Overview

Learn about the excellent tea of Ōmi through a significant encounter in the Warring States period.

Details

Sankencha

Back in 1575 when the great warlord Oda Nobunaga was out hunting in Nagahama, he dropped into a temple and called for tea. The young Ishida Mitsunari served him three cups of tea in a way that so impressed Nobunaga, he made Mitsunari his page there and then.
Through his intelligence and courage, Mitsunari became a force to reckon with on the national stage, and he led one of the two armies that fought at the epic Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 that set the course of Japan’s subsequent history.

Mandokoro Tea

The tea that Mitsunari served Nobunaga was a variety grown in Ōmi called Mandokoro, and the way that he served it brought out its characteristics to perfection. Mandokoroen is a large teashop on Castle Road in Hikone. Our tea is grown by hand with the same sustainable methods used in Mitsunari’s time. In this program, you make tea as Mitsunari did, learning various ways to enjoy Japanese tea and its historic background.

Availability
Year-round. Ideal for groups.

Time required
90 minutes