One-Day Cycling Journey Through Wazuka’s Calming Tea Fields

Wazuka is the largest producer in the tea-growing region of Uji, which is famous for its high quality tea, matcha in particular. Around 40% of Uji tea comes from Wazuka. Tea fields make up about 600 hectares of the town and 75% of its land is covered in forest. This combination of factors results in stunning scenery that was the very first to be registered as a Kyoto Scenic Asset, in 2008, and designation as one of The Most Beautiful Villages in Japan in 2013.

Wazuka’s tea fields are unlike any you’ll find elsewhere in Japan. Here, tea is grown on the steep, rugged slopes of mountains that soar over 400 meters high. The views are nothing short of spectacular, with each season painting the landscape in a new palette of colors. Sometimes, you’ll even spot tea plants wrapped in black nets, carefully draped to shield the leaves from harsh sunlight and allow their flavor to fully develop.

What truly sets Wazuka apart is how its tea is cultivated. The fields are tended by several independent farmers, each bringing their own touch to the land. This means that the tea’s flavor can vary depending on the specific plantation, location, and even the harvest year. It’s a beautiful testament to the artistry and individuality of Wazuka’s tea, offering a rare opportunity to taste the nuances of single-origin green tea. This individuality is what makes Wazuka tea truly exceptional.

Wazuka Town is located to the south of KyotoPrefecture, close to Nara. To get there by train, take West Japan Railway’s Kansai Main Line or Yamatoji Line to Kamo station. Then, from the west exit of Kamo Station, take a Nara Kotsu number 65 bus toward Wazuka-cho Harayama. There is usually only one bus an hour, or less so we recommend you check the time table beforehand. Get off at the Wazuka Yama-no-ie bus stop.

Before renting bicycles at the nearby Wazuka-cha Café, there’s a little exploring that is best done on foot. The first stop is Shoho-ji Temple. To get there, start at the Wazuka Yama-no-ie bus stop, cross to the opposite side of the street, and with the river at your back, walk up the slope. Just as the slope curves to the right, you’ll find Shoho-ji Temple.

This Zen temple was built to commemorate Prince Asaka, who died in 744, aged 17, and was a son of Emperor Shomu. The canopy of maple and ginkgo leaves that covers the stone stairs leading up to the temple contributes to making this Wazuka’s top spot for viewing fall colors.

At the top of the stairs, turn to the right and you will find a slim, 13-tier stone pagoda and the main temple hall. Be sure to look behind the building that is across from the main hall to see a set of 12 adorable stone carvings that each feature one of the animals from the Chinese zodiac.

Turning to the left at the top of the front stairs takes you to a gorgeous view of Kamatsuka mountain. Tea fields stretch all the way to the summit of its 495.7-meter high slope.

Now let’s get a close-up view of some tea fields. Head back down toward the Wazuka Yama-no-ie bus stop, but cross the river and keep going straight ahead on the righthand side of the street until you come to a narrow road between trees that leads to the tomb of Prince Asaka, who Shoho-ji Temple was built to honor.

As you walk up the stone path, you’ll see a horizon where the deep-green tea plants meets the light-blue sky. The serenity of the view is exhilarating.

Surrounded by tea plants on all sides, this is a great place for selfies, but stay on the paths and avoid touching the plants or any farming equipment. This is one of the few places where you can walk this close to tea fields. Remember that the tea fields are not just private property, they are Wazuka’s livelihood.

The location of the burial mound, at the top of a hill, gives it excellent views of the surrounding town, tea fields and mountains. You can walk around the forested burial mound, but entering it is not permitted. From in front of the tomb’s torii gate, if you look straight ahead, high among the trees you will see one of Wazuka’s newer spots to enjoy the scenery—but more on Sky Café later.

Now, let’s go get our bicycles. After returning to the road, cross it and enter Wazuka-cha Café. As well as being a café that serves meals and snacks, this is also a store that sells hundreds of tea-related products, including various types of single-origin tea from around 30 Wazuka plantations. The facility also acts as a visitors’ center, where you can get maps and information, and rent a bicycle.

The bikes feature electronic assistance, which makes navigating the hilly landscape of Wazuka a breeze. It costs 1,100 yen a day for one bicycle. You can ask for one at the Wazuka-cha Café counter, but bookings are recommended, especially during the town’s busiest periods in early May and November. A direct message via Instagram is the best way to book (see store details below). The staff understands simple English.

When you leave Wazuka-cha Café, turn right and ride up the hill. Head for the Ishitera Tea Plantation by following the Japan Heritage signposts that periodically appear by the side of the road.

At first the route takes you past locals’ houses, giving you a glimpse of their daily lives. Occasionally you will see some very old homes and pass some tea-processing factories, but before long, the turn of a corner will suddenly reveal the breathtaking scenery of a rolling field of tea plants.

One of the most stunning views along the way is of the Erihara tea fields. Look for the low, green Japan Heritage sign marking this spot. The view here reaches down from a tea farm in the foreground, to orderly rows of tea lining the other side of a valley and up again onto distant hillsides.

