Uji

It’s the start of the rainy season. It, and whatever is left of Typhoon Mawar when it reaches the mainland, likely means wet weather until Pa and I fly home in nine days. But you count your blessings, and today being partly sunny is one of them.

I’d been wanting to get down to Uji, the town mid-way between Kyoto and Nara known for its Matcha. I’m a believer in the green stuff, its flavor when prepared right, and its medicinal benefits no matter the naysayers.

I wanted to visit Uji to taste the local stuff and maybe participate in a tea ceremony. The pleasant day made it possible.

But before the Matcha, it’s important to know that Uji is also famous for its part in the Tale of Genji. The 1200 year-old romance is considered a classic of Japanese literature and walking about town is a reminder of that.

And there’s the museum,

dedicated solely to the Tale,

small but poignant,

in the several ways it tells the story.

So there’s the Matcha and the Tale, but people visit Uji for other reasons too, like to marvel at Byodo-in Temple.

I’ve visited a few temples now. Byodo, its architectural design and stunning setting, captures the best of those I’ve seen.

No matter the angle,

it’s the best angle possible.

Even on a day when it seems half the students of Kyoto are visiting,

it’s still stunning.

But back to Matcha. It is the primary tourist attraction,

and it’s what it does to ice cream that seems to be the big draw.

Though I would have liked to have indulged as well, I really did want to taste the truly authentic in a setting designed for Matcha, and Matcha alone.

So I went looking,

and happened upon the Taiho-An ceremonial tea house,

arriving at a time when there were no visitors, outside the house

or in.

It made no difference to Fukiyo, my teacher,

now retired after years of instructing high schoolers on the basics of English grammar and composition.

Though I wasn’t allowed to photograph once Fukiyo’s colleague had completed preparation,

it’s the feeling I’ll hold onto, and the taste of the wagashi sweet,

always eaten before sipping on the tea.

Song of Tea

• Lo Tung (790-835)

The first sip moistens my lips and throat

The second sip breaks my loneliness

The third sip revives my heavy mind, sparking some five thousand tomes inside

The fourth sip makes me slightly perspire, flushing through the pores every bit of worry

The fifth sip purifies my flesh and bones

The sixth sends me to the sages immortal

The seventh sip could not be drunk, only the cool wind rises in my sleeves