Staying at d:matcha: a matcha farm near Kyoto

It was a dream of mine to visit a matcha farm. Last September, that dream came true when we spent a night in Wazuka at d:matcha. Our private accommodation overlooked the tea fields, and we were served 3 delicious meals in which as much tea as possible was incorporated. Curious about this unique stay? In this post, I’ll share our experience and how you can book it yourself.

Getting to the farm

The biggest challenge for us was getting to the farm. The farm is located in Wazuka, a small village near Kyoto. There are several matcha farms in this village. We were told that most of the matcha sold in Japan is produced in Wazuka.

You can reach Wazuka by public transport, but it requires a lot of planning and time. We chose the easy option and took a taxi from Ishiyama Station. It took 45 minutes and cost us around € 40. Upon arrival, we could immediately enjoy a cup of tea in the café overlooking the tea fields.

Starting March 1, 2025, a shuttle bus will also run from Ishiyama Station, but it only departs at 8:45 AM on days when d:matcha organizes a farm tour. If you're unsure, you can always contact the owners.

The stay

On the d:matcha grounds, there's a renovated cottage called Tea Moon, where we stayed for one night. It’s just a short walk from the café to the cottage. The cottage is fully decorated in traditional Japanese style, with tatami mats and floor cushions in the living room. However, you do sleep on a “regular” bed. The bathroom has a lovely bathtub — it’s not very large, but it really completes the experience.

The cottage accommodates up to four people, but it’s no problem to stay there as a couple. If you’re with four, two people can sleep in the small attic space.

In the kitchen, you’ll find sachets of matcha, sencha, and hojicha tea, which you’re free to enjoy. We didn’t need to be told twice — we immediately sipped a delicious matcha while admiring the breathtaking view.

The next day, we began quietly with a sencha tea. You can slide open the side of the house and sit at the edge to look outside. It was a wonderful way to start the day. The village is incredibly quiet — a huge contrast with bustling Kyoto.

Meals

The stay includes two meals: dinner and breakfast. These are freshly prepared by the d:matcha staff. You don’t eat in the cottage but in the d:matcha café. Since the farm only has one guest accommodation, we had the entire café to ourselves. It was a very special experience.

The food was simply phenomenal. The staff explained that all the ingredients are locally sourced. For instance, the venison in the main course was hunted by the staff themselves. That may sound harsh, but in Wazuka it’s encouraged because deer overpopulation causes many problems. The rice is also grown on the farm. Many other ingredients come from neighboring farms in Wazuka.

I drank Japanese wine with the meal and my partner had matcha beer — he said it was a very unique flavor combination. Many of the dishes incorporate tea, such as a matcha wasabi dipping sauce. The wagyu beef, for example, is served with matcha salt. The tea is used in a very subtle and effective way. For us, the highlights were the venison and the dessert — a matcha ice cream cake with the most delicious fresh peach I’ve ever tasted.

The next morning, breakfast was ready for us in the café. We enjoyed fresh fruit, eggs, sausages, salad, tofu, (matcha) muesli, and delicious scones. Once again, every detail was thoughtfully prepared.

Farm tour

After breakfast, we were allowed to join the farm tour. This is included by default with a stay, but even if you don’t stay at Tea Moon, you can still join the tour (it costs about €140 per person). We did the tour with 3 other couples. It starts with a guided walk through the tea fields. The owner of d:matcha explained how they cultivate matcha and the challenges involved. We also got a look inside the factory where the tea leaves are dried and ground.

During the tour, each person could pick a few tea leaves from the plants. These were later deep-fried as tempura in the café. This gave the leaves a crispy, salty texture — very tasty! In the café, we received more explanation about green tea and matcha. The owner’s wife showed us how to brew green tea properly and gave us a matcha demonstration. We even got to practice using the chasen (the special matcha whisk) and tasted three different kinds of matcha.

After the tea demonstration, we had lunch. The menu offered green tea noodles or curry with hojicha (roasted green tea). My partner and I ordered both dishes and shared. The curry was our favorite — the tea gave the Japanese curry a mild smoky flavor. We also ordered matcha tiramisu and matcha cheesecake afterward — these cost extra, but both were delicious.

We took a look around the shop before heading back to Kyoto, full from a fantastic meal and experience, with 2 bags of green tea and a jar of matcha in tow.

Nice to know

• Our stay cost around € 550 in total, which includes one night, 3 meals, and the farm tour.

• Want to experience this yourself? You can book Tea Moon here and just the farm tour here.

• Beer and wine weren’t included in the price — we paid extra for those, as well as for the desserts after lunch.

• There’s no food in the cottage itself, so bring your own snacks if you want something in between meals. A fridge is available.

• It gets very hot in summer, but the cottage has good air conditioning. Just keep in mind that the farm tour can be quite warm in the summer heat.