Jul 22, 20213 min read

Emlog #14 ~Green Tea and Kyoto~

Japanese green tea and matcha has become popular all around the world nowadays. Today, I would like to write about the history and other information related to green tea in Kyoto.

History

It is believed that Eisai, the monk famous for bringing Rinzai Zen Buddhism to Japan from China, also brought the seed of “cha” (meaning "tea" in Japanese) back to Japan in 1191.

Myoe shonin, a monk at Tagano Kozanji Temple which is located in the north of Kyoto city, received the “Cha” seed from Eisai. Myoe shonin gave the seeds to the monks to grow tea, and the cultivation of tea started in Kyoto.

　As the Zen buddhism spread in Japan, the tea spread together. The reason why the tea spread from the monks is that they drank tea to wake them up during their training. Also, it is said that the shogunate drank when they had a hang-over. It was more like a medicine for people these days, and not for enjoyment.

Green Tea and Geography

When it comes to green tea in Kyoto, most people think of Uji city. Uji city is famous for its high quality tea, Uji was one of the first places in Japan where green tea was cultivated. Not only Uji but also Ujitawara, Kyotanabe, Minami Yamashiro, Joyo, Yawata and Wazuka is famous for producing area.

The area of the southern part of Kyoto prefecture was the perfect place to grow tea because of these following reasons.

First, They are located in a basin, surrounded by mountains with good soil.

Secondly, Uji river, Kizu river and Wazuka river flows through these areas, so they have clean water.

The third reason is the temperature. In a basin, the temperature difference between day and night is big, and, as a result, the area gets foggy easily, which will be the last reason. The fog wraps tea leaves, and they also keep out some of the sunlight and raises good smelling and makes the tea tasty.

Perfect soil, water, temperature and fog made Kyoto as one of the country’s finest tea-producing regions to this day.

Green Tea and Sightseeing

If it’s your first time visiting Japan, and you want to enjoy both green tea and sightseeing, Uji city might be the best place to visit.

There are two world heritage sites, Byodoin temple and Ujigami shrine. Also, next to the Byodoin temple, there are many cafes where you can enjoy green tea and have green tea desserts. You can also buy green tea-flavored souvenirs.

If you have already been to Uji, and want to see further and deeper parts of Kyoto’s green tea, we recommend visiting other areas such as Ujitawara and Wazuka. You can feel the quiet and beautiful scenery surrounded by the tea farms. Each area has different speciality of teas, and these areas are attempting to sell their single origin teas, which means it will not be blended into teas from other areas.

It is a bit away from the center of Kyoto city, but it is a worthwhile scenery to take your time to visit. It is not much of a touristic place, so you might want to find a tour or ask a tour guide to help you go around these areas.