A friendly greeting beckons us to Uji
Uji is active with tourists on the weekends.
There are many historic buildings like Byodoin. Uji was a town where in olden days travelers would often stay.
The locals always greeted me with a smile on their faces.
In this installment, I showcase the people of Uji and the important traditions they shared with me.
I really got to know the warm and open-hearted way of the Uji people.
This was my first tour of Uji since I came here on a school field trip. I had looked forward to engaging with the town and its people from a new vantage point.
The instructor couldn’t help but wryly smile at my weak showing!
In May, the tea plantations are a lush green with the fresh leaves. It was at this time that I tried my hand at preparing matcha.
I was clumsy, but the instructor graciously showed me the ropes.
When steeped at over 80 degrees Celsius, green tea develops a more astringent taste.
Therefore, it is proper form to heat the matcha powder with lukewarm water and then add hot water.
We used tea whisks to froth the tea, but I struggled.
I found myself putting a lot of pressure into my left hand, which I used to support the bowl.
Once the matcha is mixed, you gently stroke the surface of the froth with the whisk.
This breaks up the larger bubbles on the surface and lends it a creamy texture.
Before drinking, you rotate the bowl in your right hand to move the pattern away from your lips.
The sweet taste of Japanese sweets goes perfectly well with the refreshing bitterness of matcha.
I was disappointed after finishing the last sip.
At the bottom of my bowl was a little ball of matcha powder.
Had I failed?
I’ll have to improve my technique!
A veteran sweetshop under a thatched roof
My matcha experience stoked my sweet tooth, so I set out in search of dessert.
Lots of shops span from the shopping arcade on through to Byodo-in Temple, with a din of activity everywhere.
I found a charming teahouse with a traditional thatched roof.
This turned out to be a longstanding shop that has been here for 150 years. A granny manning the shop graciously talked to me.
“The pine trees in the back are about 130 years old, I think. Grandpa [on her husband’s side] used to wear a kimono in the shop.”
Plump tea dumplings had a toothy texture with fresh matcha agar jelly and syrup-covered bean jam.
matcha ice cream floats with the ice cream semi-frozen.
Her granddaughter’s smile was the spit and image of the granny.
The gentle taste of Uji’s tea brings a smile to your face when you drink it.
Thank you for the meal!
Matcha soymilk soft-serve ice cream: a mix of touristic fun and Uji flavors
As I strolled through the shopping arcade, I found a sign indicating that matcha soymilk soft-serve ice cream was for sale in a back alley.
This is Mr. Matsui, the owner of a tofu shop that greeted me bashfully.
In the front of the shop, they sell a range of items like soymilk bean curd, sweets, and side dishes.
What I had long awaited was a white, soymilk-based soft-serve ice cream with matcha powder liberally sprinkled throughout.
The clean, sweet taste of soymilk and the bitter note of the matcha paired perfectly in this grown-up snack.
You want to just keep eating more and more of this!
This shop is another longstanding one, having been opened 100 years ago. Since that time, Mr. Matsui’s family have gotten up at 5:00 AM every morning to make tofu.
That charming local delicacy and the historic taste of Uji matcha come together in a one-of-a-kind snack.
I can see why patrons come from far and wide to try this ice cream!
Everything was so delicious that I couldn’t resist buying some soymilk donuts, too!
My diet can wait until tomorrow.
“There are all things grandpa collected.”
The shop contains old cloth, tea utentils, and stained glass.
The collection is fascinating. The daughter of the founder of the shop tells me with a smile that they are all from his personal collection.
The shop got its start trading recycled vintage indigo fabric from the Edo period (1603-1886).
Over time, friends began pulling things out of their warehouses and storing them at the shop, which began to transform into an antiques dealer.
“Grandpa is a bit senile today... but he won’t listen to reason and says he plans to man the shop until he dies. So I took it upon myself to help him.”
The daughter recommends an apron made by her grandfather: “This is pretty nice, huh?” She has a gentle way about her.
The shop and its two custodians were super friendly. I found myself lingering.
This was truly a shop that put a smile on my face.
“This is delicious. The taste of tea is distinctly here,”
he said, giving the seal of approval on JIMOTO Pocky.
The Ujigawa River is a voluminous and fast-moving body of water.
In days of old, before Toyotomi Hideyoshi built a breakwater here, the water would often spill into the town.
The vermilion-red bridge over the river looks beautiful against the lush greenery of early summer.
The lush green leaves along the walkways shade you
from the Kyoto sunlight.
Asahi-yaki ware, crafted from 100 year-old clay
Asahi-yaki is a pottery studio that makes tea implements.
Ms. Matsubayashi went into detail about the 400 year-old traditions and techniques they use.
What really impressed me was a piece of pottery styled after the patterns on the backs of deer.
The pale blue on the inside of the vessel and the exterior motif have something transient and fleeting about them. I am totally bewitched by this pottery.
Asahi-yaki is made from clay that was dug in Uji up and left to rest for 100 years. The originators of this tradition talked about preserving clay for their grandchildren.
Ms. Matsubayashi’s husband is the 15th generation heir to this tradition.
Their eldest son, Yusuke, is taking part in the “GO ON” project to promote traditional Japanese crafts, actively bringing Asahi-yaki to the world.
The climbing kiln used to fire the pottery involves heating the work in a stepped fashion, working upward.
The enthusiasm of the artisans is, like the fires of the kiln, stoked as it passes down through the generations through family ties. Today, it shines bright.
As a former buyer, I was enchanted with some of these pieces.
I forgot I was being photographed and talked avidly with the owners.
New Uji tea, ready to emerge for the harvest
An ascent up a small hill takes us to flowing fields of tea. The majority are covered in black tarps. You can sense that the harvest festival is coming.
Standing in the tea plantations, you hear the sound of birds and the rustle of the wind.
Ujitawara, located thirty minutes by car from Uji Station.
The tea fields blend perfectly in with the town. You naturally encounter them as you walk. In Uji, you can sense that people live in close connection with the tea.
In my next installment, it’s time for the long-awaited harvest festival!
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