Original Yamato teas and food are offered at a café where customers instantly become happy.

The village of Tawara is approximately 20 minutes drive from JR Nara station.
The tea gardens of this town are among the prettiest of Japan. Their aesthetic appeal is praised internationally,
which is something that may be derived from the fact that this scenery was one of the settings in a film that won the Grand Prix at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
Located somewhere in this beautiful landscape,
there is an agreeable café where authentic Yamato teas from this region can be enjoyed, together with delicious foods.
The owner of this café is Ms. Takako Takenishi, who is also a farmer's wife.
Takenishi-san is always smiling, spreading a fresh breeze and happiness to whomever she meets.

A place to relax, enjoying fresh produce from the mountains

Takenishi-san opened her tea café and restaurant over 13 years ago, naming it Yūcha'an, meaning “the hermitage where tea is playfully enjoyed.”
She decided to establish the café on the site of an old cattle barn.
Her café offers visitors a selection of Yamato teas from the Takenishi Tea Farm served with sweets, and a lunch of seasonal produce available on prior reservation.
Rice boiled in a broth of Hojicha, or roasted tea, is combined with several dishes cooked with organic vegetables, allowing the customers of Yūcha'an a delicious and healthy lunch.

Tea manufacturing mindful of the needs of the consumer, producer, and local community

Takenishi-san became a member of the Takenishi Tea Farm when she married her husband, Nagahito-san.
After marriage, she began to believe in the appeal of Yamato tea and wanted to introduce Yamato tea to as many people as possible. Then, in 1995, Takenishi Tea Farm incorporated organic and pesticide-free methods of tea farming.
The main motivation for this shift was not only to produce finer quality teas for their customers, but also a healthier environment and workspace for the tea producers and local community.

Bringing people together through tea

At Yūcha'an tea café, new connections are made between people from various areas of the community.
Takenishi-san envisions her space as an important hub where people gather, just like a train station.
Together with the people of the community, a yearly festival in appreciation for a successful harvest is also held each year at Yūcha'an.
Her dream is to allow foreign and Japanese guests alike, to learn about tea at her little establishment, and to pass on this knowledge to subsequent generations. She will continue to bring increasingly more guests together during the coming years.

Japanese tea café & Farmers' restaurant Takenishi Tea Farm Yūcha'an

458 Nakanoshocho, Nara
Hours: Lunch from 11:30.
# Please reserve lunch 2 days prior to your visit. (for between 4 to 15 people)
# Closed during the harvest season, from mid-May to early June.
Café open on Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 11:00 till 17:00
# Reservation required for weekdays (3 days before / more than 4 people)
# Closed during the harvest season, from mid-May to early June.
Tocha (a tea competition where participants taste 5 kinds of tea to compete in discerning them)
# Reservation required (3 days before / more than 4 people)
Tel: +81-742-81-0383
https://www.yamatocha.net

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