Tea production area: Ureshino Town, Takeo City, Karatsu City, Yoshinogiri Town, Arita Town, Imari City, Kiyama Town, Kashima Town
Brand: Ureshino tea, Karatsu tea
Types of tea:  kamairicha (pan-fired green tea), mushisei-tamaryokucha (steamed curly green tea), sencha (lightly-steamed green tea), fukamushicha (deep-steamed green tea) , kukicha (stem tea), matcha, tencha, hojicha (roasted green tea), genmaicha (popped rice green tea), gyokuro (high quality shaded tea), kabusecha (shaded green tea), black tea, bancha, powdered tea, oolong eta, flavored tea, etc.

Ureshino tea
Tea is cultivated mainly in Ureshino City and other many places in Saga Prefecture.
Kamairicha (pan-fired green tea) used to be the main tea produced, but now mushisei-tamaryokucha (steamed curly green tea) is the focus of production.

A Zen Buddhist monk Esai (Yosai)
Esai (1141-1215) travelled to Song (China) twice to learn about Zen Buddhism. When he returned to Japan the second time, he brought tea seeds back to Japan from Song in 1191. It is said that he propagated Zen Buddhism in Southern parts of Kyushu for 3 years after he returned Japan. Additionally, tradition says that Esai lived on Mt. Sefuri on the border between Saga and Fukuoka Prefectures, and in Hirado, Nagasaki Prefecture in order to meditate. He planted the tea seeds on Mt. Sefuri and in Hirado. The ruins of Ryosenji temple where Esai sat in meditation can be found on Mt. Sefuri.

In 1211, he wrote a book about tea “Kissa Yojoki” (in English “Drinking Tea for Health”) which was the first tea book in Japan. The book mentions the health benefits of tea, its cultivation and details drinking methods of tea, etc.
Tea was already introduced to Japan in the 7th and 8th centuries, but tea had not yet spread throughout Japan at that time. Because of Esai, tea spread to a lot of places in Japan.

The ruins of Ryosenji temple (August 2018)

Tea garden at the site of Ryosenji-temple on Mt. Sefuri (August 2018)

Kamairicha (pan-fired green tea) and mushisei-tamaryokucha (steamed curly green tea)
Kamairicha is roasted in a pan over a direct flame at about 400℃ and it has a rich aroma and refreshing flavor.
The tea leaves of kamairicha and mushisei-tamaryokucha are not formed using a machine like standard sencha (steamed green tea). The shape of tea leaves is twisted into a rounded shape.

The birthplace of kamairhicha
Tradition says that 紅令民 (Hong ling min) who was a Chinese potter moved into Ureshino Town with a Chinese style wok in 1504 from Ming (China) and he taught the method of producing kamairicha to the local people.
In 1604 Yoshimura Shinbei, who was a retainer of the Saga Domain, started the tea industry in Ureshino Town.
There is an inscription of Ureshino tea, and a stone monument which praises Yoshimura Shinbei in Ureshino.

The stone monuments in Ureshino Town (August 2018)

Ureshino large tea plant 
There is a large tea plant which is estimated to be 360 old in Ureshino Town. The height is about 4 meters, and the diameter is about 12 meters. It was designated as a national nature monument in 1926.

Ureshino large tea plant (August 2018)

Ureshinocha-Koryukan Chaoshiru
Ureshinocha-Koryukan Chaoshiru is a museum with a tearoom, shop and tea factory. The history of Ureshino tea and equipment used in the production of kamairicha are exhibited in Chaoshiru. There are many tea experience courses for visitors, such as “how to make tasty tea”, “dyeing with tea”, ”making kamairicha”. Some courses require advance booking.

Ureshinocha-Koryukan Chaoshiru (August 2018)

Ureshino tea and sweets using Ureshino tea are served at a cafe and the tea and the sweets are sold in a shop in Chaoshiru.

Ureshino tea and sweets made using Ureshino tea at the cafe in Chaoshiru
Photo provided by Chaoshiru

A hotel where guests can enjoy Ureshino tea
Chagokoro no Yado Warakuen is a Japanese style hotel where guests can enjoy Ureshino tea. They provide dinner and alcohol using Ureshino tea. “Chaya-Jiro the BAR” opened in 2021. The bar guests serves Ureshino tea and cocktails with Ureshino tea.

Breakfast and dinner using Ureshino tea at Warakuen (August 2018)

Shochu with Ureshino tea at Warakuen (August 2018)

The bath at the hotel is unique. There is a large kyusu (Japanese tea pot) made of stone in the bath. Hot tea flows out from the kyusu and the bath water is from a natural hot spring.

Tea bath at Warakuen (August 2018)

*Before going to the ruins of Ryosenji-temple, please get the latest road information to the ruins from Yoshinogari Town Hall.

Tea related facilities:　
うれしの茶交流館「チャオシル」
http://www.city.ureshino.lg.jp/kanko/ureshinocha/_23805.html
佐賀県の観光情報ポータルサイトあそぼーさが
http://www.asobo-saga.jp/
霊仙寺跡(吉野ヶ里町)
https://www.asobo-saga.jp/search/detail.html?id=138
大茶樹(嬉野市)
https://www.asobo-saga.jp/search/detail.html?id=197
茶心の宿和楽園 https://www.warakuen.co.jp
白石町 吉村新兵衛（よしむらしんべえ）
https://www.town.shiroishi.lg.jp/jyuumin/manabu/yukari/_1156.html

Tea mascot Yuru-Chara:
Unofficial Ureshino Onsen (hot spring) mascot Yuru-Char
Ochatti is a humble tea fairy with smooth and soft skin who was born in 2019 and lives quietly in Ureshino Onsen.

Image provided by Ochatti https://ochattea.jp/

Ceramic and pottery art: Arita ware, Imari ware, Karatsu ware, Bizenyoshida ware

Reference: 
松下智 (平成3年) 日本名茶紀行 (初版) 雄山閣出版
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
大森正司、阿南豊正、伊勢村護、加藤みゆき、滝口明子、中村羊一郎編(2017) 茶の事典 初版第一刷 朝倉書店
佐賀県 佐賀県の茶産地
http://www.pref.saga.lg.jp/kiji00322764/index.html
嬉野温泉非公認キャラクター お茶っティー
https://ochattea.jp/

*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.

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