Key Facts
• Kashiwa Sato, 60, appointed as producer for Shizuoka Tea Branding Project.
• Sato visited Governor Yasuto Suzuki, 67, to discuss project goals.
• Shizuoka accounts for nearly 40% of Japan’s tea plantation area.
• In 2024, Shizuoka lost its top spot in raw tea production to Kagoshima.
• The prefecture has around 20 tea-producing regions but lacks strong national branding.
• Sato, known for revitalizing Imabari Towel and designing global logos, leads the initiative.
• He toured tea farms and research centers in Kikugawa, Kakegawa, and Shizuoka cities.
• Sato plans to create a unique logo and concept for Shizuoka tea by fiscal year-end.
• His mother hails from Makinohara, linking him personally to Shizuoka.
• Sato believes Shizuoka tea has untapped potential and global appeal.
Summary
Kashiwa Sato, a renowned creative director, has been appointed as the producer for Shizuoka’s Tea Branding Project. During a visit to Governor Yasuto Suzuki, Sato expressed his ambition to elevate Shizuoka tea to international prominence. Despite Shizuoka’s significant share of Japan’s tea plantation area, it recently lost its top position in raw tea production to Kagoshima and struggles with weak national branding. Sato, known for his work with global brands like Uniqlo and Rakuten, as well as revitalizing traditional industries like Imabari Towel, aims to create a unique identity for Shizuoka tea. After touring local tea farms and research centers, Sato highlighted the region’s diversity and potential, emphasizing the need to unlock its hidden treasures. By the end of the fiscal year, he plans to finalize a logo and concept to position Shizuoka tea as a global brand.
