🌱 Sorate Storytelling Series Vol.4

Stories that Connect Tea and People — Sōrate Storytelling Series
Narration: Keiko Kitazawa (Sorate Advisor / Omotesenke Style Professor)

About Keiko Kitazawa:

She has over 25 years of experience in Chanoyu and has been teaching as a certified Omotesenke-style tea ceremony instructor in New York and New Jersey for more than 15 years, guiding over 100 students, including school programs. She conducts weekly lessons at the private salon, 229 East 49^th Street in NYC and at her private tea room in Closter, NJ, and regularly hosts tea gatherings both in the U.S. and Japan. A founding member of the Omotesenke Domonkai Eastern Region (2008) and its Secretary General since 2019, she graduated from Osaka University of Arts (Design) and the Fashion Institute of Technology (Fine Arts). Keiko views Chanoyu not only as a practice of procedures and customs but as a way of living an aesthetically and spiritually rich life. 

NY Dream Come True — Opening the SOHO Shop
Narration: Keiko Kitazawa (Sorate Advisor / Omotesenke Style Professor)

After the pandemic, Silvia's next challenge was to establish her own base in New York.
At last, Sorate’s first shop opened in SOHO in October 2023.

The moment you step through the door, you find yourself not in just another café, but in an atmosphere infused with the spirit of tea.

Guests take a sip and exclaim with surprise, “So this is the real flavor!”

Without any added sugar, our matcha lattes are enjoyed again and again.

True matcha needs no sweeteners—the natural depth and smooth richness of the tea itself is more than enough.

Today, lines form outside for what is now known as “the best matcha latte in Manhattan,”

and Sorate’s drinks appear daily on Instagram.

Alongside matcha, we also serve sencha, hojicha, and other Japanese teas, paired with small bites and traditional wagashi.

A Tea Ceremony experience is also being planned, with details to be shared in our next issue.

Every detail—from the carefully selected tea bowls to the branded items that shape Sorate’s identity—reflects Silvia’s uncompromising eye for quality.

The SOHO opening realized a dream and marked the first step of a cultural hub for matcha in New York.