Uji Tea

What to know

Green tea is now everywhere in Japan, but when it first arrived from China in the 700s, only a few priests and nobles knew about it. A few centuries later, during the Kamakura Period (1192–1333), green tea leaves imported from China and grown in Uji began to gain popularity among the aristocracy.

Eisai, the Zen priest who brought Zen Buddhism from China to Japan, wrote a book about the benefits of tea and advised Uji's priests on how to cultivate and prepare tea plants. Tea drinking later spread to the general public, and Uji became known for its excellent tea as one of the first places to grow it. Today, Uji's tea is still considered top quality.

There are many ways to enjoy Uji's tea and tea culture. Most restaurants and shops in town offer tea in some form. Popular menu items include matcha-flavored soba noodles, ice cream, and sweets. Drinking tea at riverside tea houses is a beloved pastime. One of the best places to buy tea and tea-related souvenirs is Omotesando, the 300-meter approach to Byodoin Temple, lined with shops.

A short walk from Byodoin Temple is Taihoan, a public tea house where visitors can take part in an authentic tea ceremony at a reasonable price. In a traditional tea house setting, guests are served matcha (on some days, regular green tea is served instead), and the host gladly explains proper tea ceremony etiquette.

Across the river from Taihoan, Fukujuen Ujicha Kobo is a workshop offering various hands-on tea activities, such as matcha grinding classes where participants learn to prepare their own tea. The experience ends with a tasting session where participants make and drink tea from the powdered leaves they prepared. No advance reservation is needed. The building also has a restaurant serving tea and tea-related meals and snacks.

A stone's throw from Fukujuen Ujicha Kobo is Takumi no Yakata, a tea house staffed by certified tea instructors who provide step-by-step guidance on brewing the perfect cup of tea. Several tea sets are available, along with Japanese sweets to accompany the tea. English instruction is offered, and instructors are on hand to explain the differences between tea types and answer tea-related questions.