Two Trees Tea House in Occidental isn’t so much a destination as an invitation. Tucked beneath towering redwoods at the edge of town, it’s a place where time is measured in empty cups.

Filled with tins of tea, stacked porcelain teacups and time-worn wood and bamboo furniture, the space mirrors the intentional aesthetic of owners Chris Lewis and Adrian Chang, who’ve distilled years of global travel and a shared passion for tea into just 500 square feet.

After years in high-pressure jobs — Lewis as a creative director in the international division of British department store Harrods, Chang in fashion design — the couple were ready for a change. Designing tea rooms for Britain’s most prominent tea merchants brought Lewis face-to-face with the troubled legacy of colonialism in the tea trade. For Chang, tea offered a way to reconnect with his Chinese heritage. Together, those experiences prompted the couple to take a fresh look at what tea could represent.

Rooted in that philosophy, the pair have made it their mission to bring ethically sourced, single-origin teas to their adopted community, without pretense or pressure.

“Tea is for everyone,” Chang said, pouring hot water over curled leaves on a rainy winter day.

Taking time for tea

There’s a simple pleasure in ignoring text alerts and to-do lists to stare at the bloom of color as water warms the tea leaves. Oolong loosens tongues as easily as whiskey and 20 minutes becomes two hours as shoulders relax, backs unkink and conversation replaces small talk.

“Time doesn’t exist here,” said Chang, which is precisely the point. Tea resists being rushed. Leaves need time to steep, unfurl and show what they’re made of. Today, ritual has often given way to convenience. Despite its long history, tea is usually treated much like coffee: a quick vehicle for caffeine. Drop a bag in hot water, move on.

Chang notes that some commercially bagged teas are mostly sift left over from whole leaves, stripped of structure and character — a commodity rather than an act of hospitality.

At Two Trees, whole, rolled leaves tumble into porcelain cups with a soft plink, each one intact and recognizable. The dried teas carry herbal and floral notes, sourced from farms Chang and Lewis have visited themselves. It is there that the stories take shape.

The experience

While a simple pot is a lovely starting point, Two Trees’ guided tea service is worth the time (a donation is suggested). Chang’s guided five-tea Gong Fu tasting unfolds like quiet theater, paced by a sand hourglass, with tales of Two Trees’ tea partners woven into slow, meditative pours. It’s hard not to fall a little in love, not just with the tea but with the people and places behind each leaf.

Jing Mai Ancestor Red tea is farmed on a mist-wrapped mountain in China’s Yunnan province, near the borders of Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. The ancient tea forests have been cultivated for more than a thousand years, with tea plants (Camellia sinensis) growing up to 50 feet. The Dai and Bulang people harvest the tea, continuing a millennia-long practice.

Or consider the Ilam tea district of Nepal, which sits at 7,600 feet, one of the highest altitudes for growing tea. Here, local women seeking refuge from oppression are paid living wages to pick delicate white tea made from the earliest spring leaves.

Woven into each of these stories is a profound awareness of history. Lewis approaches Two Trees’ sourcing with a focus on relationships and responsibility, acknowledging the people and places behind the leaves too often written out of history.

“Tea is unifying, disarming and human. It’s about what it does to you and how it makes you feel,” said Chang, heating another pot of water for whoever comes in next.

Open from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday to Sunday. Reservations are required for guided tastings, but anyone is welcome to stop by for a pot of their blended tea regardless of ability to pay.

3597 Bohemian Highway, Occidental, 707-504-8685, twotreesteahouse.com

On stage Mac Murad ‘26 performed as Javert in BHS’ “Les Misérables.” Off stage, he says, he sometimes performs another role. When I talked with Murad, he was shotgunning matcha – the trendy Japanese tea that has become synonymous with performative males. The green tea is just one of many ways “performative males” signal being different from mainstream masculinity – tote bags, wired headphones, layered jewelry, carefully curated outfits, the reading of feminist literature, an overall gentle-boyfriend vibe: all of this is intended to portray “I’m not THAT kind of guy, I’m a softer, more progressive guy.” 

“[The] Performative male trend is very common nowadays,” Murad said. “Men will take these alter egos to almost perform for sometimes either social standing and more popularity, or sometimes to attract a mate.”

The trend itself is an evolution of the “nice guy” who seems kind only as a means to attract women. The performative male is very similar, acting and dressing differently as a means to attract women by seeming less threatening. The trend really took hold when men started to pretend to be performative as a joke, quite ironically.

Today’s performative male is part joke, part identity and entirely a product of our Instagram culture. But behind the aesthetic is a real question: how should we teach students to “be a man”?

Former BHS English teacher Hayden Chichester taught a class called “Men and Masculinity.” The course syllabus said the class is about “what it means to be a boy, man, and/or masculine-identified person in American society today.”  

Chichester said that gender is something we learn.

“We are always teaching young people about gender, whether we know it or not,” Chichester said. “With our behavior or even our silence.”

