Kansai No.1 Hand-Picking Event

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Join Obubu in Creating the Best Tea in the Kansai Tea Competition! A Unique Tea Hand-Picking Experience!

Do you want to be part of making the best tea in Kansai? Sign up now to join our tea-picking event HERE! (Google Form Application)

At Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms, we hosted the “Japan’s Best Tea-Picking Experience – Let’s Make the Best Tea Project” from 2009 to 2016, aiming to create Japan’s finest tea. Now, in spring 2025, 9 years later, we’re bringing it back! This time, we’re launching a new project to aim for the best tea in Kansai!

The tea harvested during this event will be entered into the Kansai Tea Competition, which is like the “Koshien” (national baseball championship) of tea. To compete for the No.1 spot in Kansai, we need a lot of enthusiastic helping hands, as all the tea leaves will be hand-picked! That’s why we are looking for many volunteers to help us make No.1 tea together!

📅 Event Details

  • Date: One day between April 16–24, 2025
    • The exact date will be confirmed via email 1 week to 10 days in advance.
  • Meeting Point: Obubu Tea Farms Parking Lot, Wazuka, Kyoto
  • Time: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Reception starts at 8:00 AM)
  • Participation Fee: Free
    • Includes: Tea-picking experience, a special Wazuka original tea cup, and tea
    • Not included: Please bring your own lunch
    • You are free to arrive and leave anytime. Just inform the staff when you leave.

🍵 Did you know there are tea competitions?

Just like wine or coffee competitions, tea competitions judge tea based on appearance, aroma, and taste. To achieve high scores, traditional hand-picking is essential!

🍃 What is “hand-picking”?

As the name suggests, it means selecting and picking tea leaves by hand instead of using harvesting machines. This method allows us to carefully select only the best tea buds, resulting in high-quality tea.

For this project, we will be picking tea using the “one bud, two leaves” (一芯二葉; isshin nīyō) method.
This is the best way to harvest a large amount of high-quality tea leaves in a short time. However, since the leaves are small, collecting the required amount takes a lot of time and effort.

But that’s the challenge we’re taking on to produce the best-quality tea!

🎯 Our Goal

  • We need a total of 45 kg of fresh tea leaves!
  • Each participant should aim to pick at least 800g of tea leaves.
  • The tea we harvest will be entered into the Kansai Tea Competition with hopes of winning No.1!
  • Next year, those who return will receive the tea we produced this year!

⏳ Event Schedule

  • 8:00 AM: Reception opens
  • 8:00–11:30 AM: Morning tea-picking session
  • 11:30–12:00 PM: Lunch break (Please bring your own lunch)
  • 12:00–2:30 PM: Afternoon tea-picking session
  • 2:30–3:00 PM: Closing ceremony (announcements, awards, and preparations for departure

If you wish to participate, please fill in the registration form.

📍 Meeting Place:

  • Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms – in front of the tea processing factory (Google Maps link of the parking lot)
  • Tea Field Location: A QR code with the map will be provided at the reception. It takes about 15 minutes on foot to reach the tea field (Google Maps link).

Note: There are no toilets in the tea field. Please use the toilets at Obubu before heading out.

🚗 Access and Transportation Options

By Public Transportation:

  • 8:10 AM: Take the #65 bus from JR Kamo Station West Exit towards Harayama, Wazuka Town. You can reach Kamo Station from Kizu Station or Nara Station. If you’re coming from Kyoto City, transfer at one of these stations. Google Maps is your friend for finding the best route! For further guidance, here is a page for directions to Obubu.
  • The local Wazuka bus comes once an hour, so be sure to check the schedule. (As of April 1, 2023)
  • 8:28 AM: Arrive at “Higashi Wazuka” bus stop. Walk 3 minutes to the meeting point.

By Car:

  • Parking: Available at Obubu Tea Farm (around 30 spaces)

By Obubu Shuttle Bus:

You can commute to Wazuka conveniently using our new community-operated shuttle bus from Kyoto Station or JR Kizu Station. Information and booking page HERE.

🛫 To Wazuka:

  • From Kyoto Station: Departs at 8:30 AM, arrives to Obubu at 9:50 AM (Note: You will miss the start of the event.)
  • From JR Kizu Station: Departs at 10:30 AM, arrives to Obubu at 10:50 AM (Note: You will miss the start of the event.)

🛬 Return Trips:

  • To Kyoto Station: Departs at 4:10 PM, arrives at 5:30 PM
  • To JR Kizu Station: Departs at 3:10 PM, arrives at 3:30 PM

⚠️ Important Notes

  • The harvested tea leaves cannot be taken home as they will be entered into the competition.
  • Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes that can get dirty (rubber boots are recommended).
  • The event will proceed even in case of rain.
  • If you have any questions, feel free to contact us!

📩 Email: obubu@obubu.com
📞 Emergency Contact (Day of Event): 080-3038-2516 (Matsumoto’s phone number)

Join us for a fun and rewarding tea-picking experience!

We look forward to welcoming you here in Wazuka!