A 15-minute bike ride from Wazuka-cha Café takes you to one of Wazuka’s most iconic landscapes, the Ishitera Tea Plantation. This area, in particular, is noted in the designation as a Kyoto Scenic Asset, highlighting its representation of the livelihood of tea production, as huts and houses dot the landscape of rows of green tea.

A great place to relax and refuel while enjoying the view here is dan dan café. It sits on the roadside overlooking the plantation and serves lunch, tea, parfaits and gelato.

Another option for lunch is Wazuka-ya, which specializes in tea-infused buckwheat noodles (soba in Japanese), including the option to make your own. This experience is particularly popular with families and children. It’s easy to miss the tight righthand turn-off toward Wazuka-ya, which comes during a descent in the road after the Ishitera Tea Plantation, so be careful.

The noodle-making experience takes only about 30 minutes and is easy and fun, even for children. You start by using your hand to mix together wheat flour and buckwheat flour, together with ground sencha tea from Wazuka. Water is then added gradually as you mix the ingredients. Then knead the dough, roll it out, and cut it into thin strips. The result is a large serve of springy noodles garnished with dried seaweed. Enjoy them by adding spring onion and spicy wasabi to the accompanying soy-based, dipping sauce.

If you’re content to jump straight into eating noodles rather than the making of them, you can order store-made tea noodles. The most popular menu item here is the Sanho Soba Set, Combine three tiers of tea soba with different condiments, which gives you three tiers of store-made, tea-infused buckwheat noodles and different sets of condiments to add to each bowl so that you enjoy a variety of flavors in the one dish. Popular Wazuka-ya side dishes include tempura and deep-fried tofu.

Wazuka-ya details:
• Open: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Last order: 2:00 p.m.) Closed Monday and Thursday
• Address: Ishitera Hatsuohira 21, Wazuka-cho, Soraku, Kyoto Prefecture
• Access: 3-minute walk from Wazuka Takahashi bus stop
• Website: https://wazuka.fujiya-taiken.com/

Let’s get back on our bicycles, retrace the route back to Wazuka-cha Café to return the bikes, and pick up the key to our final destination, Sky Café. This is the structure we could see, perched among the treetops, when we peered out from in front of the torii gate of the Prince Asaka burial mound.

Sky Café is inspired by the tea room at Kodai-ji Temple in Kyoto and features an observatory-style design with windows on all sides. It offers a relaxing atmosphere where you can enjoy take-out food or drinks in private rooms made from cedar and cypress sourced from Kyoto Prefecture.

Wazuka-cha Café manages Sky Café, so bookings for its use are made with the former or via DM on Instagram. Getting to Sky Café involves a short walk through a nearby park and up some steep stairs. At the center of the structure is an octagonal bench that can seat up to seven people and is also comfortable for small children. Fitted with air conditioning and made of wood and some tatami, this is an oasis in the sky that offers expansive views over Wazuka Town.

Sky Café details:
• Open: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (1 hour per group)
• Closed: Open year-round
• Fee: 550 yen per person for 1 hour (Free for elementary school children and you) first-come-first-served, reservations available
• Occupancy: 1 – 7 people
• Access: 5 to 10-minute walk from Wazuka Café
• E-mail: wazukacafe@gmail.com　
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wazukacha.cafe
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/wazukacha.cafe

When you return the Sky Café key to Wazuka-cha Café, do your part to help preserve this scenery by purchasing some souvenirs from the fascinating range of tea products there, from tea-flavored potato chips to dressing, cakes, cookies, and ice cream. But most of all, savor the tea. Wazuka-cha Café has a wide variety of teas, from Japan’s daily beverage, sen-cha, to the high-end, umami-rich gyokuro, as well as ten-cha, which is the tea that is ground to make matcha. It also sells many pesticide-free teas.

Wazuka-cha Café details:
• Open: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (last order 4:30 p.m.)
From December – February, closes at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays (last order at 4 p.m.) and at 5 p.m. on weekends and public holidays (last order at 4:30 p.m.). Closed around New Year’s Day.
• Address: 35 Shirasu Ohazama, Wazuka-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto Prefecture
• Access: 3-minute walk from the Wazuka Yama-no-ie bus stop
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wazukacha.cafe
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/wazukacha.cafe

Looking at the hillside tea fields from this broader perspective, spend some time imagining the hard work of the first Wazuka tea farmers, who crafted this unique landscape. Even today, maintaining it is still labor intensive as the hillside locations mean less machinery can be used here than in typical tea fields. This hands-on approach is what helps preserve the area’s distinctive landscapes.

By renting a bike, you can explore the beautiful scenery at your own pace. Experiencing Wazuka’s nature and culture, with the cool breeze flowing through the tea fields, is truly special. Consider supporting the growth and upkeep of Wazuka’s landscapes and traditions by enjoying the local tea and specialties.

As you pause to enjoy the stunning views, please ensure that you do not disrupt any farming activities. Avoid taking close-up photos of farmers while they work. Do not enter the tea fields, and if you decide to take pictures of the farmers, be respectful of their portrait rights.