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Here is a short recap from the event!
We are excited to join MAUM Market for the first time at OCMA on March 29, 12-4 PM!
Here is a brief about the expo:
Show:
MAUM Market OCMA
Place:
OCMA (Orange County Museum of Art)
3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (Google Map)
Date & Hours:
Saturday, March 29: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Ticket:
This event is free, but please reserve an online ticket here.
This event is a special event for MAUM Market as this is the grand opening of their permanent flagship MAUM store in the museum lobby with a curated selection of Asian owned goods.
This is the second location of the MAUM store, the first in New York, which opened in 2024.
We are so happy to be part of such a historical moment for MAUM Market!
As always, we have a surprise for you, so if you are in the area, please stop by and say hi to us!
We look forward to seeing you there!

FAQs about the Maum Market
What is the Maum Market?
Maum Market is a recurring Asian-American pop-up marketplace centered on small-batch food makers, beverage producers, artisanal goods, and lifestyle brands — primarily Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese, but open to the broader Asian diaspora. 'Maum' (마음) is Korean for 'heart' or 'mind.' The events feel less like commercial markets and more like community gatherings.
Vendors are typically small operations — often single-founder businesses, often the founders themselves working the booths. The vibe is low-key, food-forward, and friendly to first-time customers who want to ask questions about the products.
Where does the Maum Market happen?
The events rotate among major LA-area cultural venues. Known locations have included: OCMA (Orange County Museum of Art) in Costa Mesa, ROW DTLA in downtown Los Angeles, Hauser & Wirth gallery, and various breweries and cultural spaces. Each event runs typically a single afternoon (4-6 hours).
Dates are usually announced 4-6 weeks ahead via Maum Market's Instagram (@maum.market) and website. The events have grown in popularity, so going early in the day is recommended — popular vendors often sell out before the event ends.
What kinds of vendors appear at Maum Market?
Wide range. Recent events have featured: artisanal soy sauce makers, kimchi producers, Japanese tea (us!), Korean rice cake bakeries, Asian pastry shops, ceramic artists, beverages (sake, baijiu, kombucha, fruit sodas), small-batch hot sauces, and clothing/jewelry brands rooted in Asian aesthetics. Around 20-40 vendors per event.
Most have an online presence too, but the in-person version lets you taste, try, and chat with the founders in a way the website can't replicate. Several long-running food brands started as Maum Market vendors before going wholesale.
How can I find Japanese Green Tea Co. at upcoming events?
Follow @japanesegreenteaco on Instagram — we post our event schedule there as it's confirmed, usually 2-4 weeks ahead. We also send event announcements through our newsletter (sign up at japanesegreenteain.com).
Most years we attend 4-8 in-person events in Southern California — Maum Markets, OC Japan Fair, occasional Bread and Salt markets in San Diego, and Japanese cultural festivals. If you're local to LA/OC/SD and want to meet our team and taste our full range, in-person events are the best way.
Why does Japanese Green Tea Co. participate in Korean and Asian-American markets?
The Asian-American food and lifestyle community in Southern California is genuinely interconnected. Many of our regular customers find us through cross-pollination at events like Maum Market — they came for kimchi or Korean dessert and discovered Japanese green tea alongside. The traffic is well-aligned with people interested in authentic Asian products generally.
It's also a reflection of how we think about Japanese tea — not as a niche cultural artifact but as an everyday ingredient that fits into modern life across cultural backgrounds. The Maum Market crowd gets that immediately.
Related products
The Sencha Lover Gift Set - Premium Japanese Green Tea Set Package
This tea set features three exceptional Japanese green teas, each crafted with care and traditional techniques. Issaku Reserve, a Global Tea Champion winner in 2017 and 2019, is a rare masterpiece created by Farm Master Mr. Arahata at Arahataen Green Tea Farm. Handpicked once a year from the first flush and processed with advanced methods, Issaku represents the highest-grade deep-steamed green tea, available only in limited quantities even in Japan.
