I stopped by this tea shop when I visited Uji for sightseeing. There are many tea shops along the approach to Byodoin Temple and near the station, so I had a hard time deciding which one to choose. Although it's not along the approach, I was intrigued by this shop near Byodoin Temple, next to Kengen Shrine, which is said to be a very historic and delicious tea shop. When I visited, there were no other customers, so I could shop leisurely. The owner recommended that I sit in the back and made tea for me using a cooling vessel. The tea he made was so delicious! It had such a deep umami flavor that I thought it must have dashi in it. It was the first time I had such a flavorful tea. There were various types and price ranges of tea, and I chose some while chatting with the owner. I also bought some convenient pack-type tea as souvenirs for my family. There was a model of a tea drying furnace in the shop, and I learned that the owner's ancestors developed the innovative Horii-style tea drying furnace, revolutionizing the tea industry. They have been carefully preserving the "Okunoyama" tea garden, the last remaining of the Seven Myoen Tea Gardens in Uji, and using its tea leaves to make tea. There are some shops that I don't want to tell others about, and this shop has become one of them. I tried making the same flavorful tea at home by carefully controlling the temperature, but I couldn't achieve the same level of umami. I hope I can get used to making it after a few more tries.

I moved from Chaganju Cafe towards Uji Bridge, stopped by Takumi and Uji Saina before Uji Bridge. Since I will be going on a trip to Kanazawa with all my maternal uncles and aunts from tomorrow, I decided not to buy anything here as I wouldn't be able to finish it before the expiration date. My friend bought only the matcha baumkuchen. Then, I was fascinated by "Narino" on Kyoto Uji Souvenir.com (http://www.ujimiyage.com/) and headed to Horii Shichimeien where it is located. I was indecisive about which tea to buy, and the shop owner suggested that I try some tea at the back of the store since I had come all the way. It was almost 5 pm, and the cold tea that had been brewed for 4 hours was sold out, so I had warm tea (100g for 1000 yen) instead. The water in the pot was quite hot, so it took a while to cool down to the ideal temperature of 60-70 degrees. The color of the tea looked light, but when I took a sip... the richness and sweetness of the tea spread throughout my mouth, which I couldn't have imagined from its color. I could only say, "Amazing, incredibly delicious!" After finishing the tea, I was informed that the cheaper tea had more common packaging but used slightly higher quality tea leaves. I purchased Agata no Ka and Narino and left the store.

In Kyoto's Uji, known for producing top-quality tea, the Horii Shichimeien tea plantation is dedicated to preserving and nurturing the "Okunoyama" tea plantation, the only surviving livelihood tea plantation among the designated seven prestigious tea plantations known as Uji Shichimeien, recognized by the Ashikaga shogunate during the Muromachi period. Located near the Byodoin Temple, opposite the Agata Shrine, this shop is renowned for its matcha derived from two selected varieties of tea plants from the Okunoyama tea plantation, which is considered the origin of Uji tea. One of their signature matcha blends is the "Narino" (¥3,150/20g), named with the hope that Uji, the birthplace of Japanese green tea, will continue to prosper. This matcha is rich in umami due to its high theanine content and does not have a bitter taste. You can enjoy matcha with sweets for ¥600, with the seasonal sweet on offer being "Shunkusamouka" from Kozuki and the matcha being "Agata no Shiro." You can choose your favorite teacup, such as a Raku-yaki teacup from Kyoto, and relax while enjoying your tea in the small garden. Depending on the season, you can also enjoy tea in the shop's tea room, Matsukaze-an, for ¥1,000. Additionally, you can visit the Okunoyama tea plantation and even tour the factory during the new tea season in May (reservation required). Consider trying Uji tea here as part of your visit to the Byodoin Temple.

Next to the county shrine across the road is a tea house with a white tiled building. The front has many glass windows, allowing a clear view inside. The main focus is on sales, with various products displayed inside the shop. However, there are three octagonal tea tables in one corner. After visiting Mimurodo Temple to see the hydrangeas, on the way to retrieve my car parked behind Byodo-in Temple, I stumbled upon this place. There was a sign saying "Matcha," so I decided to take a little break and go in. It was quite hot, and the distance between Mimurodo and Byodo-in Temple was considerable, so my throat was also dry. The matcha I received was very delicious and smoothly flowed down my throat. The tea sweets had a light and elegant sweetness. At the entrance, there was a noren with green fabric and white letters that said "Shincha," indicating that they had new tea available. I also bought some new tea, but I didn't record what I purchased, so it's unclear what I bought.

I found this tea (Genmaicha with Matcha) at a wagashi shop in Nara and purchased it. It was very delicious. The price was reasonable too. I enjoyed it both hot and cold, and ended up buying it again.