Experience the Crafts of Yame Through Matcha Tea (1hr)｜Tourism

【Fukuoka/Yame】 Experience Yame, a Town of Crafts!

Experience the Crafts of Yame Through Matcha Tea (1hr)

A tea set that showcases the skills of Yame’s craft makers

Enjoying a chat with the friendly Ms. Hori is a highlight of the tour

Maruyasabo is located in the old district of Yame that is filled with traditional architecture

Dashibukusa cloth tailored by Shimogawa Textile

Bowls crafted by the lively pottery maker, Kazami Pottery

Fresh sweets made by Kikuya, served on a plate made by the wooden bucket workshop Matsunobu Kogei

Teaspoons made of susu bamboo from the nearby Hoshino Village

In addition to drinking matcha tea, you can also try your hand at making it

Kurume Kasuri textiles, buddhist altars, wooden bucket-making, carpentry — Yame is a place where craftspeople live and work side-by-side. Craftpeople from each of these traditions were asked to create an original utensil/tool to be used in the matcha process. Enjoy a tea experience unique to Yame. The experience takes place at Maruyasabo in the Fukushima district of Yame, a beautiful white-walled traditional townscape dating back hundreds of years. Under the guidance of Asuka Hori, a master tea practitioner, you can try your hand at making some of your own matcha tea. Ms. Hori, who is well acquainted with Yame's craftspeople, is filled with captivating stories and knowledge. Allow this experience to serve as the gateway to your Yame journey.

● Enjoy Yame matcha tea with original cups and utensils made by Yame craftspeople
● Take in the atmosphere of Yame’s traditional townscape, where Maruyasabo is located
● Make your own matcha tea — though it may seem intimidating it’s actually quite a simple process
● Pair Yame matcha tea with fresh sweets from Kikuya, a long-standing Japanese confectionery in Yame
● Ask the teahouse master Askua Hori about the best local spots
● This program is also recommended for first-time visitors to Yame

Asuka HoriTea Master, Maruyasabo

In the summer of 2020, Ms. Hori opened Maruyasabo, a teahouse where visitors can casually experience Yame matcha. She offers the ochamagoto tea ceremony experience, a more relaxed version of the traditional tea ceremony so that many folks can enjoy the joys of tea without the pressure of rigid rules.

Destination Info

Yame’s Fukushima District: A Townscape Filled with Beautiful White-Walled Buildings

The Fukushima district of Yame City, which developed as a castle town in the early Edo period (~1600s), was severely damaged by a large typhoon in 1991. Afterwards, the government worked with citizens to preserve the townscape, a collection of traditional streets painted in beautiful white and red ochre. Maruyasabo is located in a renovated old house, right in the center of this historical district.

The traditional white-walled architecture of Yame Fukushima

Program Contents

Experience the Diversity of Yame’s Handicrafts through a Matcha Experience

Experience the work of many different Yame craftspeople through this matcha tea program. The lacquer and gold tea containers are made by buddhist altar makers at Ogata Butsudan Honten, while the round tea trays are made by Shuichi Kunitake, a woodworker whose studio is located on the same street as Maruyasabo.

Natsume tea containers made by Ogata Butsudan Honten craftspeople

Immersive Craft Stay

Experience a World of Artisanship at Craft Inn 手 [té]

Located in Yame close to Maruyasabo (3 minutes walk), is Craft Inn 手 [té], an inn operated by UNA Laboratories that was renovated from a traditional Japanese building. From the furniture to the fixtures, bath, and decorations, every aspect of the inn highlights the craftsmanship of local artisans. An overnight stay at Craft Inn 手 [té] paired with a craft tour is a great way to experience the spirit of Kyushu and its craftspeople! Learn more about Craft Inn 手 [té] and reserve a room here.

Cord	GFYM07
Dates	Monday, Thursday ~ Sunday from 14:00 ※Tours are held by request. Please send us your preferred dates using the inquiry form. We will check availability and get back to you as soon as possible.
Schedule	13:55 Meet at Maruyasabo 14:00 Introduction, choose tea sets 14:10 Enjoy matcha and Japanese sweets prepared by the teahouse master 14:30 Try your hand at making matcha tea yourself using utensils made by Yame artisans. Enjoy the tea with fresh sweets from Kikuya, and exchange conversation about Yame’s crafts. ＜Nearby Sights＞ ※ In the traditional part of Yame where Maruyasabo is located, one can also find Yame’s oldest tea shop, Konomi Honke, and the Unagi no Nedoko bookstore, located in a renovated old Japanese townhouse. The bookstore is located in the same building as Craft Inn 手 [té], an inn where visitors can experience using locally-made handicrafts.
Languages	Japanese
Participants	Minimum 1/ Maximum 4
Meeting Place	Maruyasabo 154 Motomachi, Yame City, Fukuoka Prefecture ※ For those coming by car, please use the Yame Dentou Kougeikan (Traditional Craft Center) parking lot.
Reservation Deadline	3 days before the start of the tour
Payment Method	Advance payment at the time of application (VISA, Mastercard, Amex, JCB)
Attire	Please wear comfortable clothes
Please Note	●This is an experience program where guests arrange transportation themselves to and from the meeting place. ●UNA Laboratories staff will not accompany guests on this program. ●We recommend participants purchase domestic travel insurance for the tour. ●The tour will be held even in the event of rain, barring cases of inclement weather such as heavy rain or a typhoon. ●All of the photographs displayed on this website are for illustrative purposes only. Also please note that as the workshop is not a tourist attraction, the processes that visitors can see may change depending on the day, and there may be days when some machines may not be running. ●Children of elementary school age and younger may participate in the tour with a parent or guardian. However, UNA Laboratories or Shimogawa Textiles shall not be held responsible for any injuries or accidents that may occur in the parking lot or during the tour. In particular, when touring the factory, please keep an eye on your child/children to make sure that they do not touch the machines. ●This tour may be cancelled in the event that its smooth implementation becomes difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the event of cancellation, the tour fee will be fully refunded.
Cancellation Policy	3 to 1 day(s) preceding the tour start date: 50% of the tour fee Before departure on the tour start date: 100% of the tour fee After the start of tour or no-show: 100% of the tour fee

Travel Planning: Implementation

UNA Laboratories Inc. (Fukuoka Prefectural Governor Registration #2-951)
3-12-22-302 Yakuin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture 810-0022
TEL: 092-982-7956E-MAIL: tour@unalabs.jp
Domestic Certified Travel Supervisors:
Aya Tamura, Noriko Yahata, Rei Watanabe
Business Hours:
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday (Closed Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays)
*Requests received outside of business hours will be processed the following business day.
*Domestic Certified Travel Supervisors are responsible for transactions held at the sales office that processes customers’ travel. Please do not hesitate to contact the aforementioned Domestic Certified Travel Supervisors with any questions or concerns regarding the travel contract.

Tour Information

Dates: Monday, Thursday ~ Sunday from 14:00
※Tours are held by request. Please send us your preferred dates using the inquiry form. We will check availability and get back to you as soon as possible.

Duration: 1 hour

Recommended Age: Suitable for All Ages

Price: 3,800yen (tax included)

Remarks: ※ Included in the tour price: two cups of matcha tea, omogashi sweets and higashi dried candies, and tea ceremony experience

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