The set also includes Gyokuro, a premium shaded green tea known for its rich, sweet flavor and deep mossy green color. Grown under special mats for 20 days to increase caffeine and amino acid levels, Gyokuro offers a layered, smooth taste unlike any other. Completing the collection is Nozomi, a fine Kabuse-cha, or "Covered Green Tea," carefully grown under nets to gently shade the leaves just before new sprouts emerge, resulting in a soft, rich, and refined flavor profile.
Gyokuro - Shaded Imperial Premium Green Tea
Gyokuro, also known as "jade dew" or "jewel dew tea," is a premium Japanese green tea shaded from the sun for 20 days using specially made mats, a method that boosts caffeine levels and strengthens amino acids to create a sweeter, richer flavor. This extended shading process results in dark, mossy green leaves with an unmistakable aroma and a complex taste that is layered yet balanced. Cultivated by the Chagusaba method in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil and made from the Yabukita cultivar, this loose-leaf authentic Gyokuro is offered in a high-quality, air-tight paper tube canister (chyazutsu) to preserve its exceptional freshness and flavor. Each 3.5 oz (100g) full-size package steeps 30–40 cups, and a convenient single-serve sample is also available.
Hojicha - Roasted Green Tea
Our roasted green tea, known as hojicha (ほうじ茶), is crafted from freshly harvested premium green tea carefully roasted in porcelain over charcoal to maximize flavor while retaining more catechins than typical hojicha on the market. With lower caffeine and a smoother, less bitter taste compared to steamed green tea, it is an ideal choice for evening relaxation and is gentle enough for kids and pregnant women. Cultivated using the Chagusaba method in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil, this loose-leaf authentic Japanese roasted green tea, made from the Yabukita cultivar, also pairs beautifully with oily foods. Each eco-friendly resealable package contains 3.5 oz (100g) of tea, enough to steep 30–40 comforting cups.
Matcha - Ceremonial Japanese Powdered Green Tea
This ceremonial matcha is crafted from the finest Japanese green tea, grown in nutrient-rich soil enhanced with compostable grasses and sugarcane through the Chagusaba method, which gives the tea a natural sweetness and exceptional flavor. In collaboration with researchers from Shizuoka University, farmers ensure that the soil quality consistently produces tea of the highest standard.
Renowned among top Japanese chefs for its unmatched aroma, this matcha is made by carefully shading the plants before harvest to boost caffeine and amino acids, then meticulously drying, de-stemming, and grinding the leaves into a fine powder. Made from the Yabukita cultivar, this 1.8 oz (50g) matcha comes in a high-quality, air-tight paper tube canister, providing a luxurious and authentic Japanese tea experience.
Genmaicha - Green Tea with Roasted Brown Rice
Our premium Japanese Genmaicha blends high-quality green tea with roasted popped brown rice (genmai 玄米), often nicknamed "popcorn tea" because the roasting process sounds like popcorn popping. Popular especially among the older generation in Japan for its mild flavor and lower caffeine content, this tea is easier on the stomach while still offering a rich, comforting taste. The brown rice used is premium Japanese mochi-gome (もち米) sticky rice, enhancing the tea’s nutty, aromatic profile. Made from Fukamushi Sencha and cultivated using the Chagusaba method in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil, this Genmaicha features the Yabukita cultivar and comes in a 7.0 oz (200g) eco-friendly resealable package, enough to steep 50–60 cups.
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About the author
Kei Nishida
Author, CEO Dream of Japan
Certification: PMP, BS in Computer Science
Education: Western Washington University
Kei Nishida is a passionate Japanese green tea connoisseur, writer, and the founder and CEO of Japanese Green Tea Co., a Dream of Japan Company.
Driven by a deep desire to share the rich flavors of his homeland, he established the only company that sources premium tea grown in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil—earning multiple Global Tea Champion awards.
Expanding his mission of introducing Japan’s finest to the world, Kei pioneered the launch of the first-ever Sumiyaki charcoal-roasted coffee through Japanese Coffee Co. He also brought the artistry of traditional Japanese craftsmanship to the global market by making katana-style handmade knives—crafted by a renowned katana maker—available outside Japan for the first time through Japanese Knife Co.
Kei’s journey continues as he uncovers and shares Japan’s hidden treasures with the world.
