Japanese Green Tea Co. at Portland Night Market

The Japanese Green Tea Company now regularly holds booths at Portland Night Market.

We are very excited to have been selected as one of the lucky vendors to sell our products at the Portland Night Market.

It’s one of my favorite events, and it only happens a few times a year. It is pretty competitive to have a booth, so we were lucky to be selected this time.

Every market experience is a little different, yet equally inspiring. From the warm conversations with curious first-time tasters to the return of loyal tea enthusiasts who remember us from previous events, each visit adds something new to our journey. These moments — captured in our photos and videos — reflect not just our booth setup or product display, but the energy, smiles, and excitement surrounding the experience of sharing authentic Japanese green tea with the Portland community.

Here are some photos and videos from the past. 

Similar to what we did at the World Tea Expo this year, I did a Facebook Live session while setting up to give you some insight into what it feels like to be there when we are setting up for the event. Here are some of the comments I received during the Facebook Live session.

Setting up for an event like this is always a mix of excitement and hustle. From unpacking carefully wrapped tea tins to assembling our display stands and brewing equipment, every step requires precision — especially when working within a compact booth space. We also pay close attention to lighting and layout, ensuring that our presentation reflects the care and quality behind each cup of tea we serve. The Facebook Live not only gave our followers a behind-the-scenes peek but also allowed us to interact in real time, answering questions and sharing our enthusiasm as everything came together.

If you are interested, here is a link to the Facebook Live session for the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas.

Here are some photos from when we were preparing for the event.

Trust me, it is a lot of work to setup the booth because there are lots of moving parts to fit into a small space, especially since we wanted to make sure that we used the best water for tea and all the right gadgets to be setup to serve.

From electric kettles to matcha whisks, tea scoops, signage, and sample cups — every item has its place, and every detail matters. We even bring our own premium water to ensure the tea tastes exactly as it should, no matter the venue. It's a delicate balance of functionality and presentation, and by the time setup is complete, it feels more like assembling a miniature tea house than just a booth. But once everything is in place, the reward of seeing people’s eyes light up when they try our teas makes it all worth it.

Look at all these people! It really was a fun event, and it reminds me of my hometown, Tokyo. : ) 

Here are people at our booth trying our tea samples.

Before the event, I mentioned that we would be doing something surprising at this event, just as we do at every event.

The surprise was that we served Matcha A La Mode, otherwise known as matcha with ice cream!

We showed everyone who passed by how to make Matcha A La Mode, and the people who stopped at our booth got to try our Award-winning Matcha with Häagen-Dazs Ice cream. As you know, our matcha won the Global Tea Championship this year.

Did you miss it? If so, we made a video on how to make this yummy treat.

The reaction was everything we hoped for — smiles, wide eyes, and lots of “wows” as people experienced the creamy richness of vanilla ice cream blended with the earthy freshness of our ceremonial-grade matcha. Some visitors returned later in the evening just to get another taste or bring their friends. It turned into a little show of its own, with curious passersby stopping mid-walk to ask, “What’s that amazing green dessert?” Sharing our matcha in such a fun, memorable way reminded us why we love doing these events — it's not just about tea, it’s about joy.

Click on the link here or click on the thumbnail below to watch a 1-minute video of how to do it yourself.

Conclusion

Participating in the Portland Night Market is always a meaningful experience for us at the Japanese Green Tea Company. It’s more than just an event — it’s a celebration of culture, community, and connection through the power of great tea. From the excitement of booth setup to the joy of sharing samples and stories with visitors, every moment reminds us why we do what we do. We’re grateful to be part of Portland’s thriving maker scene and look forward to meeting even more tea lovers at future markets.

Thank you very much to everyone who stopped by our booth. We enjoyed seeing you all and hope to see you soon! : )