogue with the world around us. As a very wise man in China once said: “There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life. If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live.”

Favourite teas: Wuyi Rock tea, aged white tea, Liu Bao tea

Jan Grigat

Head of Content

It was a tea shop in my hometown on Lake Constance that ignited the spark for my longtime love of tea. Their wonderful selection of fresh, grassy, invigorating Sencha, imported directly from Japan captivated me so much that I decided to study and live there for a total of almost seven years. During this time I had the opportunity to taste a wide variety of teas and visit the places where they grow. My interests gradually expanded to include tea traditions and specialities of neighbouring China, Korea and Taiwan, whose beautiful tea houses are deeply imprinted in my memory. At Yoshi en I combine this love of tea with a passion for writing, to faithfully capture the versatility of these cultural assets – from the plants themselves, the people who grow them, the nature that allows them to flourish in myriad variations, besides the cultures and traditions created around them.

Favourite teas: Mountain-fresh Sencha, Kenyan Purple Tea, Osmanthus-Oolong
Jonathan Stein

Senior UX/UI Designer

My tea story starts in Southern Brazil, with the tradition of Erva Mate. I love when friends sit together and share a cuia (special gourd) of mate, it feels like real connection. I will always love mate, but my world changed when I moved to Berlin. My sister showed me Milk Oolong, and it quickly became my favorite. I like it hot and comforting, or cold and refreshing. I also have a soft spot for matcha. At Yoshien I am responsible for sharping the design system and creating elegant experiences across our website.

Favourite teas: Milk Oolong, Mate, Green Tea
Jörg (Joschi) Schweikart

CEO & Founder

In the wonderful tea houses of Paris, during my days as a student, I discovered my profound passion for tea. Initially enthusiastic about the outstanding Pu Erh and Oolong teas from China and Taiwan, I gradually dived deeper into the world of Japanese green teas, which continue to fascinate me. I paid special attention to the precious ingredients of the different tea varieties and cultivars as well as their unique health properties. To this day I love to read scientific papers and studies on this and also to work together with tea farmers to use these findings in a targeted way to improve cultivation and processing. Working at Sunday Natural and Yoshi en allows me to meet with many outstanding tea farmers, ceramic artists and tea enthusiasts from around the world and share our knowledge and accumulated experiences. Over time, I began to understand that tea and tea culture has given me much more than enjoyment, business and passion. Rather, I feel I serendipitously turned to Chadō, the way of tea, on an infinite inner journey of mindfulness.

Favourite teas: Umami-rich semi-shaded organic Gyokuro, lightly grassy Sencha, matured Sheng Pu Erh
Karisa Correa

Sourcing Manager (Herbs & Spices)

I grew up in India, surrounded by a family of naturopaths and Ayurvedic doctors, where herbs, spices, and tea were never just kitchen staples; they were part of everyday healing and care. From an early age, I learned to pay attention to ingredients and the ways they could restore balance in the body. Before moving to Berlin, I worked in sourcing herbs and spices in India, building direct connections to growers and producers. In Berlin, I also explored my passion for music, but I’ve found that the two worlds often overlap: both rely on intuition and the ability to bring different elements together in harmony. At Yoshien, I’m glad to return to my roots, sourcing herbs and spices with the same curiosity and respect I grew up with. For me, every ingredient carries a story of people, land, and tradition, and I feel lucky to help bring those stories into each cup.

Favourite teas: Liu Bao, Pine Needle Tea, Rock Tea Ye Sheng, Guranse First Flush Wild Orchid
Katrin Schulz

Senior Finance Manager

In my youth, I was always fascinated by tea shops. Stepping inside felt like entering another, calmer world, surrounded by the aromatic scent of various teas from around the world. I could spend hours browsing, discovering new teas and selecting gifts for my family and friends. Today, I look forward to delving even deeper into the world of tea, exploring its incredible diversity and continuing on my personal tea journey.

Favourite teas: Masala Chai, Thai Black Oriental Beauty, Anji Bai Cha
Magnus Pettersson

Photographer

As photographer here at Yoshien, I'm thrilled to bring you fresh and exciting visual content. While I'm a newcomer to the world of tea, my eagerness to learn and dive deep into this fascinating realm knows no bounds. Looking forward to capturing and sharing the beauty and essence of tea with all of you!

