JAZZ & TEA – A Cultural Experience Design Translating Music

JAZZ & TEA is a cultural design project originating from Kurashiki, a historic Japanese city known for its rich artistic heritage. Inspired by the philosophy of Japanese aesthetics, the project explores how music can be translated into taste through tea.

More than 100 jazz standards have been interpreted into original tea blends, each designed to reflect the emotional atmosphere of a specific musical composition. Each blend corresponds to a particular jazz piece, forming a one-to-one relationship between music and tea that allows listeners to experience music through flavor.

By analyzing musical elements such as rhythm, mood, and tonal color, the project transforms these characteristics into sensory qualities including aroma, balance, and aftertaste. Rather than presenting tea simply as a beverage, JAZZ & TEA positions tea as a medium for cultural storytelling.

Through this multi-sensory approach, the project proposes a new form of tea culture where global jazz heritage and Japanese aesthetics intersect. Originating from Kurashiki, a city where tradition and art coexist, JAZZ & TEA aims to present tea as a form of total cultural experience.