Step into Uji, where Japan’s tea heritage and aristocratic culture come alive.

Your nationally accredited guide, a certified Japanese garden designer, food and aroma coordinator, and author of "Important People and Japanese Gardens," will lead you on a private walking tour that blends history, artistry, and sensory experience.

Start at a charming tea garden and learn about the Kabusecha farming method, where shade-grown leaves develop a rich, vibrant flavor. While exploring the museum, learn about the history of the Uji area and its deep connection to tea.

At a tea cafe, you will experience grinding your own matcha using a traditional tea mill, learn how to prepare it and finally try matcha art. This place offers a rare opportunity to create art on matcha. Under the guidance of your tea instructor, you will also sample the highest quality tea, Gyokuro, which has flourished in Uji.

Make a stop at a World Heritage Site, Ujigami Shrine, where you will learn about its unique characteristics and wander through the garden that represents the Pure Land of the West.

Continue your tour with a stroll along the scenic Uji River, whose calm waters and shaded banks inspired "The Tale of Genji," while your guide shares stories of Heian-era life, gardens, and tea traditions.

Along the way, stop by a nearby Akashi-yaki pottery gallery that has been in business for 400 years and admire the beauty of hand-crafted ceramics made with centuries of skill.

If time permits at the end of the tour, wander through charming back alleys, visit a Kumihimo (braided cord) shop and local tea shops for a bit of shopping.