Uji Tea - Traditional Foods in Japan | Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

KyotoUji Tea

Classification (Large)

Others

Classification (Small)

Beverages

Main ingredients used

Tea leaves, brown rice

When using downloaded images, please read the "Terms of Use" and clearly state that the source of the image is "Traditional Foods in Japan" by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
If the photo credits is stated, please include it as well.

Example of description
of the photo credits

Example of description when the photo credits is not stated
Source: "Traditional Foods in Japan" Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Example of description when the photo credits is stated
Source: "Traditional Foods in Japan" Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Photo credits:xxx

Agree to "Term of use"
and download images
(241KB)

Agree to "Term of use"
and download images
(222KB)

Region of inheritance

Southern part of Kyoto Prefecture including Uji City

Product overview (special characteristics and types)

Ujicha is generally known as a type of tea produced in Kyoto Prefecture, but is defined as green tea made by processing tea leaves produced in Kyoto Prefecture, Nara Prefecture, Shiga Prefecture, and Mie Prefecture by processors in Kyoto Prefecture using a production method originated in the Uji region. Tea leaves must be cultivated under specific conditions such as in fertile, well-drained soil in an area with high annual rainfall and terrain with small slopes that cause large differences in temperature between day and night. The area where the Uji River and the Kizu River run, meet these conditions and thus became a major production area of ujicha.
There are different types of ujicha depending on how the tea leaves are cultivated and the production method, such as tencha, sencha, gyokuro, hojicha, kabusecha, and genmaicha (horaicha). In particular, maccha, which is produced by grinding tencha into powder, has been refined and passed on through tea ceremony culture established in the Sengoku period (period of warring states in Japan) and has become popular enough to start today's maccha product fad and can be said to be the most recognizable characteristic of tea produced in Kyoto Prefecture.
Tea leaves are picked two or three times a year. Buds that come out between late April and late May (first picked tea leaves) are picked one by one manually, and mainly used for tencha and gyokuro, which are considered high-class teas. Tea leaves that come out between late June and early July and those that come out between middle July and late August are called second picked tea leaves and third picked tea leaves, respectively. Sencha is produced by using first or second picked tea leaves. Since the taste of ujicha depends on the time when tea leaves are picked, variations in the flavor of ujicha can be enjoyed throughout the year.

History and culture

The history of ujicha starts in 1191, when the priest Eisai brought tea back to Japan from Sung, China. It is said that Myoe Shonin planted the tea introduced by Eisai in Kozan-ji Temple located in Toganoo, Rakuhoku, Kyoto Prefecture, and part of it was subsequently planted in Uji, where the cultivation of the tea leaves used to make today's ujicha started. In the 15th century, ujicha was appreciated by the Ashikaga shogun family and tea gardens began to be established in Uji with encouragement from Japan's feudal government. One of these tea gardens is the Okunoyama Tea Garden, which exists to this day.
In the 16th century, tea ceremonies became popular and a cultivation method called oishita (under cover) was developed as a method of reducing the bitterness of tea in response to demand from Sen no Rikyu and other tea ceremony masters. This method gave birth to dark green maccha with strong umami. Subsequently, ujicha established a special position among tea production areas under the patronage of the ruler of the country at that time.
In 1738, inspired by the decoction of tea made by the kamairi (roasting in a pot) method, which was introduced by the priest Ingen in Manpuku-ji Temple in Uji, Soen Nagatani devised the temomi (hand rolling) production method (Uji production method), the method of steaming the buds of tea leaves and drying them over a tea drier while rolling them in one's hands. This is the origin of subsequent production methods for Japanese tea. In Uji, in pursuit of even higher quality tea, the oishita cultivation method was combined with the temomi production method to produce another high-class tea called gyokuro.
In the period between the end of the Edo period and the Meiji period, ujicha played a role in the export industry, and a system for producing and supplying quality tea was put in place. Following this, ujicha began to be sold throughout the domestic market, and became widespread in ordinary households. Today, with the advancement of processing and blending techniques, various kinds of quality tea are produced and ujicha has acquired a solid reputation. A number of tea gardens and tea stores that have been around for several hundred years are still in business today.

