YMY × MOHEIM - Part 2

From the “YMY x MOHEIM – Part 1”

Imai
By the way, in the world of tea, the color of the brewed tea—known as suishoku—is a crucial element, which is why we always use near-white cups when serving customers in our shops. Because of this, some of our staff initially pointed out that the body of MOHEIM’s WATER BOTTLE isn’t completely clear. However, we stood our ground and explained, “But this is exactly the bottle we need.” We advocated that if a bottle is entirely crystal clear, you might worry more about smudges while carrying it around, or the color of the liquid inside showing through too starkly. MOHEIM’s bottle is actually perfect for YMY because it helps alleviate those exact concerns.

Takeuchi
When we were adjusting the colors for the bottle’s body, I traveled to the factory many times to fine-tune those subtle nuances in color and pattern behavior. Hearing that you convinced those around you that this deeply considered color palette itself was the perfect match for YMY’s brand image… as a designer, it truly makes me incredibly happy.

Imai
We place a great deal of importance on thinking from a consumer’s everyday perspective. Our product planning team often discussed how we wanted YMY to launch products that we ourselves would genuinely want to own and buy, just as our authentic selves. Discovering MOHEIM’s WATER BOTTLE was actually a wonderful encounter at a shop I happened to visit on my day off for a change of pace.

Takeuchi
You actually purchased the WATER BOTTLE for yourself back then. Thank you so much.

Imai
As I looked into it further, I realized that our resonance wasn’t just with the design and presence of the items, but also deeply rooted in MOHEIM’s brand philosophy. The brand’s dedication to materials, its craftsmanship-driven manufacturing—this unwavering commitment to authenticity perfectly aligns with the exact same dedication to authenticity that Yamamotoyama has cherished since its founding. For me, it was a profound moment when that initial spark of catching my eye turned into this realization.

Takeuchi
I get the impression that many of the people who enjoy using MOHEIM’s WATER BOTTLE are women around their 30s, so I feel like our target generations are very much in sync with YMY’s.

Imai
As YMY sets a goal to propose ways to enjoy tea, we discussed internally who would be seeking this experience the most. The demographic that came up was women in their late 20s to early 30s—those who are working authentically and are on the cusp of major life changes. They might still feel a bit unsettled at times, but they are also at a stage where they’ve begun to build genuine self-confidence. We feel this brand will truly resonate with women in that particular phase of life.

Takeuchi
Right—a generation that has gained some professional experience and settled into themselves a bit, and who are gradually establishing their own careers.

Imai
We actually held internal talk sessions to listen to our staff’s personal worries and how they cope with them. As we unpacked their answers, we realized that, in the end, these experiences are universally shared across all generations, regardless of age or gender. So, we figured that if we could first connect with our core target audience, it would help us expand the joy of gyokuro and tea even further. In fact, we’ve already seen people in their 20s and 30s making purchases on our e-commerce site, and we can truly feel that we are reaching people that previously didn’t know about Yamamotoyama.

There is a certain comfort in holding the rounded silhouette of this WATER BOTTLE, and simply having this color in your field of vision brings a sense of calm… The same goes for the aroma of tea; while how people experience it might change from moment to moment, we ultimately want to propose something that brings a sense of comfort and helps people center themselves.

Takeuchi
Could you share a little bit about what the future holds for the YMY brand?

Imai
GYOKURO TEAROOM is YMY’s “place of experience” and our flagship shop. We want it to be a space where people can experience a touch of everyday inspiration—something that lifts their spirits a bit more than usual—and where they feel inspired to share that experience with others. That’s why we want to make it a destination that people genuinely want to visit.

For example, we hope it becomes a spot where someone who receives YMY tea bags as a gift thinks, “I’m curious,” “I want to check it out,” or where people who have visited us want to come back again, next time with their family or friends.

I also want it to be a place where people can enjoy the world of tea as if they are opening the door to a whole new world they’ve never known before. Moving forward, I hope to create more of these experiential spaces in other areas, giving more people the opportunity to discover this world and our brand philosophy.

Takeuchi
I’m truly looking forward to seeing how YMY evolves and expands in the future.

Imai
We’ve actually been talking about how wonderful it would be to eventually host a collaborative event with MOHEIM right here at this TEA ROOM. I still remember how happy I was when we first met the MOHEIM team in person during the development stage of this bottle, and we were already able to dream about a future like that together.

Takeuchi
I genuinely feel that MOHEIM’s philosophy, as well as the colors and textures of our items, share a deep affinity with YMY. It would be amazing to hold an event that elevates the world and identity of both our brands. I’m really looking forward to it.