Tea Kyoto: By Car from Ikkyu-ji Temple to Ujitawara and the Wazuka Tea Fields

This driving course takes you through the tea-producing heartland of southern Kyoto Prefecture. Starting from Ikkyu-ji Temple in Kyotanabe, where Zen Master Ikkyu (known as Ikkyu-san) spent his later years, you will visit Shoju-in Temple nestled in the mountains of Ujitawara Town—a town closely tied to sencha green tea—and then proceed to the Ishidera Tea Fields in Wazuka Town. In a single day, you can experience the garden of a Zen temple, a temple home to Kaikei's Fudo Myoo and the inome window, and sweeping views of tea fields that seem to reach toward the sky.

History and Regional Charm

The Yamashiro region in southern Kyoto Prefecture, known as "Tea Kyoto," is the homeland of Japanese tea. Since tea was introduced from China, tea production techniques have been refined here in Minamiyamashiro, giving rise to matcha used in the tea ceremony, sencha widely enjoyed today, and premium gyokuro green tea.

Each of the three towns visited on this tour has its own tea-related story. Kyotanabe is a thriving center for the production of gyokuro. In Ujitawara Town, during the 18th century in Yuyadani, Nagatani Soen developed a method of steaming fresh tea shoots, hand-rolling them over a heating hearth (hoiro), and drying them. This invention gave birth to sencha, renowned for its superior color, aroma, and flavor. Wazuka Town, famous as a home of sencha and also referred to as Chagenkyo (the tea source village), features tea fields sprawling across mountains at elevations around 300 meters.

Major Highlights

• ​Ikkyu-ji Temple​​: Officially named Shuon-an Temple, this is a temple of the Daitoku-ji Temple school of Rinzai Zen Buddhism where Ikkyu Sojun, a Muromachi-period Zen monk famous for the witty tales of Ikkyu-san, spent his later years. The garden surrounding the Abbot's Quarters (hojo) is a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty, offering three distinct views: the South Garden with clipped satsuki azaleas and white sand, the East Garden with stones representing the Sixteen Arhats, and the North Garden featuring a dry waterfall arrangement made of Kannon stones. In the center of the Abbot's Quarters sits a wooden statue of Zen Master Ikkyu, an Important Cultural Property, which is said to have the master's own hair and beard planted into it. The temple continues to make Ikkyu-ji natto just as it did in the days of Zen Master Ikkyu.
• ​Shoju-in Temple​​: A temple of the Koyasan Shingon sect located in Okuyamada, Ujitawara Town. The seated wooden statue of Fudo Myoo, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property, was created by the Kamakura-period Buddhist sculptor Kaikei. Because Kaikei was known for crafting Nyorai (Tathagata) statues with gentle, compassionate expressions, this fierce-faced Myoo statue is considered very rare and precious. The guest hall features an inome window shaped like an inome, a traditional Japanese motif resembling a heart, framing outdoor scenery that changes colors with the seasons. The ceiling of the guest hall is covered with 160 paintings depicting flowers and Japanese landscapes. In summer, over 2,000 wind chimes are hung around the temple grounds, earning it the nickname "Wind Chime Temple."
• ​Ishidera Tea Fields​​: The most well-known tea-producing area in Wazuka, where hills blanketed in lush green tea bushes appear to rise toward the sky. In 2008 (Heisei 20), it was registered as Kyoto Prefecture's Scenic Asset No. 1, and it is also a designated constituent cultural property of the Japan Heritage "800 Years of Japanese Tea History Walk." In late March, rows of cherry blossoms bordering the tea fields brighten the landscape, while in summer, the color variations between ridges create a patchwork-like appearance.

Recommended Route and Duration

The estimated tour duration is about 6 hours. Ikkyu-ji Temple is roughly a 5-minute drive from JR Kyotanabe Station. If using the expressway, directions guide visitors to the Tanabe-Nishi Interchange on the Keinawa Expressway. The temple recommends the paid "Times Ikkyu-ji Tonari" parking lot. The grounds include staircases and uneven paths, so comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

From Ikkyu-ji Temple to Shoju-in Temple is a straight-line distance of about 15 kilometers to the east-northeast. Shoju-in Temple provides a first and second parking lot, and many visitors come by rental car. If visiting in summer, the Wind Chime Festival period is recommended. Shortly before 4:00 p.m. between August 20 and mid-September, sunlight shines through the inome window, casting a heart-shaped shadow. Located about 1.6 kilometers west of Shoju-in Temple is the Birthplace of Nagatani Soen, a great stop for those interested in tracing the history of sencha.

From Shoju-in Temple to the Ishidera Tea Fields is about 8 kilometers straight south-southwest. The tea fields have parking spaces for cars and bicycles, as well as an observation deck overlooking the scenery. The tea plantations are the private property of local farmers. Please view them from the roads without entering the fields, and refrain from approaching farmers to take photos. Do not park on the street, as this obstructs agricultural work. If time permits, visit Wazuka Tea Cafe, located about 1.9 kilometers to the northeast, to savor tea from Wazuka tea farmers before returning.

Experience Summary

Spend a day driving through the towns of "Tea Kyoto"—the cradle of matcha, sencha, and gyokuro—and immersing yourself in tea history and scenic landscapes: the garden of the Zen temple where Zen Master Ikkyu lived out his final years, Kaikei's Fudo Myoo, the seasonal vistas framed by the inome window, and the expansive tea fields of Wazuka reaching toward the sky.