Trinitea, a wakocha (和紅茶, black tea made from Japanese-grown tea leaves), was selected as an official guest gift at "CANNES GALA 2026," an international cultural social event held in Cannes, France. As a gift presented to guests from around the world who lead the film, art, and creative industries, Japanese wakocha took its place on the world stage.
CANNES GALA is an international cultural social event held during the Cannes Film Festival. Executives and cultural figures who lead the film, art, fashion, and creative industries gather there from around the world. The gifts presented to guests at the event are closely examined for the culture, regional character, and quality of the host country.
Trinitea was adopted as a guest gift for its connection to Japanese tea culture, its locally rooted craftsmanship, and the delicate flavor unique to wakocha.
Trinitea is a premium domestic wakocha made with Shirakawa tea (白川茶), which has been handed down in Shirakawa Town, Gifu Prefecture. Careful fermentation brings out a fragrant aroma, natural sweetness, and a clean finish. Combining the delicacy of Japanese tea with the richness of black tea, it is a cup suited to gifts, a treat for yourself, or pairing with meals and sweets.
Wakocha, Japan's Black Tea, as a New Kind of Value
Black tea is often associated with overseas production, but interest in wakocha, made from tea leaves grown in Japan, has been growing in recent years.
Wakocha is a domestic black tea made by fermenting tea leaves grown in Japan's climate and natural environment. Compared with imported black tea, it has softer astringency, and its natural sweetness and delicate aroma are easier to notice. It is easy to drink straight and goes well with wagashi (Japanese sweets), Western sweets, cream-based sweets, and light snacks.
A culture of enjoying wakocha aged over several months to several years, like wine (known as vintage tea), is also spreading. The fresh, refreshing aroma right after production changes over time into a rich, mellow aged aroma reminiscent of wine or black sugar (kokuto). The astringency becomes rounder, and the sharpness and depth increase.
Trinitea is a brand that offers this appeal of wakocha as a more refined gift experience.
With its selection as a CANNES GALA 2026 guest gift, the brand aims to share the delicacy, regional character, and craftsmanship aesthetics of Japanese tea culture with cultural figures and creators around the world.
Why Trinitea Was Selected
Trinitea was valued on the following four points.
1. A Product Rooted in Japan's Regional Culture
Trinitea is a wakocha built on the Shirakawa tea culture rooted in Mino-Shirakawa, Gifu Prefecture. It is a product in which the local nature, history, and the makers' skills come together, and it was valued as a gift with a distinctly Japanese cultural character.
2. The Delicate Flavor Unique to Wakocha
The fragrant aroma, soft sweetness, and clean aftertaste brought out by fermentation convey a delicacy derived from Japanese tea, different from imported black tea. It has little astringency and is easy to enjoy even straight.
3. A Refined Feel as a Gift
Trinitea is a premium domestic wakocha suited to gifts for important people and as a souvenir for special occasions. Including its packaging, product story, and rarity, it was seen as a good fit as a gift that conveys the appeal of Japan at international events.
4. Rarity and a Character Tied to the Land
Shirakawa tea is a rare tea grown in a limited growing area in Shirakawa Town, Gifu Prefecture. Its character is tied to the local natural environment and cannot be reproduced elsewhere, which adds value as a gift for international occasions.
Comments
中辻 諒, Executive Producer of CANNES GALA 2026
"CANNES GALA is a special occasion where creators and artists from around the world gather. We are delighted to have been able to select Trinitea, a fermented Japanese tea born in Gifu, Japan, as a gift for the event. The fusion of the Shirakawa tea culture, with its 400-year history, and wakocha as a new form of expression embodies the coexistence of creativity and tradition that this event values. We look forward to having guests from around the world feel the aesthetics of Japan and the memory of the land through a single cup of tea."
Naoki Nakayama (中山直樹), Representative Director of WinRate Co., Ltd.
"We are deeply honored that the fermented Japanese tea Trinitea was selected as a guest gift for CANNES GALA 2026.
Trinitea is a wakocha born from the Shirakawa tea culture handed down in Mino-Shirakawa, Gifu Prefecture. We believe that passing on the tradition of Shirakawa tea to the next generation means not only protecting it but also delivering it in a new form that suits modern lifestyles.
Wakocha is a distinctly Japanese delicacy that combines the delicacy of Japanese tea with the brilliance of black tea. Being able to present Trinitea at an event where cultural figures and creators from around the world gather feels like a big step toward sharing the new possibilities of Shirakawa tea with the world.
We hope that through a single cup of tea, you will feel the nature of Mino-Shirakawa, the makers' thoughts, and the aesthetics of Japanese craftsmanship."
Trinitea Gift Boxes
Mino washi gift box, second-flush leaf tea (美濃和紙化粧箱 二番茶リーフ)
Gift box set (化粧箱セット)
About CANNES GALA 2026
- Name: CANNES GALA 2026
- Location: Cannes, France
- Dates: Saturday, May 16, 2026 for the ball "EVE BALL," and Sunday, May 17, 2026 for the social event "CANNES GALA"
- Organizer: House of NOMA
- Description: An international cultural social event held during the Cannes Film Festival, where executives and cultural figures leading the film, art, and creative industries gather from around the world
- Note: Trinitea was selected as an official guest gift
Future Plans
Following this selection, Trinitea plans to strengthen its sales and gift offerings in Japan and overseas. Planned initiatives include proposals for Trinitea as a gift for inbound visitors, crowdfunding aimed at passing on Shirakawa tea culture, and continued support for the production area.
As a wakocha chosen on a global cultural stage, Trinitea aims to share the appeal of Japanese tea culture and regional craftsmanship at home and abroad.
About Trinitea
Mino-Shirakawa, Gifu Prefecture
Trinitea is a premium domestic wakocha born from Shirakawa tea of Mino-Shirakawa, Gifu Prefecture.
Shirakawa tea has been nurtured in a mountainous setting with clean water, large day-to-night temperature differences, and abundant nature. Against the backdrop of a tea culture handed down for approximately 400 years, Trinitea reinterprets traditional Shirakawa tea in a new form called "fermented Japanese tea" (発酵和茶).
The brand name "Trinitea" carries a "trinity" philosophy in which the blessings of the earth, the farmers' thoughts, and the time of those who enjoy wakocha overlap.
Rather than being simply a beverage, Trinitea aims to be a cup that connects the memory of the land, the makers' skills, and the drinker's time, making everyday life a little more special.
