INTRODUCTION TO UJI TEA

Located just south of Kyoto city, Uji is one of the most historically significant tea-producing regions in Japan. With its misty hills, mineral-rich soil, and pure river waters from the Uji River, this area provides ideal natural conditions for cultivating high-quality tea. The region's relatively mild climate, with distinct seasonal variation and morning fog, helps tea bushes develop complex aromas and rich umami.

Uji’s association with tea dates back to the 13th century, when Zen monk Eisai introduced tea seeds from China to Japan and promoted tea drinking as part of Zen monastic practice. These seeds were later cultivated by priest Myōe at Kozan-ji temple in Toganoo (northwest Kyoto), but Uji soon became the preferred site for tea farming due to its favorable conditions. By the 15th century, Uji was recognized as Japan’s premier tea region. Under the Ashikaga shogunate, tea from Uji was served at court and used in the early forms of chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony). By the 17th century, the development of refined cultivation and processing techniques, such as ōishita saibai (cover-growing) and tencha processing, helped Uji establish its legacy as the birthplace of Matcha and other shaded teas.

Tea from Uji has long been associated with nobility, cultural sophistication, and Zen aesthetics. The region played a central role in the evolution of chanoyu, particularly through the influence of tea masters like Sen no Rikyū and his disciples. Many historic tea schools and temples in Kyoto still use Uji tea in their rituals and training. Today, Uji remains a cultural symbol of excellence in tea, especially matcha, gyokuro, sencha, and tencha, and continues to serve as a bridge between traditional craftsmanship and modern Japanese tea culture. Despite its relatively small production scale, Uji represents the highest level of quality in Japanese tea. Many of Japan’s most awarded and expensive teas originate from this area. Uji’s tea industry is centered around small-scale, family-run farms, often with generations of experience, as well as regional cooperatives and specialized institutions such as the Kyoto Prefectural Tea Research Center. Uji tea is not only about production — it’s about preserving a legacy of precision, harmony, and pride in every step of cultivation and processing.

While Uji is not the largest tea-producing region in Japan, it is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious and historically significant. Tea labeled as "Uji tea" is produced across several areas in Kyoto Prefecture, as well as parts of Nara, Shiga, and Mie Prefectures, but only tea processed and refined in Kyoto is officially certified as "Kyoto Ujicha."

In terms of volume, Kyoto Prefecture accounts for less than 4% of Japan’s total tea production (as of 2022 data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries). However, it represents a much larger share in the high-end and competition-grade tea market.
Uji’s focus is not on mass production but on quality-driven, hand-picked, and shaded teas. These are crafted through highly skilled labor and refined processing techniques passed down over generations.

Though "Uji" often refers to the historical city itself, Uji tea production spans multiple towns and districts across southern Kyoto Prefecture, particularly in the Yamashiro region, where tea cultivation began centuries ago.

The main cultivation areas include:

Uji City: Symbolic center of Uji tea, home to historical tea shops, cultural institutions, and refining houses (hiire and finishing processes).

Wazuka Town: Known as the heart of Uji tea farming, Wazuka is responsible for over 40% of Kyoto’s total tea leaf production. The town’s terraced tea fields and traditional farming practices are iconic.

Minamiyamashiro Village: A mountainous area producing high-quality gyokuro and kabusecha. It’s Kyoto Prefecture’s only village, and tea is its main economic driver.

Ujitawara Town: Considered the birthplace of Japanese sencha, developed here in the 18th century by Nagatani Sōen. Today, it remains a major production site for both sencha and tencha.

Kizu and Ide Towns: Smaller but active contributors to regional tea production.

Together, these towns form the backbone of Kyoto’s high-grade tea production, supported by advanced research and development from the Kyoto Prefectural Tea Industry Research Institute, also located in Uji.

This year, we had the rare opportunity to witness a closed-door tea competition in the Kyoto Prefectural Tea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Over two days, a panel of the most respected tea experts in Kyoto Prefecture judged the region’s finest teas. Events like this are typically off-limits to the general public, and even harder for foreigners to access. We were lucky to be granted the rare permission to document the process. It was a true honor.

For me, this was one of the most professional tea competitions I’ve ever seen, perfectly organized, deeply focused, and meticulously structured. Every detail was precise: the roles of the judges, the timing, the flow of the event. I estimate over 100 people were involved — judges, assistants, technicians, local press, institute staff, and volunteers.

This competition is a major annual milestone for Kyoto tea producers. It features only the very best, rare grades of hand-picked Sencha, Gyokuro and Tencha crafted to the highest standards. 65 Sencha entries, 119 Tencha entries… and that’s just what we witnessed during the first day. At stake: reputation, recognition, and the chance to represent the region onto the national competition. The winning teas can sell for over 1 million yen, so it's important for the prefecture to select the right teas to compete with other prefectures. For Kyōto, winning in the tencha category is a matter of pride (they've never lost !)

Each tea was vacuum-sealed in traditional canisters, coded and tracked electronically. The judging followed a strict protocol: visual appearance, leaf uniformity, infusion color, aroma of both liquor and leaf, and finally, taste. Evaluating over a hundred strong infusions back-to-back is no easy task. It takes real expertise.

I want to thank my colleagues from Uji, who made our participation possible. It's a great and unique experience, and we are truly grateful.

At AN SHIM TEA, we dedicate ourselves to sourcing only the finest teas from the world’s most respected tea-producing regions, including China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, and, of course, Japan. We work directly with trusted farmers and producers, visiting tea gardens, observing production methods, and selecting each tea through careful evaluation. Our goal is to offer authentic, high-quality teas that reflect true craftsmanship, purity, and origin.

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