In memory of Kent Rhoads (09/03/1952-01/25/2020)

Posted by Green Tea Merchant Team on

ShizuokaTea.com, KagoshimaTea.com, and GreenTeaMerchant were founded by Kent Rhoads.

We always honor Kent’s spirit of providing high-quality tea and customer service, and our commitment is to always retain the same level of service to all the customers.

Our first blog post is dedicated to the memory of Kent.

The following is written by Kent’s twin brother, Kirk.

Kent Roy Rhoads (09/03/1952-01/25/2020)

Kent Rhoads, founder of GreenTeaMerchant, was a pioneer of Japanese green tea internet sales from Shizuoka and Kagoshima Prefectures. Born in Columbus, Kansas and educated in Coffeyville, Kansas, he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Accounting from the University of Kansas, and a MBA Degree from Whittier College.

Kent worked in the Appliance Industry for over 25 years in Los Angeles County, California. In 1998 he moved to Japan, and following in the footsteps of his late Mother, Marlys, he became an English teacher at the University level, and like his late Father, Jack, also an entrepreneur, he started GreenTeaMerchant in the year 1999.

Kent is respectfully and fondly remembered by many in the green tea industry in Japan, and by thousands of loyal retail and wholesale Japanese green tea patrons throughout the world.

He is survived by two older sisters, two older brothers, an aunt, an uncle, numerous loving cousins, nieces and nephews, and the love of his life in Japan, Saiko Sugiyama.

 

In Memory of Kent Roy Rhoads — Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Kent Roy Rhoads?

Kent Roy Rhoads (September 3, 1952 — January 25, 2020) was the founder of GreenTeaMerchant, ShizuokaTea.com, and KagoshimaTea.com — a pioneer of Japanese green tea internet sales from Shizuoka and Kagoshima Prefectures. Born in Columbus, Kansas and educated in Coffeyville, Kansas, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Accounting from the University of Kansas, and an MBA from Whittier College. He worked in the appliance industry in Los Angeles County for over 25 years before moving to Japan in 1998.

When did Kent Rhoads move to Japan and what did he do there?

Kent moved to Japan in 1998. Following the example of his late mother Marlys, he became an English teacher at the university level. He also drew on the entrepreneurial spirit of his late father Jack, founding GreenTeaMerchant in 1999. The combination of teaching and tea entrepreneurship reflected his deep engagement with Japanese culture and his desire to share the country's distinctive green teas with the world.

What was Kent Rhoads' legacy in the green tea industry?

Kent helped pioneer the international internet sales of Japanese green tea from Shizuoka and Kagoshima Prefectures. By starting GreenTeaMerchant in 1999 — early in the era of online commerce — he made authentic Japanese green tea accessible to tea drinkers around the world who would otherwise have struggled to source it. He is respectfully remembered by many in the green tea industry in Japan and by thousands of loyal retail and wholesale patrons throughout the world.

Who survives Kent Rhoads?

Kent is survived by two older sisters, two older brothers, an aunt, an uncle, numerous loving cousins, nieces and nephews, and the love of his life in Japan, Saiko Sugiyama. The memorial article was written by his twin brother, Kirk Rhoads, who has continued to share Kent's story with customers of the company Kent founded.

How does the company honor Kent Rhoads' memory?

GreenTeaMerchant, ShizuokaTea.com, and KagoshimaTea.com continue to operate with the commitment to providing high-quality tea and customer service that Kent established. The team explicitly honors Kent's spirit by maintaining the same level of service to every customer, sustaining the relationships with Japanese tea farms he built, and continuing to introduce authentic Japanese green tea to drinkers worldwide. The first blog post on the website is dedicated to his memory.

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About the author

Kei Nishida

Kei Nishida

Author, CEO Dream of Japan

info@japanesegreenteain.com

Certification: PMP, BS in Computer Science

Education: Western Washington University

Kei Nishida is a Japanese green tea connoisseur, writer, and the current steward of ShizuokaTea.com and Green Tea Merchant.

ShizuokaTea.com was originally founded by Kent Roy Rhoads, a pioneer of online Japanese green tea sales who helped introduce authentic teas from Shizuoka and Kagoshima to customers around the world. Kei and the Dream of Japan team continue to honor Kent’s legacy by preserving the same commitment to high-quality Japanese tea, reliable service, and long-standing relationships with tea producers in Japan.

In 2020, Dream of Japan acquired ShizuokaTea.com, KagoshimaTea.com, and Green Tea Merchant, with the goal of continuing Kent’s work while bringing renewed care, storytelling, and tea education to a new generation of tea lovers.

Today, the ShizuokaTea.com blog, also known as the Green Tea Merchant Blog, is especially focused on helping wholesale buyers, cafés, restaurants, retailers, and tea-related businesses make informed decisions when sourcing Japanese tea. Building on Green Tea Merchant’s decades-long history of serving wholesale customers, the goal is to make this blog one of the best online resources for companies buying tea—offering practical guidance, product knowledge, sourcing insights, and educational content rooted in real experience.

Kei’s mission is to share the depth, beauty, and tradition of Japanese tea with the world while supporting businesses that want to serve authentic Japanese tea with confidence.

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