Favourite teas: Furong Shan Anhua Heicha or a fresh cold brew Mizudashi Sencha Chiran Yutakamidori

Mairi Hare

Editor EN

Raised in the UK, at an early age I developed a taste for deeply steeped Assam and Earl Grey teas (served with generous amounts of milk and sugar). As my palate matured, I came to appreciate the smoky Lapsang Souchong favoured by my British Grandmother along with the delicate green teas from my Mother’s native Japan. At Yoshi en I write about teaware and accessories, many of which come from historic kilns and leading contemporary artisans in China and Japan. This allows me to draw on my background in design and cultural studies, my passion for sustainability and craftsmanship, as well as my experience as a writer and beneficiary of a rich heritage from two celebrated tea cultures.

Favourite teas: Kamairicha, Genmaicha, Hojicha
Mathias Trilk

Chief Operations Officer

For me, tea is an invitation to pause. As it steeps, I take a moment to breathe deeply, reflect on my thoughts and momentarily forget the rush of the day. It's a little time-out that brings me peace and grounds me. My fascination with tea goes beyond its taste – it lies in the preparation as well. The choice of leaves, the right water temperature, the perfect brewing time – all influence the flavour and make every cup unique. Tea connects people. It invites conversation, warms the soul and creates a cosy atmosphere. Whether alone or with others, a good cup of tea makes the moment worthwhile. And so, for me, tea is more than just a drink. It is a small declaration of love for slowness, enjoyment and the simple pleasures of life.em around the world. All this through quality content in French, my mother tongue.

Favourite teas: Dong Ding Oolong Nong Xiang, Jasmin Silver Needles, Gyokuro Shibushi Saemidori
Michelle Zumhof

Localisation Specialist & Editor EN

Growing up, there was a drawer in our kitchen overflowing with herbal teas such as tulsi, nettle, valerian, echinacea and peppermint. As a nurse and firm proponent of herbal medicine, my mother espoused the health benefits of specific types of teas and used them as supplementary medicine, something I didn’t fully come to appreciate until I grew older and began to do so myself. Apart from their healing properties, I adore the ritualistic nature of tea. In a world of ever-increasing acceleration, quality tea insists on the opposite, only coming to fruition through patience, care, and respect for process. From cultivation to brewing, tea asks us to have reverence for the natural world, to slow down and enjoy its gifts. As the English Localisation Specialist at Yoshi en, I try to capture these special dimensions of tea, ensuring that the unique qualities and origins of Yoshi en’s teas are reflected in the English text.

Favourite teas: Alpine Herb Family Tea, Evening Tea, Matcha Uji Premium, Sencha Makizono Saemidori
Mika Kobayashi

Junior Sourcing Specialist

My grandmother was a Japanese tea ceremony teacher, and in the tea room of our family home in Tokyo, I grew up enjoying matcha with her and my mother. Back then, living in Japan, I never thought of it as anything particularly special. After moving to Berlin, I came to truly appreciate the beauty of Japan’s culture and traditions. At Yoshi-en, I now have the privilege of discovering high-quality teas and tea wares made with great care and passion. Meeting incredible skilled farmers and finding fantastic teas brings me so much joy. During the Sengoku period (Japan’s Warring States period), samurai lived each day with the understanding that it might be their last. Yet, they found comfort and connection through the simple act of sharing tea. Even today, tea remains a way to find peace, calm the mind, and strengthen connections with others. In the same spirit, I hope to discover and share products that bring you meaningful and memorable moments.

Favourite teas: Gyokuro Shibushi Saemidori, Matcha, Genmaicha
Mirjam Greiner

Product Development & Tea Sommelier

I was essentially breastfed with tea – my dear Mother always drank tea, black tea from Georgia to be precise. At seventeen I experienced my first tea seminar where I learned a lot about Darjeeling First Flush Teas, which are still my favourites together with all White Teas. While travelling the world I was guided to many places where drinking “Cha” has long been the norm and where I always felt at home. Before I arrived at Yoshi en, I worked here and there in Tea-Berlin and completed my exams as a Tea Sommelier in 2013. Subsequently I trained as a herbalist, which made me realise that all knowledge is within us and working with our intuition can take us everywhere. Being part of the “Tea Family” opened my eyes and heart to Tea and everything connected to it even more. Camelia Sinensis with it’s aroma, it’s distinct beauty and it’s warm spirit, is also in me. 來喝茶!

