Travel itinary

Individual journey to Kyoto. Lukas Lange will be happy to help you find suitable flights.

Day 1 | Kyoto

Kyoto is the former residence of the Japanese Emperor. As one of the few major Japanese cities to be spared from bombing during the Second World War, many unique, ancient buildings have been preserved in Kyoto. Kyoto's temples and Shinto shrines as well as other historical buildings have been declared World Heritage Sites by Unesco.

Program points:

Visit to the former Imperial Palace of Kyoto. The palace is located in a beautiful park in the centre of Kyoto and is one of the few remaining centuries-old buildings in Japan. Savour a first maccha, a foamed tea made from finely ground green tea leaves. Visit to the traditional, famous Ippodo tea shop.

Day 2 | Kyoto

Excursion to the nearby tea-growing region of Uji. Uji is famous for Gyokuro and Maccha and is known far beyond the borders of Japan as the home of extremely high-quality teas. Visit to the company Hotta-en, where we gain an insight into the processing of Japanese green tea. Visit to one of the oldest tea shops in Japan. Journey approx. 30 minutes each way.

Day 3 | Kyoto

Visit to Jack Convery Soko, tea master in the tradition of the Urasenke school, one of the three major schools for the tea ceremony in Japan. It goes directly back to the tea master Sen Rikyu, who fundamentally shaped the Japanese tea ceremony. Jack Convery Soko has been on the path of tea for decades, while at the same time studying the Buddhist traditions that are closely linked to the Japanese tea ceremony. In doing so, he cultivates a lively and respectful approach that facilitates access to the sometimes very abstract aspects of these traditions.

Day 4 | Kyoto – Kyushu

Travel by Shinkansen (Japanese high-speed train) in three hours, covering the 660 kilometres to Japan's southernmost island. Kyushu is the third-largest Japanese island and, thanks to its ideal climate and soil conditions, offers the opportunity to produce very high-quality teas.

Day 5 | Kyushu

Visit to Hoshino Seichaen, in the remote village of Hoshino. Here, we will gain another insight into the processing of Japanese green tea, see how old stone mills are used to grind leaves into maccha and visit the surrounding tea gardens. Overnight stay in a traditional Japanese hotel, a so-called ryokan. A ryokan has a Japanese bath, as far as possible from a natural hot spring (onsen).

Day 6 | Kyushu

Visit to Kazuhisa Tokunaga's small tea factory in Ureshino. Tama Ryokucha, a little-known variety of Japanese green tea, is produced here. In the relatively small factory, the tea production process is explained again and a tasting session is organised.

Day 7 | Kyushu

Visit to the tea exchange. Here, tea is traded between tea farmers and producers at an impressive pace. The latter carry out the final processing steps before the tea is sold.

Day 8 | Kyushu – South Korea

Journey back to Fukuoka (approx. 1h), from there by ferry to Busan in South Korea (3h), then onwards by car to Hadong (approx. 2h). Hadong is home to the oldest South Korean tea-growing region around Mount Jiri and is known for the fact that green teas are still processed by hand there.

Day 9 | South Korea

Visit to Cho Yun Seok, tea producer and food engineer. He impresses with his craftsmanship and his simultaneous fascination with technical achievements and the associated possibilities of producing a wide variety of products from tea (toothpaste, ointments, etc.). A visit to his tea gardens shows how carefully he works with his plants. Accompany Cho Yun Seok in the production of hand-processed green tea of exceptional quality.

Day 10 | South Korea

Accompaniment of the final processing steps of green tea production and subsequent visit to the small local tea museum.

Day 11 | South Korea

Journey to Seoul (approx. 4 hours), where the tea journey ends.

Stopover in Hamyang to visit a factory that produces Korean ceramics and pottery.

Individual return journey from Seoul.

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Timings

The journey schedule and times given are approximate, especially in traffic it can be shorter or longer.

Tea

Tea is a natural product and harvest times can vary. We therefore reserve the right to adjust the program at short notice if necessary. For example, it would be possible to completely swap the program on day 2 and day 3.

Further information

Prices for larger and smaller groups on request.

Price calculated per person in a double room as at 2024. Prices may change from year to year due to the economic situation in the countries concerned.

Included in the price are:

• Transport costs from/to Flughafen Tokyo/Seoul

• 4-star hotels, 10 nights, based on double room

• Meals

• Translation by our interpreter

• Guided tour by Lukas Lange

• Administration

• Preparatory evening and tea

Single room surcharge: CHF 1'000.-

Flight to Japan/South Korea and back can be booked by Lukas Lange according to individual wishes.