Production method

(Methods for cultivating tea leaves)
There are two methods of cultivating tea leaves: one is oishita (under cover) cultivation and the other is open-air cultivation. Tea contains theanine, an amino acid that is a source of umami. Theanine, which is produced in the roots, moves to the leaves, where it changes into bitter catechin under sunlight. As the name suggest, oishita cultivation is the method of cultivating tea leaves in tea gardens covered with straw or the like to block sunlight and produce a less bitter tea with rich umami. Tencha, gyokuro, and kabusecha are produced by using tea leaves cultivated by the oishita cultivation method.
On the other hand, sencha, hojicha, and kyobancha are produced by using tea leaves cultivated by the open-air cultivation method with no cover. Since this method exposes tea leaves to enough sunlight, they have a bitter yet refreshing taste.
(Methods of processing tea leaves)
Although tea production processes have now become mechanized, traditional ujicha is produced manually by the temomi production method (ujicha production method). Different types of ujicha are produced by different methods as follows:
(1) Tencha: Vivid green buds grown by the oishita cultivation method are steamed and then dried without rolling them. After the stems and leaf veins are removed, the leaves are ground into fine powder in a stone mortar. This is maccha, with its rich flavor, is made.
(2) Gyokuro: Buds grown by the oishita cultivation method are covered to block sunlight for more than 20 days until they grow into soft, dark green buds. They are picked, steamed, and then rolled and dried.
(3) Sencha: Unlike for gyokuro and tencha, buds grown under sunlight with no cover according to the open-air cultivation method are steamed and then rolled and dried.
(4) Kabusecha: Kabusecha is produced by the same processes as gyokuro, but with tea leaves protected from sunlight under a cover for a smaller number of days. As a result, the tea leaves have a gyokuro-like flavor as well as a sencha-like refreshing aftertaste.
(5) Hojicha: Tea made by roasting sencha or kawayanagi, which is a kind of tea that is made by using large buds and is not categorized into sencha or kabusecha
(6) Genmaicha: Tea made by mixing roasted brown rice with bancha, gyokuro, or sencha. Here, rice obtained by roasting cooked white rice rather than unpolished rice is used.
(7) Kyobancha: Kyobancha is produced by using third or fourth picked tea leaves that were left after the first and second picked tea leaves were picked or tea leaves rejected in the stage of selection before tea production. Large tea leaves harvested along with their stems in spring or fall are dried in the sun with no rolling until they become crispy, and then an artisan with much experience roasts them in a large pot over high direct heat for about 1 minute until they have a good balance between fragrance and flavor .

Conservation and succession efforts

Kyoto Prefecture has designated the ujicha temomi production method, a traditional sencha rolling method, as an intangible folk cultural property to ensure its conservation. In addition, the Ujicha Festival, Hachiju Hachiya Chatsumi no Tsudoi, an event held based on the folklore that says tea leaves picked on the 88th day from first day of spring are of good quality and help us live longer, and other events are held to hand down the history and culture of ujicha.
Some long-established tea gardens provide opportunities for visitors to make maccha with a stone mortar, produce tea utensils, take courses on sencha, tour their factories, or participate in various other ujicha-related activities. Recently, not only ujicha beverages but also maccha sweets and many other processed foods made with ujicha have been developed, and it has been continuously gaining popularity among different generations.

Main consumption method

Put tea leaves in a teapot, pour hot water in it, and drink the tea leaf extract. Adjusting the temperature of the hot water depending on the characteristics of the tea leaves is the key to making tasty tea. Steeped tea leaves contain a lot of nutrients and many recipes that use such steeped tea leaves have also been developed.

At-home recipes:Ujicha latte

Ingredients

Ujicha

4 teaspoons

Granulated sugar

2 teaspoons

Milk

360 ml

Ujicha (for topping)

As needed

How to make

Sieve ujicha into a bowl, add granulated sugar, and mix them with a beater. Add 3 tablespoons of hot water (not listed as an ingredient) and mix them into a paste.

Heat milk in a pot until it is hot but not boiling and beat it with a beater. Pour it gently into the paste and mix them lightly.

Pour the latte into a cup and sprinkle it with ujicha.