I went for a walk along the Uji River and found a shop where I could enjoy green tea soba. The shop had counter seats by the window, making it easy for solo customers to enter. Since I wasn't very hungry, I just ordered the green tea soba on its own. It had a distinct green tea flavor. Along with the green tea, they also served me some green tea sweets. I believe they were probably sold in the shop downstairs. The green tea was different from what I usually drink, a bit too high-quality for my taste. It reminded me of a time when a colleague at work offered me some high-quality tea, and I was taken aback by the unfamiliar taste. I hope to become someone who can truly appreciate such high-quality tea in the future.

On a Saturday morning in late June, my wife and I visited the Fukujuen Uji Tea Workshop in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. We joined a day trip bus tour to Kyoto and this was our first stop. We had the opportunity to experience making matcha with a stone mill. We went up to the second floor of the workshop and ground tencha leaves with the stone mill. We rotated the mill counterclockwise for about 1/3 of a second at a time, gradually turning the leaves into matcha. We used a brush to collect the matcha. We then whisked the matcha with hot water and made tea within 30 seconds. The matcha we made ourselves was light and refreshing. Next, we tried making matcha with commercially available powder, which resulted in a rich foam and strong bitterness. It was clear that the matcha made by amateurs like us was different from the professionally ground one. This matcha making experience with a stone mill cost 1650 yen and allowed us to try something unique that we don't usually get to do.

When I visited Uji for sightseeing, I had to buy some tea to take home, so I visited the workshop of Fukujuen. I bought some matcha tea to take home, but the souvenir that was well received was the matcha waffles from this shop. The staff kindly introduced the product to me and I tried it before purchasing. The waffles were not too sweet, and the gentle matcha flavor was popular even among men.

I took the Keihan train to Uji and visited the Byodoin Temple. After exploring the area nearby, I was intrigued by a red bridge and followed it to a facility with a sign that caught my attention. The first floor had a corner showcasing the process of making tea and a shop where you could purchase products. After looking around, I was offered some samples and ended up buying matcha mochi and candies. The products were delicious and they even gave me a paper bag for souvenirs. Overall, the service was great and I had a wonderful experience.

I went to a tea plantation in the mountains of rural Kyoto last week. I cheekily took a few tea leaves from the plantation and tried making tea with them at home, but it tasted terrible! So, I decided to visit a tea experience workshop at Fukujuen. Not only did I learn about the roasting process, but I also got to hear various interesting stories. I made my own roasted green tea (50g) and got to take it home along with tea sweets. I also purchased some other items. The health benefits of tea catechins include antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, immune-boosting, blood pressure and blood sugar regulation, reduction of visceral fat, and prevention of bad breath and cavities. Research by Professor Hiroshi Yamada of Shizuoka Prefectural University suggests that catechins in green tea may reduce the risk of influenza infection. A study conducted on elementary school students in Kikugawa City, Shizuoka, showed that those who drank tea regularly had a lower chance of getting the flu. Catechins inhibit virus infection by attaching to protrusions on the virus surface, preventing them from attaching to cells in the throat. Fukujuen was founded in 1790 by Iemon Fukui as a tea merchant. In 2004, they collaborated with Suntory to produce the "Iyemon" brand, which became the top-selling bottled tea in the Tokyo and Kansai regions. In Kyushu and Chubu, "Ooi Ocha" dominates the market. In 2008, Suntory and Fukujuen expanded internationally with "Iyemon Cha / Kyoto". They have free parking, but nearby parking lots charge 700 yen per day, so it's better to use paid parking when exploring the area. Thank you for the meal.

I visited "Fukujuen Uji Tea Workshop" near the approach to Ujigami Shrine. They offer sweets made with tea, as well as tea and tea utensils, and a tea museum. For more information on the restaurant's menu, atmosphere, and recommended points, please check their Instagram, LINE official account, or Facebook if you are using a smartphone. If you are using a computer, please check the URL under "This review is posted from a blog." below.

Fukujuen Uji Tea House is located near Byodoin Temple in Uji. It is situated by the Uji River, and in the summer, you can see cormorant fishing nearby. I didn't have time to relax, so I couldn't enjoy matcha and sweets there as I wanted to. Instead, I got some Uji-style matcha warabi mochi to take away.

The dried young sardine tea soba for 1200 yen, tea soba for 800 yen, matcha sweet red bean soup for 800 yen, warabi mochi for 800 yen, and tea pickles for 800 yen were all available for takeout and tasted delicious!

Delicious matcha flavor.

The morning sunburn was very beautiful!!

I went to experience making matcha. It took about 15 to 20 minutes to grind the tea leaves into powder using a stone mill, and then whisk the matcha. Matcha is different from regular tea, with a fluffy foam on top and it tastes delicious. The hojicha-flavored yokan served as a tea sweet was also delicious!

My partner brought me some tea as a souvenir from their business trip to Kyoto. They bought it at Fukujuen Uji Workshop. It's called "Uji no Asa Karigane," which is made from the stems and leaf veins of green tea leaves. It pairs perfectly with the Ume-gaeshi mochi I received as a gift. I looked up how to make the tea and tried it out. The subtle sweetness of the mochi combined with the refreshing flavor of the tea was delicious! Thank you for the treat!