Chichester believes that young men are receiving their messages about masculinity from social media and the internet and there is data to support this claim. A 2025 Common Sense Media Report said that nearly all boys aged 11-17 are online daily, 73% regularly see “masculinity content” and 69% of those kids encounter “problematic gender stereotypes” like “girls only date certain types of guys”, “girls use their looks to get what they want”, “boys are treated unfairly compared to girls” and “girls should focus on home and family.” The report says that this leads to boys feeling more pressure to avoid “unwritten rules” to avoid teasing, increased loneliness, bullying and more. 

Chichester said that when he was 16, he started to “really question” what it meant to be a man.

“On the one hand, I had some examples in my family that were not great, to be honest, men who had struggled with addiction or low achievement or even domestic abuse and violence. And it scared me how normal all of these behaviors [were], not just in my family, but among my peers as well,” Chichester said. “Talking about masculinity via stories with an adult would have been deeply nourishing to me at that age.”

Chichester said one of the most memorable activities for students from the “Men and Masculinity” class was called “The Man Box”. Students wrote down all of the qualities that a “real man” should have inside a box, and then wrote on the outside of the box all of the insults and behaviors people do to keep men inside of that box. 

“I still have the papers we used,” Chichester said. “I always felt like that activity framed the class better than anything else.”

Linnea Johnson is a sex educator from Planned Parenthood. They said that masculinity in our society is associated with power, violence, dominance, recklessness, and suppression of emotions.

“Being perceived as masculine by others (especially other male peers) often entails portraying outwardly harmful attitudes and behaviors like misogyny, homophobia, transphobia and gender-based violence,” Johnson said. “To perform masculinity, to put on this “man mask,” requires someone to eradicate their sense of empathy and compassion.”

Johnson said men and boys are pressured to bottle up their feelings, to never discuss them, to never ask for help, unless they want to be seen as weak. 

“But we need empathy. Empathy is crucial to all of us maintaining healthy and fulfilling relationships not only with others, but with ourselves,” Johnson said. “If we pretend that we are emotionless for too long, it results in overwhelming amounts of self-hatred, shame and self-harm.”

Avery Shearer ‘27, a self-proclaimed social critic, explained that the trend of performative males could stop men from actually being feminists if it’s now seen as just something to be made fun of. 

“I would say that that’s kind of an enforcement of more rigid cultural norms of masculinity,” Shearer said.

Lucas Sommerville ‘26 is a self-proclaimed performative male. He believes the impact of the trend isn’t so bad.

“But really with it being such a joke, I feel like that malicious intent is sort of entirely removed. At least in my eyes, and it’s more… just kind of funny,” Sommerville said.

Murad shared Sommerville’s more ironic take on “performative males”. In fact, Murad said that he has completed an online course in performative males that he admits was less than credible.

“It was in-credible,” Murad said. “In-credible.”

Still, Murad is aware of the possible damage the trend could cause. 

“If we are taking the more joking side of this performative male trend and saying, ‘oh, ha ha, any men who display these feminine traits are immediately performative males,’ then that could be easily damaging because that means men that cannot show their masculinity,” Murad said.

Johnson said the performative male trend might actually be a sign that our views of masculinity are changing positively.

“It shows that even if men and boys aren’t necessarily working on examining their behaviors in their relationships or the values they hold, they recognize on some level that being perceived as self-aware and critical of traditional masculinity is good,” Johnson said.

Murad shares Johnson’s hopes. He believes the trend could be beneficial to the feminist movement because it would allow men to understand the perspective of women.

“This could be a great flip of the coin compared to the issue that we had in 2023 and 2024 with the Andrew Tate alpha-male epidemic, where men were much more misogynistic,” Murad said. “This is a much better take on that, and we could see another rise in feminism.”

Johnson said that there are more examples of “healthy masculinity” in the media and that more men are “examining the messages they’ve received since childhood.”

Sommerville agrees that society could be moving in a new direction. 

“I think that as we go into the future, we’re going to see, or I’d like to see at least, a lot more emphasis on morality and just being good people in general and liking what you like instead of liking what your gender or what your sex dictates you liking,” Sommerville said. 

“Whatever your vision of masculinity is,” Chichester said, “if it brings you together with others, to fulfill a positive role, I think it’s beautiful. If it is held flexibly, like an offering to the world, rather than like a club to dominate it, that makes it strong.”

“My biggest piece of advice,” Johnson said, “is to give yourself the space and time to figure it all out. And talk to some trusted adults who you look up to about their journey with gender identity and expression, too. You’re not alone.”

Dublin, Jan. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The “Japan Vitamin K2 Market Report by Product, Dosage Form, Source, Application, Distribution Channel, City and Company Analysis, 2025-2033” has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

The Japanese Market for Vitamin K2 is estimated to grow substantially from US$ 12.68 million in 2024 to US$ 36.20 million by 2033, demonstrating a strong Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.36% over the period from 2025 to 2033. The growth may be explained by heightened awareness regarding the health value of Vitamin K2 and greater consumer interest in dietary supplements and fortified foods.

