Uji & Wazuka Matcha Tour

Matcha (抹茶), made from tencha leaves, is Japan’s oldest type of tea, and Uji is Japan’s oldest tea growing region, where the world famous tea gardens are located just south of the historical city of Kyoto.

Brought by an influential Japanese Buddhist monk (Tendai sect) by the name of Eisai Myoan, after a trip to China in the late 1180s, matcha soon became appreciated by the higher class in Japan’s caste-oriented early society, especially among the samurai, and it grew in popularity through the end of the 16th century.

It was during this time that tea growers, mostly in Uji, really began to understand the best cultivation techniques. With time, they kept learning about and producing better matcha.

With a certified Uji Tea Sommelier, you will discover a small town that has been growing tea for the last 800+ years, with an emphasis on Japanese green tea in all is splendor, from the growing, to processing, to preparation, and of course drinking.

All participants will have a chance to at enjoy 3 different kinds of locally produced organic teas, and a locally sourced, vegetarian bento/onigiri style lunch while overlooking the tea fields.