Discover Wazuka, Kyoto's hidden tea town. Enjoy peaceful sightseeing and scenic walking trails through rolling green tea plantations and visit the iconic Ishitera Tea Fields.

While Kyoto is universally famous for its historic temples and bamboo groves, the serene town of Wazuka (和束町) offers a completely different, yet equally breathtaking, kind of beauty. Known as the primary producing region of premium Uji tea, this hidden gem features endless rolling hills draped in vibrant, geometric green tea plantations. For those looking to escape the dense city crowds, Wazuka provides incredibly peaceful sightseeing and walking routes that wind gently through the terraced fields. Strolling along these paths offers panoramic, unobstructed views of rural Japan, making it a refreshing and deeply scenic immersion into nature.

The sightseeing routes in Wazuka are perfectly suited for leisurely valley strolls and exploring the gentle slopes of the mountainsides. The trails take you along narrow farmer's paths, cutting directly through the perfectly manicured rows of tea bushes. As you walk higher up the slopes, the air grows noticeably crisper, and you are rewarded with sweeping views of the entire valley blanketed in green. It is a quiet, meditative walk where the only sounds are the rustling of leaves and local wildlife. (Note: Because the walking paths include unpaved agricultural roads and some steep inclines, wearing a pair of comfortable walking shoes or sneakers is highly recommended!)

If you want to plan your trip around the absolute peak of the vivid green tea fields, the magic window is between late April and mid-May.

In the Japanese tea calendar, the peak is traditionally marked by Hachiju-hachiya (八十八夜), which means the "88th night" after the first day of spring. This day typically falls on May 1st or May 2nd each year. This is the exact moment the very first, highest-quality tea leaves (Shincha) are ready for harvest.

Top Places to Visit:

1. Ishitera Tea Fields (石寺の茶畑): The most iconic landscape in Wazuka. These steep, sweeping tea fields stretch all the way up into the sky and are so picturesque that they are frequently featured in Kyoto tourism posters.
2. Wazukacha Cafe (和束茶カフェ): The perfect starting point for your sightseeing. You can pick up walking maps here, sample locally brewed matcha and sencha, and reward yourself with rich matcha ice cream after your stroll.
3. Tenku Cafe (天空カフェ): Also known as the "Sky Cafe," this is a small, elevated viewing platform situated high up in the plantations. Reaching it requires a short walk up a steep incline, but the panoramic bird's-eye view of the tea fields below is absolutely unparalleled.