The first tea plants in Japan, brought from China by the Zen master Eisai, were cultivated south of Kyoto, in Uji, a place selected by the high priest Myoe of Kozanji. The type of soil and the climate conditions were perfect for tea, so Uji quickly became a first-class Japanese tea producing area.

Together with the tea plantations, many tea merchants enjoyed business growth. One of them was Nakamura Tokichi, established as a tea wholesaler in 1854. His shop, built in 1890, is representative of a tea merchant’s house from the Meiji Period, and was listed as cultural landscape on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Nakamura Toukichi Building, Uji, Kyoto

EXIF Info:

Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Tokyo Station dome interior, wide angle view