Rising Awareness of Cardiovascular and Bone Health

A rapidly aging population in Japan is driving demand for bone density and cardiovascular health nutrients. Vitamin K2 has come into prominence for its role in calcium metabolism, which ensures bones become stronger and fractures are avoided, conditions often found among older people. Furthermore, its efficacy in preventing arterial calcification renders it desirable for heart well-being. Public awareness campaigns and medical professional recommendations are increasing consumer consciousness, propelling uptake of Vitamin K2 in supplements and functional foods nationwide. In September 2023, Fujitsu Limited and iSurgery Co., Ltd. initiated a field trial for their “bone health promotion project” between October 2023 and March 2025, in partnership with Jikei University School of Medicine. The trial will determine the efficacy of chest radiographs for bone evaluations and their effect on the health behavior of Fujitsu employees, Japan’s first action aimed at employee health utilizing this technique in examinations.

Expansion of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals

Japan already has a solid history of functional foods, with a growing focus on incorporating Vitamin K2 into products like dairy products, beverages, and fortification foods. With increasing focus on preventive care among consumers, nutraceuticals with Vitamin K2 are gaining popularity. In response to this trend, Japanese businesses are creating convenient formats for products such as fortified yogurts, capsules, and powders to suit the varied tastes of consumers. The increasing demand for functional and fortified foods is a tremendous opportunity for Vitamin K2 expansion in urban and rural markets alike. Significantly, J-Oil Mills was granted trademarking for Menatto, a branded Vitamin K2 in MK-7 form, in major markets such as the U.S., Japan, Europe, and Australia in December 2022.

Growing Use of Natural and Fermented Ingredients

Japanese consumers show a very strong predisposition toward using natural, plant-derived, and fermented ingredients for food and supplements, in line with their food culture and a preference for clean-label products. Of these, Vitamin K2, specifically from fermented food sources such as natto – a traditional Japanese food staple – has been the subject of increasing interest and matches consumers’ desires. This demand for natural supplements is supported by widespread suspicion of the use of synthetic additives. As such, the natural Vitamin K2 market is seeing strong expansion, fueled by consumers’ faith in known local sources and their move towards holistic and wellness-based lifestyles. In a significant development, Kirin Holdings Co. and Takanofoods Co., a leading natto producer, announced they would collaborate in August 2024 and introduce their products in eastern Japan.

High Production Costs of Natural Vitamin K2

Extracting Vitamin K2 from natural and fermented sources involves complex and resource-intensive processes, which elevate production costs. These costs often translate into higher prices for end products such as supplements or fortified foods, making them less accessible to price-sensitive consumers. For manufacturers, maintaining profitability while ensuring competitive pricing remains a challenge. This cost barrier limits broader market penetration, particularly in mass-market retail channels, despite strong demand for natural ingredients.

Limited Consumer Awareness Outside Urban Centers

Although urban dwellers in Tokyo, Osaka, and other major metropolitan areas are familiar with Vitamin K2, the level of awareness in rural areas is low. Urban consumers are less exposed to functional food and supplements outside cities, and adoption is slower. Filling this gap involves increased marketing activity, promotions, and distribution through neighborhood pharmacies or local supermarkets. Without specific effort at targeting, Vitamin K2 adoption is likely to be driven primarily in Japan’s principal cities, thereby restricting overall market expansion throughout the country.

Key Attributes

Key Topics Covered

1. Introduction

2. Research & Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Market Dynamics
4.1 Growth Drivers
4.2 Challenges

5. Japan Vitamin K2 Market
5.1 Historical Market Trends
5.2 Market Forecast

6. Market Share Analysis
6.1 By Product
6.2 By Dosage Form
6.3 By Source
6.4 By Application
6.5 By Distribution Channel
6.6 By City

7. Product
7.1 MK-7
7.2 MK-4

8. Dosage Form
8.1 Powder & Crystalline
8.2 Capsules & Tablets
8.3 Oils & Liquid

9. Source
9.1 Natural
9.2 Synthetic

10. Application
10.1 Health Supplements
10.2 Functional Foods and Beverages

11. Distribution Channel
11.1 Offline
11.2 Online

12. Top 10 City
12.1 Tokyo
12.2 Kansai
12.3 Aichi
12.4 Kanagawa
12.5 Saitama
12.6 Hyogo
12.7 Chiba
12.8 Hokkaido
12.9 Fukuoka
12.10 Shizuoka

13. Value Chain Analysis

14. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
14.1 Bargaining Power of Buyers
14.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
14.3 Degree of Competition
14.4 Threat of New Entrants
14.5 Threat of Substitutes

15. SWOT Analysis
15.1 Strength
15.2 Weakness
15.3 Opportunity
15.4 Threats

16. Pricing Benchmark Analysis

17. Key Players Analysis
17.1 NOW Foods
17.2 Life Extension
17.3 Nestle
17.4 Bronson
17.5 NatureWise
17.6 Solaray
17.7 Natural Factors
17.8 Source Naturals

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/acvb0y

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• Japanese Vitamin K2 Market