Our Story
A name, a feeling, a journey.
Yuyi began with a name I carried with me long before I knew what it meant.
Growing up, Yuyi was my childhood nickname. Years later, I came across The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig and was shocked to read a word strikingly similar to my own. The word Yu Yi, a longing to experience life with the same intensity and wonder we once felt as children.
Something about it stayed with me.
As we grow older, life moves faster. Routines replace firsts, busy days blur together, and it becomes easy to overlook the little moments that once felt so meaningful.
For me, matcha became one of those moments. A few quiet minutes to slow down, make something with intention, and simply be present. There was something special about taking the time to whisk it, create it with intention, and know that each cup would come out exactly how I wanted it. That small ritual became something I looked forward to. It was a moment to pause, be present, and enjoy something I had created for myself.
That feeling became Yuyi.
Yuyi is an invitation to slow down, awaken your senses, and rediscover wonder in the mundane.
Yuyi didn’t happen overnight. It grew from a genuine curiosity about matcha and a desire to find something I truly believed in.
I tasted hundreds of matcha’s, made my way to Japan, and spent countless hours learning about the people, places, and traditions behind each cup. With every tasting and every step of the journey, I became more certain of what I wanted Yuyi to be and, just as importantly, what I wanted it to feel like.
That journey eventually led us to Uji, where we found the kind of matcha and the people behind it that felt right for Yuyi. We chose to work with family-owned farms whose knowledge has been passed down through generations, allowing us to build a closer connection to the growers and the craft behind every batch.
