Uji sits between Nara and Kyoto and is where tea cultivation in Japan first took hold, after seeds were brought back from China.

Uji built its reputation on shaded tea. Covering the plants for weeks before harvest reduces the astringency and concentrates the sweetness and umami, and that is the technique behind both gyokuro and matcha. It is slow, labor-intensive work, and it is why Uji tea has been the reference point for quality in Japan for centuries rather than the cheapest option.