Begin Japanology

This month, we present a special talk-show series called Japanophiles, featuring lively interviews with foreigners living in Japan. Stéphane Danton is breathing new life into Japanese tea. He subtly adjusts the flavor of the green tea that people in Japan are accustomed to. At a time when fewer people in Japan are drinking traditional Japanese tea, Danton's new take on tea has become popular with young people, and especially women. Danton's interest in Japanese tea began in 1992. He came to Japan to import wines, but in his travels around the country he encountered tea plantations that reminded him of the vineyards of his native Lyon. In 2005, Danton opened a shop in Tokyo. Three years later, at the Japanese pavilion at Expo 2008 in Spain, he showcased teas that reflected his expertise as a sommelier and his own refined taste. Danton also debuted a new flavored tea he had created, and people loved it. Slowly but surely, Danton is leading a revolution in the traditional world of Japanese tea.