2020 · Nagoya
The first contact
During a university exchange from Lausanne, Youssef discovered a Japan that went beyond travel images. Daily life, language, gestures, and local rhythms opened the first door.
Maison Genkai
From Fukuoka, a Japanese selection for Switzerland
Maison Genkai starts from identifiable products: Yame teas, useful objects, small quantities, and precise guidance for preparing or using them in Switzerland.
Maison Genkai
Before the gesture, the choice
Maison Genkai does not try to offer everything. It keeps a short selection of identifiable products, chosen close to their origin and presented with clear use, quality and service for Switzerland.
From one shore to another
Founded by Youssef, Maison Genkai follows a line: a first university exchange, learning the language, daily life in Japan, and then a decision to source closer to the ground.
2023 · Tokyo
Learning to understand better
After returning to Switzerland for his Master’s degree, Youssef went back to Japan with a clearer intention: to learn the language and approach the culture without only looking at it from the outside.
Today · Fukuoka
Moving closer to the regions
Now based in Fukuoka, he builds Maison Genkai from Japan: selecting terroirs, sourcing on the ground, speaking with Swiss clients, and following the details that separate simple import from true transmission.
Yame · Fukuoka
Tea as an anchor
Maison Genkai matcha comes from Yame, a region known for the depth of its teas. Quality is not reduced to a word like “ceremonial”: it is found in traceability, terroir, harvest, shading, and stone milling.
Switzerland · Neuchâtel
Clean, human, reliable service
Maison Genkai remains a personal project led by Youssef through sourcing, conversations, and client relationships. In Switzerland, his younger sister Meriem brings her support through packaging, the quiet gesture that keeps each product careful before shipping.
Maison Genkai
The standard
Maison Genkai selects authentic Japanese craft products, chosen carefully for the quality of the work, the material, the use, and their fit with the house. A short selection, with no generic object added just to fill a collection.
Real
Authenticity
Prioritize pieces that come from real work, not decorative objects simply “inspired by Japan”.
Choice
Short selection
Keep few references and choose each one for a clear reason: material, finish, use, or presence.
Care
Detail
Look at the finish, the hand, the texture, the weight, and how the object will live day to day.
Individuals · Professionals
For your ritual, for your house
Maison Genkai serves individuals through the online shop, and supplies cafés, restaurants, and retailers across Switzerland. The same standard, the same selection, formats shaped for each use.