On January 1, 2024, the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake struck the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. The disaster placed the wonderful tradition of Wajima lacquerware (Wajima-nuri) production in serious jeopardy.
Then, in September of the same year, the region was hit by record-breaking heavy rainfall. Many people who were already living in evacuation shelters saw their homes flooded above floor level, making an already difficult situation even harder.
Out of a wish to help this wonderful Wajima lacquerware culture be passed on to future generations, we decided to launch a fundraising campaign.
Based in Zurich, Switzerland, the World Matcha Forum is an annual online charity event born from a simple wish: to connect people around the world through matcha, and to talk together about culture and peace. All proceeds are donated to support cultural heritage and international humanitarian aid.
What is the World Matcha Forum?
Matcha lovers from around the world join this online event to discuss culture and peace through quizzes and guest speaker talks. Participation fees and donations support Wajima lacquerware artisans affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake, as well as the humanitarian work of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
1st World Matcha Forum (October 19, 2024)
Our very first forum ultimately welcomed donations from 47 people and 29 participants. We held a Wajima lacquerware quiz edited and proofread by lacquerware artisan Taiichi Kirimoto, and observed a moment of silence for the 360 people who lost their lives in the earthquake and the 13 who died in the subsequent floods, before whisking matcha together. The total of 174,352 yen raised, plus a bank transfer fee, was donated in full (174,572 yen) to the Wajima Lacquerware Industry Cooperative.
Read the 1st World Matcha Forum report (full financial report here)
2nd World Matcha Forum (October 25, 2025)
The 2nd forum welcomed 41 participants including organizers and speakers.
The opening greeting was given by Deputy Ambassador Okubo of the Japanese Embassy in Switzerland. Our guest speaker, Ambassador Hara of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ training institute, shared valuable reflections drawn from his time posted in Afghanistan.
We were also joined by Sister Chai, a Japanese Buddhist nun from Plum Village, Europe’s largest Zen monastery, for a moment of silence.
This year was also the year in which Sen Genshitsu, former Grand Master of the Urasenke school of tea ceremony, passed away. Having been conscripted as a kamikaze pilot trainee during the Pacific War, he devoted his life afterward to promoting peace through the Way of Tea. In tribute to his achievements and his wishes, we observed a moment of silence together.
Through Ambassador Hara’s account of Afghanistan and the path walked by Sen Genshitsu, sharing a bowl of matcha together became an occasion to reflect once again on culture and peace. Without peace, culture itself cannot endure. The destruction of countless precious historical sites under Taliban rule reminded us of this truth once again.
Against this background, the 2nd World Matcha Forum donated its proceeds to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Wajima Lacquerware Industry Cooperative.
Total donations reached 314,558 yen, an increase of approximately 80% from the previous year. 157,279 yen was donated to the Wajima Lacquerware Industry Cooperative, and 829.93 Swiss francs to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland as the world’s oldest international humanitarian organization.
Read the 2nd World Matcha Forum report
Upcoming
The 3rd World Matcha Forum is planned for Saturday, October 31, 2026. Further details will follow.
Join our Facebook group “World Matcha Forum” for the latest updates.
World Matcha Forum official Facebook group
If your company is interested in participating as a sponsor or guest speaker, please feel free to get in touch.
Contact Us
The 1st World Matcha Forum
The 2nd World Matcha Forum
※About Wajima-nuri: Wajima lacquerware is a traditional craft from Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, involving more than 100 hand-crafted steps and taking months to years to complete. The 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake caused severe damage to the industry, and artisans are still working to rebuild it today. For more information, please visit the official website of the Wajima Lacquerware Industry Cooperative (https://wajimanuri.or.jp/).