Artisanal Wagashi & Organic Bancha: Explore the Tea Culture of Matsue

・Discover Bancha: San'in’s Everyday Tea Culture

Bancha has been cherished in the Izumo area of Shimane for many centuries. This unique tea, made from large, mature leaves, is dried without rolling and then roasted to achieve its distinctive flavor. The outcome is a delightful, aromatic tea with minimal bitterness. Often referred to as Baby Bancha due to its gentle nature, it is suitable for all ages, from infants to the elderly. Whether served hot or cold, this tea is an integral part of the local culture.

・Karakoro Art Studio: History Brought to Life

Your experience of making wagashi takes place in a magnificent historical structure, which was originally built in 1938 as the Matsue Branch of the Bank of Japan. The stunning exterior columns, the corridors on the second floor, and the enormous vault doors in the basement have been preserved, maintaining the charm of early 20th-century banking architecture. Following your workshop, you can savor a leisurely lunch at the terrace café or wander through the delightful shopping streets along the castle moat.

Highlights

• Matsue is a city where tea culture is deeply integrated into everyday life. This tour commences at the historic Karakoro Art Studio, where you will create two seasonal sweets, nerikiri and kinton, with the help of master artisans from the 150-year-old Saiundo. This is a unique chance to engage with traditional Japanese aesthetics directly.
• Subsequently, take your crafted sweets to the picturesque organic tea garden of "Oba Sorayama." Surrounded by sacred shrines, the farm "Matsue Takarabako" has been committed to eco-friendly, pesticide-free farming for 30 years, utilizing local resources to enrich the soil. Relish a tranquil moment as you connect with both Matsue’s enduring traditions and its sustainable, healthy future.

Itinerary

• Meet your guide at Matsue Station.
• Experience making two types of Japanese sweets.
• Lunch (Free time)
• Move to Tea plantation by chartered taxi
• Bancha tea making experience, Tea time, Strolling through the tea plantation.
• Move to JR Matsue Station
• Disband at Matsue Station

Price Details

Included

• Experience fees: Japanese sweets making experience/Bancha tea making experience and tea party
• One English-speaking guide
• Chartered taxi fare for a round trip starting and ending at Matsue Station.

Not included

• Lunch

Important Information

Cancellation Policy

20% of the tour fee if cancelled 7 days or more prior to the tour

50% of the tour fee if cancelled 3 days or more prior to the tour

100% of the tour fee if cancelled on the day of the tour, after the

tour has departed, or in case of no show　

Purchase Notice

Tour conditions:

• Maximum number of participants: 6 people.

・Please note that you may share the Japanese sweets making

experience with other guests.　

Tour Includes:

・Chartered taxi fare for a round trip starting and ending at Matsue Station.

・Experience fees: Japanese sweets making experience/

Bancha tea making experience and tea party

・One English-speaking guide

Not include the tour: Lunch fee

Wheelchair users and children under 10 are not accepted to

participate.

How to Use

Voucher will be sent via email. Please show your e-voucher at designated location.

Cancellation Policy

• 169 or more hour before the activity date: 0% cancellation fee
• Between 73 and 168 hour before the activity date: 20% cancellation fee
• Between 25 and 72 hour before the activity date: 50% cancellation fee
• Less than 25 hour before the activity date: 100% cancellation fee