Ureshino: A Hidden Gem for Japanese Tea

Tucked in the western part of Saga Prefecture, near the border of Nagasaki, Ureshino is one of Japan’s most historic and unique tea regions. Surrounded by gentle mountains ranging from 800 to 1,000 meters in elevation, Ureshino’s tea fields stretch across hillsides between 300 and 600 meters above sea level — the perfect environment for growing high-quality tea.


Fertile Soil, Ideal Climate

Ureshino's rich, fertile soil is especially suited to growing tea plants high in theanine and catechins, compounds that give tea its umami and antioxidant properties.

The region enjoys a mild climate, with cool winters (0–10°C) and warm summers (23–30°C). The significant difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures — thanks to the surrounding mountains — helps enhance the flavor of the tea.

Water from the mountains flows into the Ureshino River, supporting both the region’s famous hot springs and the tea fields through natural irrigation.


 A Rich Tea History Rooted in Ureshino

Ureshino is more than just beautiful — it’s a place steeped in centuries of tea tradition:

 

1191 – Eisai the Zen monk

After returning from China, he planted tea seeds on the mountainside of Mt. Sefuri in Saga, marking the birth of tea cultivation in Japan.

 

 

 1440 – Arrival of Ming-era potters

Artisans from China’s Ming Dynasty settled in Ureshino's Fudoyama district, cultivating tea for personal use while producing ceramics.
 

 1504 – Ko Reimin and the “Ureshino Kettle”

A Chinese potter named Ko Reimin introduced a special roasting kettle for pan-firing tea — a method that would spread throughout Kyushu as the “Ureshino Kettle.”
 

1651 – Shinbei Yoshimura, Father of Ureshino Tea

He began large-scale tea cultivation at Mt. Fudoyama. A 350-year-old tea tree, now a national natural monument, stands as a symbol of his legacy.
     

     1735 – Baisaō (Zen monk Baisao)

    Born in Saga in 1675, Baisaō later moved to Kyoto, where he popularized tea as a tool for Zen and daily life. His open-air tea stall on the banks of the Kamo River welcomed all with the motto: “Pay what you wish, but never for free.”

     

     

      1853 – Kei Ōura, the Tea Export Pioneer

      A female merchant in Nagasaki, she was the first to export Ureshino tea overseas. Her work helped finance the movement that led to the Meiji Restoration.