Overview
Why did the tea brought to Japan from the continent by Eisai, the "Father of Tea," develop into a uniquely Japanese culture?
To uncover the answer, I visited Uji to deeply explore its geography, history, and culture firsthand.

About Me
I’m a man in my 20s with a passion for learning about geography, history, and culture in Japan and around the world.
Currently, I live overseas for work, but I frequently return to Japan for my travels.
I create videos documenting my journeys as I research and study in my own way.
Since I am not an expert in this field, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or feedback.
Instagram: Instagram: yoshiaki_kataoka

Table of Contents
0:00 Opening
2:06 Geography of the Uji River
6:49 History of Tea in Japan and Uji’s Seven Tea Gardens: "Oku-no-Yama Tea Garden"
11:15 The Relationship Between Uji Tea and Terrain (Terraces and Alluvial Fans)
16:12 Horii Shichimeien (Uji Tea Tasting)
21:48 Byodo-in Temple Phoenix Hall
28:05 Uji Shrine and Ujigami Shrine
32:20 Observing Uji’s Terrain from Mount Butoku
35:21 Tale of Genji Museum (Summary and Explanation of "The Ten Uji Chapters")
41:51 Fukujuen (Experience of Sencha-do, Matcha Grinding, and Uji Tea Introduction)
50:07 Tatsumiya (Kyoto Kaiseki Cuisine with Matcha)
51:51 Ending

References and Sources
The Story of Horii Shichimeien
https://horiishichimeien.com/pages/st...
Treasure Island: Exploring Kyoto's 1,000-Year History with Layered Maps
Supervised by Akihide Tanigawa
https://tkj.jp/book/?cd=TD042750
Uji City: Chapter 1 Background of Uji City's Historical Scenic Formation
https://www.city.uji.kyoto.jp/uploade...
Uji City: Cultural Landscape of Uji
https://www.city.uji.kyoto.jp/uploade...
Birthplace of Japanese Tea: Landscape of Uji Tea Production
https://www.pref.kyoto.jp/nosan/docum...
Uji City Board of Education: Excavation Report of Uji River Taiko Embankment Site
https://www.city.uji.kyoto.jp/uploade...
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism: Uji River
https://www.mlit.go.jp/river/toukei_c...
Foundation of Soil and Water: Chapter 1 Morning Mist on Uji River
https://suido-ishizue.jp/nihon/10/01....
Manyo Seasonal Almanac: #1922 Morning Mist on Uji River, Fading Away
http://blog.livedoor.jp/rh1-manyo/arc...
Stories of Tea Passed Down by Zen Buddhism, by Takashi Tachi
http://iriz.hanazono.ac.jp/yomimono/t...
A Short Yet Long History of Japanese Tea: Tracing the Roots and Development of Matcha and Sencha
By Senchado Tokyo Editorial Team
https://shop.senchado.jp/blogs/ocha/2...
Zensuke Kuwabara Store: All About Matcha - Research on "10 Days Under Matting, 10 Days Under Straw"
https://www.zkuwabara.com/mattya10_1....
Wikipedia
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%8C%B6
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%97%...
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%AE%...
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%8A%...
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%BA%...
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%97%...
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%97%...
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%BA%...
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%80%...
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B1%...
National Institute for Environmental Studies: Using Meteorological Data to Protect the Tradition and History of "Uji Tea"
https://adaptation-platform.nies.go.j...
National Diet Library Digital Collections: Nihon Koki
https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/2574114/1/38
National Diet Library Digital Collections: Kissa Yojoki
https://webarchives.tnm.jp/imgsearch/...
National Diet Library Digital Collections: Ocha Tsubo no Maki
https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/2540806/1/9
Kanbayashi Shunsho Honten: Ayataka Monogatari
https://www.ayataka.jp/story/kanbayas...
Record of Tea Offerings in the Heian Period
https://sencha-note.com/heian-period-...
Byodoin Temple: The Land of Scenic Beauty
https://www.byodoin.or.jp/column/post...
Uji Shrine: About Uji Shrine
http://uji-jinja.com/about/index.html
Tsuen Tea: The History of Tsuen Tea
http://uji-jinja.com/about/index.html
(additional links as listed in the original text)