Journal  /  2026.05.25

1st Pop-Up Tasting Event in Tokyo

Pop-up Report  ·  2026

SALON DE MATCHA
Japan DebutPop-up Tasting Report

Harajuku, JOINT AROUND the CORNER  |  May 13 – 19, 2026


Report

Seven sun-drenched days on a Harajuku terrace.
A Qatar-born, Kagoshima-grown matcha finding its place in Tokyo.

Our one-week pop-up matcha tasting has come to a close — held as part of "INSTINCT," the 15th Anniversary Exhibition of MIHO MURAKAMI, the artist behind the SALON DE MATCHA logo.　Blessed with beautiful weather throughout, we hosted the tasting on the sun-filled terrace of gallery JOINT AROUND the CORNER. The idea was simple: to let people taste SALON DE MATCHA's matcha for themselves — something no tin or label could ever fully convey.

We served two offerings: a traditionally whisked warm matcha, and a chilled version suited to the season. Our guests were wonderfully diverse — from those discovering the difference between matcha and green tea for the very first time, to enthusiasts who enjoy it daily, and even certified tea masters. Each one took a moment with SALON DE MATCHA.

In a wonderful surprise, a close acquaintance — the younger brother of the 15th Grand Master of the Urakuryu School of Tea, a warrior tea tradition tracing its lineage to Oda Uraku-sai, younger brother of Oda Nobunaga, and a director of the Tokyo Tea Ceremony Association — visited with fellow tea practitioners and graciously joined our tasting with warm smiles.

Honestly, I was nervous. This is the birthplace of matcha culture — a place where quality is felt deeply, where discerning palates are simply part of daily life. Would our matcha be accepted here? The answer came not in words, but in the smiles on everyone’s faces. For many, it was a genuine discovery — that matcha could taste like this. And yet, perhaps that is precisely the point: in a country where matcha is everywhere, finding a cup that is truly exceptional is no easy thing, even here. This tasting reminded us of that truth.


Voices

I had no idea matcha could taste like this. I always thought of it as something bitter.

— Guest at the tasting

I can't believe how easy it is to make proper matcha with just a shaker and a stick! I'd love to serve this to my clients.

— Business owner

Mixed into beer it becomes so smooth and easy to drink. And since it's tea, the guilt just disappears — I could have glass after glass!

— Mother with children

The packaging is beautiful, and it's so easy to make with a shaker — perfect as a gift! I want to bring some back for my friends living abroad.

— Guest departing for the US the next day

Now that matcha is readily available anywhere, it is all the more important to continue sharing the true value of matcha — together with Japanese culture — with people both in Japan and around the world.

— Urasenke Tea Master

Honouring the traditions of Japanese tea culture while fitting seamlessly into modern life — that is the world SALON DE MATCHA is building. This week reaffirmed everything we believe in.

SALON DE MATCHA was born in Qatar with a singular purpose: to bring the finest Kagoshima matcha to the Middle East. This week, that same matcha was embraced with warmth and smiles in the very land where tea culture began. We are deeply moved, truly grateful, and more motivated than ever.


To everyone who visited, tasted, and shared a moment with us —
thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
Every encounter made our story richer.

Until the next chapter.

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