Tsuen Tea facts for kids
Tsuen Tea (通圓, Tsūen) is the oldest tea house in Japan. It was started way back in 1160 in Uji city, which is in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.
This makes Tsuen Tea one of the oldest companies in Japan. It's also one of the oldest businesses in the entire world! The shop is right across from Uji Station. It's also very close to the famous Uji Bridge, which was first built in 646. For many years, the Tsuen family members were like "bridge guardians." They would offer tea to people traveling across the bridge. Tsuen Tea is even mentioned in a traditional Japanese play called "Tsuen." It also appears in the famous novel Musashi. Today, the 24th generation of the Tsuen family still runs this amazing tea house.
A Long History of Tea
The person who started Tsuen Tea was named Furukawa Unai. He was a samurai, which is a type of Japanese warrior. When he got older and retired, Furukawa changed his name to Tsuen Masahisa. He also became a monk. He decided to live right by the east side of the Uji Bridge.
His family continued to use the Tsuen name. They took on the important job of being guardians of the Uji Bridge. They would pray for the bridge to stay strong and for everyone who used it to be safe and healthy. As part of this role, they also served delicious tea to all the travelers. Many famous people throughout history have stopped by Tsuen Tea for a cup. This includes powerful leaders called shoguns, like Ashikaga Yoshimasa, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
The Historic Building
The building you see today at Tsuen Tea has parts that are very old. It includes pieces of a merchant's home that was built in 1672. If you look at the front, you'll notice it has a wide entrance and not many support pillars. This special way of building was popular in the early Edo period of Japan. It made it super easy for people to walk in and out of the shop.
When you step inside, you'll see some really cool things. There are ceramic tea jars on display that are hundreds of years old! You can also see a small wooden statue of the Tsuen founder. This statue was given to the shop by a famous monk named Ikkyū Oshō. Another interesting item is a wooden well bucket. People say it was made by Sen no Rikyū, who was a very famous master of the Japanese tea ceremony.
Delicious Tea Products
Today, Tsuen Tea sells many different kinds of tea products. Here are some of their main offerings:
- matcha - This is a special type of green tea that is ground into a fine powder. You whisk it with hot water to make a frothy drink.
- gyokuro - This is a high-quality green tea. The tea plants are shaded from the sun before they are picked. This gives the tea a unique, rich flavor.
- sencha - This is the most common type of green tea in Japan. It's made from whole tea leaves that are steeped in hot water.
- karigane - This tea is interesting because it includes not just the tea leaves, but also small twigs from the tea plant.
- hōjicha - Unlike other green teas, hōjicha is roasted. This gives it a warm, nutty flavor and a reddish-brown color.
- genmaicha - This tea is a mix of green tea leaves and roasted brown rice. It has a unique, savory taste.
See also
- Japanese tea ceremony
- List of oldest companies
External links
- Company website
