Tokyo Explorer

As an Englishwoman, tea has always played a big part in my life.

Growing up, my grandmother always insisted on a proper china cup, the teapot had to be warmed, and the milk had to be added to the cup before the tea – the English version of the tea ceremony!

Here in Japan, the culture of tea is taken very seriously. All tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, and its use as a beverage was allegedly first discovered by accident in China around 2700BC. It arrived in Japan around 590AD, transported by priests returning from China. It was initially an expensive drink of the upper classes and the priesthood, and tea was planted at temples.

As Zen Buddhism continued to spread throughout Japan, the tea-making methods and ceremonies used in China were also adopted. The Japanese tea ceremony eventually developed into a celebration of the rituals of tea making, honouring not only the tea itself, but the beautiful implements used to brew and serve it.

South of the city of Kyoto, the town of Uji and its surroundings are famous for tea production. In 1271, tea was first planted in Uji by a Buddhist monk, Kohken, in the area of Obuku, which is an ideal location, having misty mornings, warm days, cool nights, and a light wind to waft away frosts from the slopes.

Although the aristocracy in Kyoto drank expensive powdered green tea, matcha, which is the form used in the tea ceremony, and which contributed to the wealth and fame of Uji, the tea drunk by the populace was mostly roasted and brown.

When the Japanese capital moved to Tokyo, the popularity of matcha declined, and with it the fortunes of Uji. However, a Buddhist monk, Sannojo Nagatani, developed a method of processing green tea that is still used today. Nagatani’s method of steaming tea allowed the general population to drink rolled sencha green tea, instead of brown tea or expensive matcha, and the future of tea production in Uji was secure.

Today, the tea industry is just as strong as ever, with tea harvested several times a year after the prestigious first pick of the year in May. Many events and ceremonies associated with tea are held throughout the region, especially on the first Sunday of October at Kosho Temple where the founders of the Uji tea ceremony are honoured.

In downtown Uji, the smell of roasting tea greets you as you leave the station. There are many tearooms throughout the town and many restaurants that sell food flavoured with green tea, such as noodles. There are also several museums, such as at the Kanbayashi tea house, which describe the history and production of tea and display traditional equipment.

It is possible to experience a traditional tea ceremony at several tea houses. The above Kanbayashi tea house and the Taiho-an in the same street both offer a matcha tea ceremony, and many other tea shops serve the full range of tea types in a more relaxed setting.

It you can’t make it to Uji, of course many other tea shops can be found throughout Japan. If you’re in Kyoto, one of the most popular and famous tea shops is Ippodo (Teramachi street, east side, between Nijo and Marutamachi). Ippodo has a nearly 300-year history, blending and selling teas. In the shop, all of the different types of tea blends are displayed and can be tasted before purchase. They also sell tea-making equipment to achieve the best results. In the tea room, the staff don’t just serve tea, they demonstrate and instruct on the techniques for brewing different types of tea and the best teas to serve at different times of day and seasons and for different events. This experience can be extended by attending one of their tea-making workshops. All of their teas come with English descriptions and details on tea preparation methods. Their website provides information about all different types of green teas.

http://www.ippodo-tea.co.jp/en/about/index.html