Written by National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter Nana Hida

If you are a tea lover, how about joining the tea tour at Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms and learn more about Japanese tea? It will satisfy your curiosity and your thirst. Among more than 300 tea farmers in Wazuka which is known as “Tea paradise”, Obubu Tea Farms is very unique in their policy. Not only producing tea, they try to bring quality Japanese tea to the world, contribute to the local community through tea, and increase people’s interest in tea through education.

Please let us introduce their 4-hour guided tour. The friendly staff will welcome you at their old-style house in Wazuka town. At First, you receive lectures on the outline of Japanese tea and on the activities of Obubu Tea Farms. During the lecture, various types of tea are served with explanation of each tea: how they are cultivated, processed and brewed. It helps you understand Japanese tea deeply using the five senses.

Next, let’s go to see their plantation on the top of hill. It is so exciting to go up the narrow path through the tea fields by a small car. Once you get there, you can see why this area is suitable for tea cultivation: the elevation, the soil, good drainage and the gap in temperature. Moreover, the view tells you why it is called as “Tea Paradise”. We should not miss the factory visit. Even though the operation period is limited, it’s worth getting an explanation on how tea is processed using those machines. Not like in an automated modern facility, those machines work much more like human hands.

You can “eat” tea as well. They prepare lunch using tea in each dish. For example, Cha-soba: noodle made of buckwheat and tea powder, Hoji-cha gohan: rice cooked with roasted tea, and so on.

The afternoon session includes the lectures on the effects of tea and on brewing depends on the type of tea. Enjoy different types of tea and preparing tea by yourself as well. If you find your favorite tea, don’t forget to buy one at the shop before leaving.

For deeper learning, they also provide 12 days of “Japanese tea master course”. Please check it from their website. https://obubutea.com/

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