I visited Uji Byodoin Temple and now it's time to avoid missing out on lunch as usual. So, I decided to stop by Fukujuen Uji Tea Workshop to have a meal. The official website is here: http://www.ujikoubou.com/. It seems like the dining area is on the second floor. I chose the Asagiri Gozen (1500 yen) at Fukujuen Tea Dormitory. It's quite attractive to have a lunch under 2000 yen in Kyoto. They use Asahi ware for tableware. The tea cup on the left side contains Gyokuro tea, which was really delicious. The first dish was Shrimp and Lotus Root Manju with Matcha Sauce, which was really tasty. Next, they served Gyokuro Rice Ball, Sencha Simmered Dish, Pickles, and Hot Tea Soba. The tea aroma was lovely. Although the tea soba was decent, the vegetable flavor was strong and the broth was delicious. It would have been nice to have some sweets after the meal.

I stopped by on my way to Koryu-ji after walking further along the river from Byodoin in Uji. The first floor had a shop, while the second floor had a workshop, tea room, and tea house. Unfortunately, I couldn't participate in the experience of making matcha using a hand mill or stone mill in the workshop without a reservation as it was already past 3 pm when I visited. The tea house seemed like a nice place to enjoy, but I wasn't hungry at that time so I decided to skip it. The tea room was closed, but there was a space to sit and use the restroom, making it a good spot to stop by during a stroll. Back on the first floor, let's buy some souvenirs that can be taken out. There were various sweets made with matcha from Fukujuen, and I bought two items: cute packaged matcha chocolate sweets and karinto. The matcha chocolate was crunchy and had a strong matcha aroma and bitterness, overpowering the taste of the chocolate. My daughter, who loves matcha, really enjoyed it. The karinto was thin and small, with less of a matcha aroma. If you're buying it as a souvenir, I would recommend the chocolate. The prices were reasonable, making them great for small gifts. Thank you for the meal!

In this building, the first floor is a souvenir sales floor, and the second floor is a tea room. I really wanted to have tea and sweets on the second floor, but it was a Sunday and the wait was about 30 minutes, so I gave up. Instead, I decided to buy something on the first floor and ended up purchasing sencha and karinto. Karinto is a nostalgic treat for me, as I haven't had it much in my life since I was a child. The karinto I bought had matcha mixed in. It had a crispy texture and wasn't as hard as I remembered. It had a nice aroma and went well with sencha or genmaicha. I brought it home and finished a whole box by myself. Thank you for the meal!

Located on the first floor of Fukujuen Uji Tea Workshop near Uji Shrine at the east end of Asagiri Bridge in Uji City. The tea shop offers a wide variety of tea leaves, as well as a range of related products and souvenirs. The "Uji no Midori" comes in a pack of 3 for 540 yen. It is available in two types of boxed packaging: a pack of 3 and a pack of 6, allowing customers to purchase individual pieces. The wrapping paper features designs by a Japanese painter depicting the spring and autumn of Uji, showcasing attention to detail. The "Uji no Midori" consists of a soft mochi with matcha bean paste and covered with grain bean paste. The matcha bean paste has a rich aroma and a slight bitterness, allowing you to savor the intense and high-quality flavor of matcha. The grain bean paste is subtly sweet, combined with the faint astringency of matcha, creating a luxurious and harmonious taste. The mochi is soft with a slight thickness, light and elegantly balanced. Each piece is handcrafted and unique, blending the essence of Uji tea into traditional Kyoto sweets. The workshop, tearoom, tea house, and tea shop are all integrated, creating a sophisticated and tranquil atmosphere.

We made a reservation in advance and experienced grinding matcha with a stone mill on the second floor for about 20 minutes. Since it was February, we were the only ones there, so the quick 20 minutes felt like a meditation session and was very healing. We also received some sweets and got to enjoy the freshly ground tea (enough for 2 cups) on the spot. The instructor, a woman, was very kind and taught us carefully. It might be enjoyable to quietly grind the tea with a stone mill after visiting Byodoin Temple. It seems like many people are repeat customers.

During a trip to Kyoto two years ago, I visited Nara in the morning and then took a JR train back to Kyoto, stopping in Uji along the way. There were famous tea shops near the station, but they were crowded with tourists. I had heard that Fukujuen not only sells tea and traditional Japanese sweets, but also offers a matcha making experience. I thought it would be impossible to do it on such short notice due to the crowds on the approach to Byodoin Temple. However, I called ahead and was told that I could still participate if I arrived at the workshop by 3pm. I made a reservation without hesitation and hurried from the approach to Byodoin Temple to Fukujuen. It took longer than I expected to pass through Byodoin Temple and to cross the Uji River to reach the workshop, and by the time I arrived, it was already well past 3pm. Nevertheless, when I went upstairs to the workshop, I was greeted by a slim and elegant woman who reminded me of the singer Rimi Natsukawa (I'm sorry, Rimi Natsukawa!). She welcomed us with a smile and stayed with us until the children finished their matcha making experience. She mentioned that she was also from Uji and had been involved in tea making since graduating from high school. I was impressed by how the tradition of tea making in Uji is being passed down across generations. After the experience, when we went downstairs, the shop where tea and sweets were sold had already closed, but the staff patiently waited for us without a hint of annoyance while we made our purchases. The area around the workshop, across the Uji River from Byodoin Temple, was a different world enveloped in deep greenery and tranquility, despite the bustling crowds on the path from Uji Station to the temple during the Golden Week holiday. I highly recommend this spot to anyone visiting Uji for the first time. Since then, whenever I buy bottled tea, I always choose the tea in collaboration with Fukujuen and a major beverage company. I would love to visit this shop again if I have the chance. Thank you so much for your hospitality.