"Why would a matcha brand create a video game?"
It's one of the questions we hear most often at WACHA.
At first glance, matcha and video games may seem to have nothing in common.
But for us, creating Sen no Rikyu in Wonderland was never about entering the gaming industry.
It was about finding a new way to share Japanese culture with the world.
Matcha Is More Than a Drink
To many people, matcha is simply a beverage.
To us, it is much more.
Choosing a tea bowl.
Preparing hot water.
Whisking tea with a bamboo whisk.
Sharing a quiet moment with another person.
Every movement carries centuries of craftsmanship, hospitality, and philosophy.
The Japanese tea ceremony is not only about drinking tea—it is about creating meaningful human connections.
Today, matcha has become a global phenomenon.
We celebrate that.
Yet as matcha becomes increasingly popular, we also feel that much of the cultural story behind it is often left untold.
That inspired us to ask a simple question:
Could there be a new way for people to experience the spirit of tea?
Why a Video Game?
Stories have always been one of humanity's most powerful ways of preserving culture.
Today, games allow millions of people to explore history, mythology, art, and traditions through interactive experiences.
If people can discover ancient civilizations through games...
Why not Japanese tea culture?
That question became the starting point for Sen no Rikyu in Wonderland.
Rather than reading about tea ceremony, players can step into a world inspired by its philosophy.
A Tea Master Falls Into Wonderland
The protagonist is Sen no Rikyu, the sixteenth-century tea master who transformed the Japanese tea ceremony.
But this is not a historical simulation.
Instead, Rikyu awakens inside a mysterious dreamlike world inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Cyber Tea Garden, blends digital landscapes with tea gardens, imagination with tradition, and fantasy with Japanese aesthetics.
In Cyber Tea Land, Sen no Rikyu embarks on a journey through a mysterious tea garden where reality and the digital world intersect, gathering companions as he travels.
It is not simply a game about tea.
It is a story about hospitality, curiosity, and human connection.
A Game Where Hospitality Replaces Combat
Most RPGs ask players to defeat enemies.
Sen no Rikyu in Wonderland asks something different.
Instead of attacking...
You prepare tea.
Instead of conquering others...
You welcome them.
Rather than collecting victories, you build relationships.
This idea comes from Ichiza Konryu (一期一座・一座建立)— a philosophy of the Japanese tea ceremony that describes creating a unique gathering where everyone present shares one meaningful moment together.
We wondered:
What if that philosophy became the core mechanic of a video game?
This project is our answer.
More Than a Game
WACHA is a botanical matcha brand based in Japan.
But our mission extends beyond producing matcha.
Through tea, robotics, digital experiences, and storytelling, we hope to create new ways for people around the world to encounter Japanese culture.
At first glance, these projects may seem unrelated.
Yet they all share the same purpose:
Creating meaningful encounters with Japanese culture.
For us, this game is another cup of tea—
served in a different form.
We Invite You to Step Into Wonderland
If playing this game inspires you to become curious about Japanese tea culture...
If it encourages you to whisk your first bowl of matcha...
Or if it simply leaves you with a warm memory...
Then Sen no Rikyu in Wonderland has already fulfilled its purpose.
The game is completely free to play in your browser.
We invite you to begin your journey with Cyber Tea Garden.
Play the Game
🍵 Sen no Rikyu in Wonderland
Official Website