One-Day Cycling Journey Through Wazuka’s Calming Tea Fields

Let’s get back on our bicycles, retrace the route back to Wazuka-cha Café to return the bikes, and pick up the key to our final destination, Sky Café. This is the structure we could see, perched among the treetops, when we peered out from in front of the torii gate of the Prince Asaka burial mound.

Sky Café is inspired by the tea room at Kodai-ji Temple in Kyoto and features an observatory-style design with windows on all sides. It offers a relaxing atmosphere where you can enjoy take-out food or drinks in private rooms made from cedar and cypress sourced from Kyoto Prefecture.

Wazuka-cha Café manages Sky Café, so bookings for its use are made with the former or via DM on Instagram. Getting to Sky Café involves a short walk through a nearby park and up some steep stairs. At the center of the structure is an octagonal bench that can seat up to seven people and is also comfortable for small children. Fitted with air conditioning and made of wood and some tatami, this is an oasis in the sky that offers expansive views over Wazuka Town.

Sky Café details:
• Open: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (1 hour per group)
• Closed: Open year-round
• Fee: 550 yen per person for 1 hour (Free for elementary school children and you) first-come-first-served, reservations available
• Occupancy: 1 – 7 people
• Access: 5 to 10-minute walk from Wazuka Café
• E-mail: wazukacafe@gmail.com　
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wazukacha.cafe
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/wazukacha.cafe

When you return the Sky Café key to Wazuka-cha Café, do your part to help preserve this scenery by purchasing some souvenirs from the fascinating range of tea products there, from tea-flavored potato chips to dressing, cakes, cookies, and ice cream. But most of all, savor the tea. Wazuka-cha Café has a wide variety of teas, from Japan’s daily beverage, sen-cha, to the high-end, umami-rich gyokuro, as well as ten-cha, which is the tea that is ground to make matcha. It also sells many pesticide-free teas.

Wazuka-cha Café details:
• Open: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (last order 4:30 p.m.)
From December – February, closes at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays (last order at 4 p.m.) and at 5 p.m. on weekends and public holidays (last order at 4:30 p.m.). Closed around New Year’s Day.
• Address: 35 Shirasu Ohazama, Wazuka-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto Prefecture
• Access: 3-minute walk from the Wazuka Yama-no-ie bus stop
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wazukacha.cafe
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/wazukacha.cafe

Looking at the hillside tea fields from this broader perspective, spend some time imagining the hard work of the first Wazuka tea farmers, who crafted this unique landscape. Even today, maintaining it is still labor intensive as the hillside locations mean less machinery can be used here than in typical tea fields. This hands-on approach is what helps preserve the area’s distinctive landscapes.

By renting a bike, you can explore the beautiful scenery at your own pace. Experiencing Wazuka’s nature and culture, with the cool breeze flowing through the tea fields, is truly special. Consider supporting the growth and upkeep of Wazuka’s landscapes and traditions by enjoying the local tea and specialties.

As you pause to enjoy the stunning views, please ensure that you do not disrupt any farming activities. Avoid taking close-up photos of farmers while they work. Do not enter the tea fields, and if you decide to take pictures of the farmers, be respectful of their portrait rights.