Tea production area:
Brand name of tea:
Types of tea: 

Tea was once cultivated in Osaka Prefecture. There are a few tea gardens today in Osaka, but these are not for commercial use.
One tea garden is located at the bairin (梅林 plum grove) area in the Osaka castle park.
300 tea plants which were planted in 1983 are there.

Tea plants at Osaka castle park (December 2021)

The other tea garden is located at Chatuminosato (茶摘みの里 Tea bush fields) in the Expo’70 Commemorative Park. 15,000 tea plants are in this park which was built on the site of the 1970 Japan World Exposition.
In the park there is the Tower of the Sun, flower gardens, Japanese gardens, the Japan Folk Crafts Museum, etc.. The Tower of the Sun was designed by the Japanese famous artist, OKAMOTO Taro.

Chatsuminosato (茶摘みの里) at the Expo’70 Commemorative Park. (January 2022)

Sukunahikona Shrine
The Sukunahikona Shrine (少彦名神社) is at Doshomachi (道修町) which is the wholesale district in Osaka City.
In this shrine, the Japanese god of Medicine “Sukunahikona no Mikoto (少彦名命)” and the legendary founder of Chinese medicine “Shinno (神農)” are both enshrined.
Shinno is a legendary emperor of ancient China. According to legend, Shinno daily consumed many varieties of plants in to confirm their effects for medicinal purposes. Some of the plants were poisonous and once he was poisoned by 72 plants in a single day, however each time Shinno drank tea as the antidote.

A wooden statue of Shinno at Sukunahikona Shrine (December 2017)

SEN no Rikyu and Sakai
During the Warring States period, Sakai prospered as a center of trade with Ming (China), Korea, Spain and Portugal. Many wealthy merchants of Sakai, including TAKENO Joo (1502-1555) and SEN no Rikyu (1522-1591) who became a master of the Japanese tea ceremony (茶人).
SEN no Rikyu learned Chanoyu (茶の湯 Japanese tea ceremony) from TAKENO Joo and then became the founder of the SEN family of Sado (茶道). He then perfected Wabicha (侘茶). Wabi means miserable, lonely, etc. and cha (茶) means tea.

Sen no Rikyu Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony) Museum, Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko (June 2019)

Sakai Risho no Mori (さかい利晶の杜 Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko)
Located in Sakai City is a cultural tourism facility with theme of SEN no Rikyu and poet YOSANO Akiko. On exhibit there are tea ceremony utensils related to SEN no Rikyu and the restored chashitu (茶室 tea ceremony room), Taian (待庵) which was designed by him. You can experience the Japanese tea ceremony which involves having matcha and a Japanese confectionary.
The residence of SEN no Rikyu is located next to the museum and the well roof in the photo was rebuilt using old wooden parts of the gate of the Daitokuji-temple (大徳寺) which was related to SEN no Rikyu.

Sakai Plaza of Rikyu and Akiko (June 2019)

Ryurei Teicha (立礼呈茶 Casual Tea Ceremony) (June 2019)

The well which was rebuilt at the Sen no Rikyu house site (June 2019)

Related article on the site: 「日本のお茶の生産状況」「博物館 & 公園 さかい利晶の杜 千利休茶の湯館　万博記念公園」　

Tea related event: 

Tea related facilities:
大阪城公園 http://www.osakacastlepark.jp
万博記念公園 https://www.expo70-park.jp
少彦名神社 http://www.sinnosan.jp
Sen no Rikyu Chanoyu (Tea Ceremony) Museum さかい利晶の杜 http://www.sakai-rishonomori.com

Ceramic and pottery art: 

Reference:
松下智 (平成3年) 日本名茶紀行 (初版) 雄山閣出版
世界文化社 (2011年) 茶の湯 便利手帳③茶の湯基本用語集 (初版) 世界文化社
高野實・谷本陽蔵・富田勲・中川致之・岩浅潔・寺本益英・山田新市 (2005) 緑茶の事典 (改訂3版) 柴田書店
五味文彦・鳥海靖 編 (2009年) もういちど読む山川日本史(第1版) 山川出版社
大阪城公園 http://www.osakacastlepark.jp
少彦名神社 http://www.sinnosan.jp
万博記念公園 https://www.expo70-park.jp
さかい利晶の杜 http://www.sakai-rishonomori.com

*When visiting the shops and facilities introduced in this article, please check the business hours on their website, etc. before visiting.
*The information provided on this site may be updated. If you find any information in this article that is incorrect, new, or incomplete, please contact CHAMART.
*The site does not describe all “Teas of Japan” or all “Teas of the World”. Additionally, each article expresses the writer’s personal experience and feelings.

#Osaka #sennorikyu #Japanesetea