Tea Review: Yume no Uki-hashi (Tsuen Tea)

Yume no Uki-hashi / 夢の浮橋
Tsuen Tea / O-Cha.com
Type: Green
Origin: Japan, Uji City
Product Description:  The highest grade of gyokuro sold from Japan's oldest continuously operating tea shop. O-Cha.com is honored to offer this superb green tea supplied to us from the Tsuen family who have operated their teashop from same location on the banks of the Uji river since 1160.

A very high quality, first-flush gyokuro, this green tea is hand picked and is a proprietary blend of "Gokou" and "Yabukita" breeds of green tea, with the "Gokou" being prominent. Gyokuro is shade grown before harvesting, giving it a greener color and sweeter taste. Once you learn to make it properly, you wil be hooked for life!

Temperature: 140° F

Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1 minute

The dry leaves have an aroma of green grass, nori, and starchy rice.

The infusion is pale green with a savory aroma of edamame (soy beans) and nori.  The taste is green, buttery, and distinctly umami.

I had great results with the one minute steeping time throughout three infusions and could expect more successful infusions.   

I purchased this tea in-person at Tsuen in Uji, Japan.  Since I'm not sure if they can accept overseas orders,  I have included the link to O-Cha.com for online ordering purposes.

Tsuen

While visiting Uji, I stopped for tea at Japan's oldest tea shop.

Tsuen/通圓 was founded in 1160 on the eastern side of the Uji Bridge by Furukawa Unai who later took the name Taikei-an Tsuen Masahisa.  Descendants of Tsuen have continued to operate the tea shop and have served important figures in Japan's history, including Ashikaga Yoshimasa, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.  The current version of the tea shop was built in 1672.

The central area of the tea shop is part of the original structure.  Tea urns from the past three hundred years are on display, as well as a wooden figure of the first Tsuen.  Here you may purchase tea, teaware, and gifts, and sample their tea.

In addition to the tea shop, Tsuen also offers a tea room where you can have a light meal with tea while enjoying the view of the Uji River.  

Due to limited seating, guests may need to sign in and wait for a table to become available.  It's worth the relatively short wait, but for those who just want a quick treat, Tsuen also offers green tea ice cream that can be enjoyed on the comfortable seating outside the tea room entrance.

Guests of the tea room are served a refreshing cup of houjicha as soon as they are seated.

I ordered zenzai (a favorite traditional dessert), which was delicious, and the constant refills of the houjicha were greatly appreciated.

If you have a free morning or afternoon while staying in Kyoto, I highly recommend a visit to Uji, and especially a visit to the famous Tsuen tea shop.  It's a short 20-30 minute train ride from Kyoto Station on the JR Nara Line or by the Keihan Uji Line and then a short walk east from JR Uji Station across Uji Bridge or directly across the street from Uji Station (Keihan Line).

Address:

〒611-0021　京都府宇治市宇治東内１番地
〒611-0021 Kyōto-fu, Uji-shi, Uji, Higashiuchi−1

Hours: 

9:30am-5:30pm (Open 7 days)