Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Parking Lot Shoeprints
Dewey Square Pylon & Bent 38
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Beneath downtown Minneapolis, Schieks Cave has surprisingly warm groundwater, evidence of a subterranean heat island.
Schieks Cave Below Minneapolis Contains a Lake of Warm Sewage
about 13 hours ago
Athenaeus described various kinds of Greek drinking vessels, like the deep, rounded skyphos and wide, flat kylix.
The Ancient Greek Guide to Succeeding at Dinner Parties
1 day ago
No thanks.
AO Mailbag: Which Places Just Aren’t Worth Visiting?
3 days ago
Benshi would introduce and provide commentary for films like A Page of Madness.
Remembering the Heyday of Japan’s Silent Film Narrators
3 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Japan Fukuoka Japan’s First Tea Tree
Gastro Obscura

Japan’s First Tea Tree

In the oldest zen temple stands a descendant of the very tree that introduced tea to Japanese culture.

Fukuoka, Japan

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The tea tree at Shofuku-ji Temple.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The tea tree at Shofuku-ji Temple.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Detail.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Japan’s first tea tree.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The leaves that brought tea to Japanese culture.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Tea is said to have originated in China about 2,700 years ago. It was brought to Japan by a mission of monks returning from Tang, and its earliest cultivation was in 1191, when the Buddhist priest Myōan Eisai sowed tea seeds in the Iwakamibō gardens of Ryōzen-ji Temple, Saga, not far from the ancient settlement of Yoshinogari.

Initially meant to be a medicinal plant, Japanese tea soon evolved into its own kind, with a culture of tea ceremonies developing over the years. Eisai's tea became what is known as matcha today. It was widely appreciated by Buddhists practicing zen, as they believed it improved one's body and spirit.

On the grounds of Shōfuku-ji Temple in Fukuoka, the oldest zen temple in Japan originally established by Eisai himself, stands a direct descendant of his tea trees, known as the "Japan's First Tea Tree." A small, nondescript tree with lean branches at first glance, it may not be anything extraordinary, but its influence on traditional Japanese culture is irreplaceable.

Related Tags

Trees Temples Tea
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Hidden Japan: Sado Island, Nara & Kyoto

Explore a different side of Japan.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Edited By

kdthomas310

  • kdthomas310

Published

August 7, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Japan’s First Tea Tree
Fukuoka, 812-0037
Japan
33.596796, 130.414041

Nearby Places

Tomb of the Wet Kimono

Fukuoka, Japan

miles away

Golden Frog of Hakata Station

Fukuoka, Japan

miles away

Sanatorium - Wonder Museum Annex

Fukuoka, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Fukuoka

Fukuoka

Japan

Places 5

Nearby Places

Tomb of the Wet Kimono

Fukuoka, Japan

miles away

Golden Frog of Hakata Station

Fukuoka, Japan

miles away

Sanatorium - Wonder Museum Annex

Fukuoka, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Fukuoka

Fukuoka

Japan

Places 5

Related Stories and Lists

24 of the Oldest Trees in the World

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Parvati Hill Chapha Tree

    Pune, India

    Parvati Hill Chapha Tree

    Said to be the oldest tree in Pune.

  • Zakoba Temple

    Pune, India

    Zakoba Temple

    An ancient temple in the middle of a residential neighborhood encapsulated by a beautiful tree.

  • From NW

    Athens, Greece

    The Olive Tree of the Acropolis

    Legend says this sacred tree was a gift from goddess Athena.

  • Leather belts running from the generator to the fans on the top floor.

    Kandapola, Sri Lanka

    Heritance Tea Factory

    This 19th-century tea factory turned hotel showcases restored machinery from the era.

  • Hokuto, Japan

    Yamataka Jindai Zakura

    One of Japan’s oldest and largest cherry trees is said to have been planted by an ancient, heroic prince.

  • Chhokangparo, Nepal

    Tsum Valley

    A remote area dotted with Buddhist temples and monasteries.

  • Is the tree in the way of the shop, or was the shop built in the way of tree?

    Monterrey, Mexico

    The Tree Growing Inside a 7-Eleven

    This store may be part of a well-known chain, but it stands out due to the tree growing through the middle of it.

  • Pune, India

    Baloba Munja Mandir

    This temple, in the oldest area of Pune, may date back to the second century.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.