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About Tea In Kyoto Prefecture

When discussing the history and culture of Japanese tea, Kyoto holds a special place.
Tea Culture began in the Heian period, and during the Kamakura period, the custom of tea drinking spread alongside Zen, eventually forming the culture of the tea ceremony. At the heart of this development lay Kyoto and its surrounding areas.

The Uji region in southern Kyoto Prefecture is renowned nationwide as a tea-producing area, particularly prized for its production of “tencha”—the raw material for matcha—which boasts top-tier quality and acclaim within Japan. Uji’s tea cultivation, which draws out umami through shaded cultivation, preserves the advanced cultivation techniques of Japanese tea to this day.

Major production areas within the prefecture include Uji City, Wazuka Town, and Minamiyamashiro Village. Tea gardens spread across mountain slopes benefit from significant day-night temperature differences and frequent fog, nurturing tea with a rich aroma and deep, complex flavor. The Tamba region, spanning Kyoto and Hyogo Prefectures, is another significant tea-producing area not to be overlooked.

Sencha, gyokuro, kabusecha, and matcha.
Kyoto tea is more than just an agricultural product; it is deeply intertwined with the city’s food culture and spiritual traditions, passed down through generations.