Our Story
The name "ROKUSAI (鹿柴)" comes from a poem by Wang Wei, a poet from the High Tang period.
In modern language, it translates to: "In the quiet mountains, no one is seen. But if you listen closely, you can hear voices. The setting sun shines through the deep forest, and lights up the green moss."
The moss at Heisenji Shrine in Japan, where the original ROKUSAI is located, boasts an impressive beauty with its delicate and vibrant green hue. The sight of light filtering through the trees and illuminating the moss is truly elegant. Enjoying matcha in the quiet ambiance of our traditional house is an exceptional experience.
Now you can discover the spirit and taste of real Japanese Matcha right here in Switzerland!
ROKUSAI is offering our high quality ROKUSAI Blend exclusively online so you can enjoy the authentic taste of Japan right at home.
Our Home in Japan
Are you planning to visit Japan?
Do you want to experience one of the most special places which many people don't know about?
Consider to visit our main cafe in Katsuyama, Fukui, Japan (West-Coast). Our cafe is located right next to the Heisenji-Shrine, also called "Moss-Shrine" and is one of the most special shrines in all of Japan. Locals from all over the country travel to the Heisenji-Shrine to experience the mystical atmosphere and round the day off with a tasty speciality from ROKUSAI.
We are welcoming you and are looking forward to your visit!
Discover ROKUSAI in Fukui, Japan
Meet the team behind ROKUSAI
From Japan to Switzerland.
Shota Nishigaki
Founder of ROKUSAI Japan
Hello everyone, I am Shota. I was born in Kyoto. These days I live between Tokyo and Katsuyama, a small town in the mountains of Fukui Prefecture.
Rural Japan is full of good things that few people ever get to see. Live only in Tokyo, and you will never come across them. Live only in the countryside, and you will lose sight of what people are really looking for. That distance between where things are made and where they are enjoyed never sat right with me. Therefore, wanting to close it is where everything I do today began.
Around ten years ago, I came across the ideas of farm to table and bean to bar. They eventually took me to Indonesia, where I visited cacao farms to see for myself how chocolate is actually made. What I brought home was simple: a supply chain is made of people, and the relationship with the maker matters most.
Good taste starts with good producers, and with how directly I can work with them. Matcha in particular depends on the eye and blending skill of the tea master who selects the leaves. That is why ROKUSAI is built on my direct, personal relationships with all the actors of the supply chain, from the growers up until the tea masters.
The ROKUSAI Blend is grown in Kyoto. It features rich in umami, with a soft, mild bitterness.
This is matcha as it is actually enjoyed in Japan, now also available in Switzerland.
Yunus Ruff
Business Development ROKUSAI Switzerland
Hi dear friends, I am Yunus.
By profession I am an engineer, so you might wonder why I am suddenly whisking matcha in Switzerland.
It all started on a stifling summer night at 1:00 AM in a Kyoto capsule hotel, where Shota and I met while waiting endlessly for an elevator. We grabbed late-night food together, talking for hours and instantly hitting it off.
Because we connected so well, I decided to change my travel plans and visit Shota in Fukui, the mountainous region where he lives. That turned out to be the best decision I ever made. Exploring Fukui's magical, moss-covered shrines and tasting Shota’s exceptional matcha at his café hooked me immediately.
What started as a deep friendship born in Japan evolved into ROKUSAI Switzerland.
When Shota visited me here, we realized how much of the local matcha fell short in terms of quality and taste, so we decided to team up and bring the absolute finest matcha to Switzerland.
As the local representative in Switzerland I am glad to answer any questions you have regarding ROKUSAI or the ROKUSAI Blend.
I am looking forward to your message :)