I had no clue about tea and was a die hard coffee snob until I walked into White Crane Tea Company in Japantown. David the owner, broke open a new package of $50 tea just so I could try. There's no chance in hell Starbucks, Peets, or Blue Bottle Coffee would ever do that for me. Never in a million years. After he patiently discussed the differences between the premium tea he carries, I started asking him about the huge amount of high quality Japanese artwork he carried. Turns out he's a professional artist and did it all by himself. I've been going back once a month for the last year to top up on my personal stock of tea ever since.

White Crane Tea air ships the finest teas from Japan, and is the only one in the United States that is allowed by those respective companies to sell here.

As it turns out, the Japanese do not export their finest green teas. Instead they export their inferior 2nd or 3rd rate teas to the US. I've tried it all and this is the only place to sell award winning green tea from Japan in either Europe or the United States. This was one of those rare chances of a lifetime to taste before you buy, ultra pemium tea without having to fly to Japan.

Don't forget to view his website if you can't make it to San Francisco:
www.whitecraneteacoDotCom