Favourite teas: Darjeeling First Flush, White Peony, Sheng Pu Erh
Miryam Harrat-Triesch

Editorial & Localization FR

I was born in Rabat, the capital of Morocco, a country where tea is very important both for its social dimension and its place in daily life. That's why tea and the rituals that go with it have played an essential role in my life since childhood. Over the years, this love and passion for tea has stayed with me both in France, where I grew up, and during my various experiences abroad, particularly in Austria and Germany. This interest in tea, combined with my love for travel, has opened me up to other cultures and enabled me to discover other types of tea. Based on my experience in journalism and localization, I joined the Yoshi En team as editor and localization specialist. My mission within the editorial team is to showcase our wonderful teas and share the stories of those who grow them around the world. All this through quality content in French, my mother tongue.

Favourite teas: Green Tea, Dragon pearl jasmin, Hibiscus flowers tea, Sakura Rose Moonlight

Morten Menge

Senior Editor DE

It all started with a Taiwanese Milky Oolong prepared Gong Fu Style at a cozy tea room in Berlin many years ago. From that moment I fell in love with tea and tea culture, and embarked on a journey that is far from being finished. My love of the plant has taken me to many places and connected me to fascinating tea lovers across the world. Over the years I have worked at multiple tea companies and founded Berlin’s first Tea Festival, but still very much enjoy having tea ceremonies with friends, and of course hosting them for newcomers. Besides this I like to write about tea, giving it a poetic note, which is what I strive to do with the online content here at Yoshi en.

Favourite teas: Matured white tea, Shou and Sheng Pu Erh, lightly shaded Sencha, Wu Yi rock tea
Noël Lohrey

Head of IT

My passion for tea was sparked during a trip to Taiwan with friends. I visited various tea regions such as Pinglin, Nantou, and the Alishan Mountains, met tea farmers and traders, and explored a wide range of oolong and black teas. What fascinated me most was the way tea is treated – it’s not just a bag from a box that you stick into a cup of boiling water. Instead, it is an integral part of daily life, a cultural heritage, and even the focus of championships to create the best tea. Further travels through Japan and China deepened my connection to the tea plant and also led to a few teapots and matcha bowls finding their way into my kitchen. Nowadays, I start each morning almost ceremonially with a freshly prepared tea, which gives me the energy to begin my day. As the Head of IT at Yoshi en, I see it as my responsibility to convey feelings of relaxation, vitality, and balance through our online shops and to ensure that, with the help of our IT systems, our tea reaches our customers safely and on time.

Favourite teas: High Mountain Oolongs from Taiwan, loose leaf Shou Pu Erh, Kamairicha and Rock Oolong
Patrycja Szymanska

Operations Manager

Tea has always accompanied me through life – whether Earl Grey with a hint of bergamot or Turkish black tea – these evoke the fondest memories, be it sipping tea before kindergarten to warm up, or during my student days to relieve stress. With my busy schedule between production planning, raw material control, delivery and business process management, you will regularly find me drinking tea to relax and keep myself up-to-date with our diverse product range.

Favourite teas: Delicately scented organic Earl Grey, such as our "Lady Orange"
Robin Schmidt

Editor DE

While studying Japanese & East Asian Studies I attended a matcha tea ceremony that sparked my obsession with Japanese teas. I would then fully immerse myself into tea when I went to live and work in the small but celebrated tea town of Wazuka in Kyoto prefecture. Here, under my "chamei" (茶名) tea name, Komadori: Japanese for robin, I underwent intensive tea training that included working in the fields and processing teas to leading guided tours and attending major tea events, as well as studying and promoting Japanese tea culture. Afterwards back in Berlin, I was able to pass on my passion to customers as an Assistant Store Manager at a tea shop and through self-directed tea seminars. Now at Yoshi en I oversee the Japanese Green Tea portfolio where I lead tastings to ensure the teas are faithfully presented in all their natural strength and beauty, from visuals to written descriptions, so that our customers can almost taste them while browsing our store.

Favourite teas: Sannenbancha, intense Sencha, mineral-rich Bancha
Sanae Serassi

Product & Purchasing Manager, Japan

In Japan, green tea is deeply embedded in daily life. Back home every morning would start with a fresh brew for our ancestors at the family altar, then as a household we would drink the second and third infusions of the same tea. Green tea would then be served at every meal, during breaks and for guests throughout the day, so our teapot was constantly in use. This is true not only at home but also at work – even children take tea to school in flasks. Now, living far away from Japan, I finally realised how precious this everyday tea culture is. Through Yoshi en I would like to spread the richness of this daily ritual in Europe with our delicious and diligently selected Japanese green teas!

