The mild climate of the Seto Inland Sea, with its long hours of sunshine, was ideal for citrus cultivation, and citrus cultivation flourished on the entire slopes where sea breezes blow and sunlight pours down. Citrus varieties grown in Onomichi include lemons, satsuma mandarin, hassaku orange, Chinese citron, navels, anseikan, sumo mandarin, and Kiyomi orange. Lemon trees are planted on a sunny slope in “Lemon Valley” in Setoda-cho, Onomichi City, and their flowers bloom in early summer and the yellow lemon fruits ripen in winter and spring.
“LOG” is a complex of accommodations, restaurants, and stores that was renovated and revitalized from an apartment building near Senkoji Temple. The restaurant is popular for its menu, which uses a variety of ingredients from local producers, and also hosts events where visitors can taste local vegetables and fresh seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, as well as workshops where they can experience the traditional way of living, which places great importance on the calendar.
“Onomichi Ramen” is the original local ramen. Originating in Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, it is characterized by a soy sauce-based soup with pork back fat floating in it and flat noodles. There are many ramen stores in the city, and each store has its own original flavor, making it a pleasure to compare different types of Onomichi ramen.
The “Shimanami Sea Route” connects Onomichi City and Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture. This sea route was also developed as Japan’s first bicycle path that crosses the straits. It has been selected as one of the “Seven Greatest Cycling Routes in the World” by America’s CNN, and has attracted the attention of cyclists from all over the world. With little traffic, the course is safe even for beginners and is popular as a spot to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.
Koro-gaki, which goes well with Uji matcha, has been loved as a tea confectionery and a good luck charm for the New Year, and has been deeply connected with Uji’s tea culture. Also known as “koromusubaki” or “koro-kaki,” koro-gaki is made from a small astringent persimmon called “tsurunoko-gaki” that dries easily. Produced in winter, the persimmon’s sweetness is enhanced by exposure to cold winds. It is sold mainly from mid-December to about January of the following year, and can be purchased at JA, local tea shops, and supermarkets. If eaten before drinking alcohol, they are said to help prevent a bad taste or hangover.
“Chajiru” has been handed down from generation to generation by tea farmers as a meal that can be easily eaten outdoors. It is a kind of chazuke (rice with vegetables and dried fish, topped with sencha green tea), but the seasoning and ingredients vary from household to household. It has been recognized as a “100-year food” by the Agency for Cultural Affairs as a “local cuisine that has continued since the Edo period.” In Uji-Tawaracho, this chajiru is used in school lunches as part of efforts to convey the local food culture.
Three types of tea leaves are grown in Uji in the Yamashiro area of Kyoto: Uji matcha, Uji gyokuro, and Uji sencha. Uji matcha is made by grinding dried tea leaves into a powder using a stone mortar, etc. It has a rich aroma, little bitterness, and a subtle sweetness. Uji gyokuro is famous as a top-grade tea with a rich aroma and strong flavor. Uji sencha combines a refreshing aroma with a pleasant astringency, and is the most widely consumed of the three tea varieties.
In the Yamashiro area, visitors can experience agriculture, forestry, and fishing in the guest rooms of farmers’ homes. In addition to experiencing agriculture, forestry, and fishing, each guest house has its own special features, such as enjoying delicious homemade tea, original guest house cuisine, pottery making, green tea art, and tea incense dressing. These hands-on accommodations allow visitors to learn about the lives of the people of this region amidst beautiful nature and scenery.
There are both public and private courses in and around Uji City where you can experience a variety of tea-related activities, from tea picking to tasting, grinding stone mills, and making matcha and sencha green tea. Whether you want to learn about tea production methods, tea making, or the spirit and culture of tea, enjoy a tea experience unique to Uji City, the city of tea.
The Yamashiro region of Kyoto Prefecture, which boasts approximately 40% of the prefecture’s tea production, is famous for producing Uji tea, a premium brand of Japanese tea, and the valleys and hills in this region are covered with vast “tea fields.” The “tea fields of Ishidera” have been designated as Kyoto Prefecture’s scenic asset No. 1, and have also been recognized as a Japan Heritage site, and can be said to be the “original landscape of tea fields” that always appears in various tea discussions.
