Uji Teahouse, Takumi no Yakata – taste the range of Uji tea
It was in Kyoto Prefecture’s Minami Yamashiro area that two key methods in the production of Japanese tea were developed. One is to shade the tea trees from sunlight for some time, and the other is the kneading of steamed tea leaves to dry them. The combination of these methods produces different types of tea.
Using both techniques creates the top-level gyokuro for which Uji tea is famous. Using just the shading method makes ten-cha tea, which is ground to make matcha. Applying only the kneading method creates sen-cha, which is the most commonly consumed tea.
At the Takumi No Yakata teahouse, you can experience all three varieties. Better still, you can make a game of it.
The name of the game is chakabuki. It’s a blind tasting of five types of tea in which players attempt to guess the different types. If you enjoy similar endeavors, such as wine tasting, this is the game for you. It is a profound education in the wonderful flavors and scents of Uji tea.
The enthusiastic staff at Takumi no Yakata are certified Japanese tea instructors. They will help you recognize the different qualities of each type of tea in the sample tasting before the competition begins. Typically these types are gyokuro, ten-cha, two different grades of sen-cha, and a more easily recognizable variety, such as the roasted green tea called hoji-cha, or genmai-cha, which includes roasted brown rice. As well as the flavor of the tea, its aroma and color are also key clues.
Chakabuki requires an advanced booking for a minimum of 10 people and is a great activity for uniting a group. (Reservations required for chakabuki)
Smaller groups and individuals can enjoy gyokuro, matcha or sen-cha in the café, where instructors will teach them how to prepare it.
Open: 11 a.m.–5 p.m. (last order at 4:30 p.m.)
Closed: Wednesdays, and December 29–January 4, August 14–16
Address: 17-1 Uji Mataburi, Uji City, Kyoto 611-0021
Access: 6 minute walk from Keihan Uji Station, 14 minute walk from JR Station
Website: https://www.ujicha.or.jp/
Tea Brewing Experience (Takumi no Yakata)
Learn how to brew and savor delicious Uji tea while sharing information about the history, production process, and benefits of the three famous types of Japanese tea: gyokuro, matcha, and sencha.
Uji …
Fukujuen, Uji Tea Workshop – roast your own hoji-cha tea
The term “green tea” refers to unfermented tea leaves. It also appears green, both as leaves and as a liquid, except when those leaves are roasted. Roasting Japanese tea creates whole new types, the most popular of which is hoji-cha. You can experience this simple, yet transformative, procedure yourself at Fukujuen’s Uji Tea Workshop.
The process starts with sen-cha. Store-bought hoji-cha is typically made from lower-grade sen-cha. In this workshop at proud tea manufacturer Fukujuen though, one of their standard sen-cha teas is used, making the end result a more refined hoji-cha.
In two separate batches, you sprinkle the tea leaves over a baking sheet that is on a hot plate and use long cooking chopsticks to move the leaves around to brown them and ensure they do not burn. As the color of the tea leaves change, so does their aroma, from a rich, fresh scent to a deep, nutty one.
The instructor encourages you to try this at home. The technique can also be used to refresh old tea leaves and to scent your home before a guest arrives.
The workshop ends with a tasting of your own hoji-cha and instruction on how to brew it. It is served with a Japanese sweet.
Hoji-cha is less astringent than unroasted green teas, making it easier to drink. It is a warming, calming tea.
Fukujuen offers a range of tea experiences, including milling matcha and tea ceremony etiquette classes, and it has a small, free museum that illustrates the tea-making process. Its cafeteria serves both sweet and savory dishes, with many of them incorporating tea, like tea-flavored noodles. Fukujuen’s gift shop is extensive, selling various teas, snacks, tea utensils and the local, high-quality Asahi-yaki pottery.
Open: Most days, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. (last entry for hoji-cha workshop at 3:30 p.m.)
*Those with reservations will be given priority.Address: 10 Uji Yamada, Uji City, Kyoto 611-0021
Access: 8 minute walk from Keihan Uji Station, 15 minute walk from JR Uji Station
Website: https://www.ujikoubou.com/en/
Tea Hand-Kneading, Uji Tea-Making on a Ceramic Plate, Matcha Tea-Making with a Stone Mortar (Fukujuen Uji Tea Workshop)
Use a stone mortar to grind tencha, which is the primary ingredient to make powdered matcha tea, and then prepare and drink your own tea.
In addition to a workshop, where you can experience making te …
