It’s not every day you’re walking the streets of Japan for a Uji Matcha Tour, but there we were. Cherry blossoms rustled in the wind while the faint sound of excited travelers murmured about matcha. Our tastebuds were more than ready to go on this tour with Arigato Travel. Our tour guide Sanae led the way, and reminded us: it was time to taste the best matcha in the world!
Left Photo: Courtesy of Arigato Tours
The Art of Matcha Making in Uji
It’s no secret this town is the birthplace and world capital of matcha. Meaning—it’s no ordinary matcha with its vibrant green texture and sweet but subtle, umami flavor. Uji Matcha is made from young tea leaves, grown in the shade for 2-6 weeks before being harvested. This process contributes to the rich taste and color—leaving you with an unforgettable cup of tea each time.
The tea shop where we did the tour is the oldest in Japan at over 500 years old. Their shop takes pride in the tradition of making the highest quality matcha, harvest after harvest. Eighteen generations later, a descendant of this family-owned business pointed to a picture of his grandson and smirked. He too will be named Kanbayashi Sannyu.
Our First Matcha Tea Ceremony
The current Kanbayashi Sannyu brought us downstairs for our first tea ceremony. In my mind, he’s the Matcha Master. While direct, hilarious, and speaking both Japanese and English, he let us in on a secret of why he’s in great health: he drinks Uji matcha every day! Now, it was our turn to taste the best matcha in the world.
We sat down at traditional-style Japanese tables that were low to the ground. As the Matcha Master prepared us for tea time, I felt like a young padawan who had to prove to the Jedi Master my matcha was worthy. With all the tools for success in front of us, these were the instructions given to prepare our matcha:
1. Grind Uji tea with a stone mill
2. Whisk carefully until the matcha is a pretty green color!
3. Pair with wagashi (和菓子)—Japanese sweets that are typically eaten with tea like mochi, taiyaki, or dango! 🍡
“Getting to see how matcha is made and learning all the different uses for it was fascinating. Crazy to think of all the different food and drinks matcha is in—including beer!”
—Christina, Celebrity Wardrobe Stylist
We whisked the matcha slowly to our heart’s desire. While it was mesmerizing to see the electric green color of the matcha shift to subtle, creamy hues, I knew the tea was almost ready. Sanae told us that if wanted a sweeter flavor, we could use less hot water. I was excited to take a sip, especially since our cup of tea was paired with wagashi—a traditional Japanese sweet treat.
We graduated from our first matcha tea ceremony 😎
A Taste of History: Byodoin Temple
Buzzing off the caffeine from the matcha, we took a stroll back in time. We entered the Byodoin Temple to see the holy building that’s currently on the face of the ¥10 coin. It was all a sight to see! Elegant structures with Buddhist architecture caught our attention as we admired how a building from the year 998 could stand so perfectly.
“The whole experience was incredible. Sanae, our tour guide, was the Japanese history queen. I learned so much about different religions from this period, and it was exciting to see how knowledgeable our tour guide was about the history.”
—Chauncy, Mom Who Loves Matcha
Honoring the Past
Roaming through the streets of Uji, we passed the bright blue waters of the Ujigawa River to explore another shrine. This property is believed to have Japan’s oldest standing shrine. As you enter, Sanae showed us how to bow to pay our respects to the ancestors. When walking up to each shrine, the custom is to give a coin, bow, and clap twice.
“When I come here, there’s a peaceful feeling that exists. Spirits and deities pay great respect to nature.”
—Sanae, Our Amazing Tour Guide & History Buff
Sake is also donated as a token of respect. With the back building being over 1,000 years old, you can’t help but wonder what took place here so long ago. Laughing and enjoying the company of the other travelers on the tour with us, we each bought legendary key chains to take back with us for good luck.
Indulging in a Traditional Japanese Lunch
Our minds were filled with so much rich history. We neared the end of our tour where Sanae brought us to a local restaurant to try Japanese cuisine. It was rewarding to sit down with new friends and taste matcha noodles, tempura vegetables, and creamy tofu, among other amazing dishes!
Sitting down for a traditional Japanese lunch.
“My tastebuds will never forget the refreshing taste of the cold matcha noodles, perfect for a warm spring day in Japan.”
—Me
A Sweet Ending: Matcha Desserts
Sanae brought us to our last stop for dessert. It was bittersweet to know the tour was ending, but when I tell you I’m not one for sweets—this was one of the best ice cream cones I’ve ever tasted! The matcha-swirled texture and taste were the perfect mix of sweetness. To indulge even further, matcha dango was also an option…my personal favorite!
Matcha Dango is a wonderful treat made from dumplings, rice flour, and matcha tea leaves. 😋
Uji Matcha Tour: Arigato Travel
Would I do this tour again? 1,000%. From start to finish, Arigato’s team was communicative and hospitable in how they welcomed us to Uji. I loved the organization of the tour and how Sanae kept us on track. It was fun to meet other travelers from around the world, doing this Uji Matcha Tour for the first time. Now—it’s your turn to taste the world’s best matcha.
To book your Uji Matcha Tour tour with Arigato Travel, use this link! Comment below with any questions about the tour or if you want to talk about how amazing Japan is, that’s cool too 😉
Until next time nomads,
Sydney
P.S. Here’s the Instagram Reel from our experience!
