Noli Ergas

Noli Ergas never really “got into” tea; it just sort of grew on him. During a few years living in Japan, he became accustomed to both the standard daily teas (e.g. sencha, hojicha, etc.) and the traditional tea of Japanese tea ceremony (i.e. matcha), all as a part of everyday life. Daily habit slowly grew into interest which slowly grew into passion. Now, he is one of the few non-Japanese certified as a Japanese Tea Advisor by the Japanese Tea Instructor Association.

Noli’s studies have taken him all over the map, both academically and geographically, with a BA in Geology (University of Pennsylvania), a MS in Biology (University of Washington), and a Teaching Certification in Japanese (Seattle Pacific University). His education provides a solid scientific background to help in understanding the biological mechanisms by which tea is grown and how it benefits our health. With his background in education, Noli enjoys teaching on any subject from organic tea farming to Japanese Tea 101 as part of the Sugimoto America team.