Favourite teas: Genmaicha, Wakocha Benifuuki, Sencha from Chiran, Kamairicha
Sandra Gehlen

PR-Consultant

Tea was first a medicine and then became a drink. In 8th century China, within the realm of poetry, it began to be considered a higher form of distraction. Come the 15th century in Japan, it was elevated to a religion of aestheticism – Teaism: "a cult founded on the adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday existence." At Yoshi en we are committed to this philosophy of tea as described in the introduction to the legendary Book of Tea from 1906 by Kakuzō Okakura. And how could it be otherwise? What is more meaningful than tea, which has formed entire cultures, and shaped landscapes and societies? I am deeply fascinated by the way tea is viewed culturally and reflects a country's unique values and traditions. Tea has the ability to bring people together, creating a space for conviviality and reflection while being a source of joy and wellbeing. In short, everything is a little better with tea.

Favourite teas: Gyokuro Shibushi Saemidori, Gaba Tea Kinezuka

Stefan Kerssens

Purchasing Manager, China and ROW

I embarked on my tea journey in 2011 following my introduction to loose leaf tea in the form of a Bai Mu Dan. From here I started exploring teas, with a particular focus on Chinese and Taiwanese teas. I was fortunate enough to live in Chengdu, China, for three and a half years, where I was able to immerse myself in daily tea practice and meet many wonderful people active in the world of tea and pottery. Returning to Germany, it became apparent that I want to work with tea and share the beauty and wisdom of this magical plant with others. At Yoshi en I do the purchasing of all non-Japanese teas and herbal infusions, as well as supporting new product launches from A to Z. I am also always on the lookout for exciting new tea accessories, particularly from European artists, which has already resulted in many fruitful collaborations with some of the most interesting contemporary potters.

Favourite teas: Strongly oxidised Oolongs, mature White Tea, Sheng Pu Erh, First Flush Darjeeling
Vanessa Mai Linh Vu

Junior Collection Manager & Accessoires Editor

Having grown up with Vietnamese green tea – ever-present in our household – I came to know tea early on as a companion to conversation and a focal point of gatherings, often sitting on the floor in a circle with family and friends. The tea set from that time remains with me to this day and became the quiet starting point for my work at Yoshi en. As Collection Manager, I oversee our in-house private collection of contemporary and historical tea art from Asia, helping to preserve and share their stories. Beyond the private collection, I also assist in the creation of content related to tea accessories.

Favourite teas: Gyokuro, Genmaicha, Dattan Soba, Camomile Tea, Stinging Nettle Tea, Kyusu Tokoname Yohen Komadori, Kyusu Tokoname Futanashi Chairo
Yumiko Okuda

Head of Product & Purchasing, Japan

I grew up near Kyoto, in Kyotanabe – a city famous for its rich green tea tradition and first-class Uji tea. As a child I didn't really understand why our teacher would speak so proudly about local tea production, we even had a textbook on the subject decorated with a tea leaf pattern and at breaktimes we could help ourselves to tea in the hallway. In 2019 when I joined Yoshi en, I reconnected with tea and my casual interest grew into a fully-fledged love and passion as I began to connect with more tea people. My favourite part of my work is talking to the tea farmers in Japan, I cannot express just how wonderful it is to feel their profound dedication to and knowledge of tea. In order to convey this devotion, I ensure all our Japanese tea and accessories meet the highest standards, from farm to teacup, to bring joy to all our customers.

Favourite teas: Gently brewed umami-rich Gyokuro, high mountain Gaba Oolong, Kamairicha, creamy matcha, and any tea that is nicely prepared by somebody.

MEET THE TEAM

Amirmohammad Asadi

Anna Jankowiak

Annabel Padley

Ann-Sophie Schafer

Asky Petynka

ATSUKO NISHIMURA

Benjamin Skalski

Caterina Bartali

Christopher Maaß

Finn Plotzki

Hendrikje-Hjördis Osuji

Isa Chen

Jan Grigat

Jonathan Stein

Jörg (Joschi) Schweikart

Karisa Correa

Katrin Schulz

Magnus Pettersson

Mairi Hare

Mathias Trilk

Michelle Zumhof

Mika Kobayashi

Mirjam Greiner

Miryam Harrat-Triesch

Morten Menge

Noël Lohrey

Patrycja Szymanska

Robin Schmidt

Sanae Serassi

Sandra Gehlen

Stefan Kerssens

Vanessa Mai Linh Vu

Yumiko Okuda