Houou no Mukashi

About the brand

Tsuen Tea

通圓

Tsuen (通圓, Tsūen) is the oldest tea house in Japan, established in 1160 (Eiryaku 1) during the Heian period at the eastern end of Uji Bridge (宇治橋東詰). The founder, Furukawa Unai, was a samurai retainer of Minamoto no Yorimasa; upon retiring, he took the name Tsuen Masahisa (通圓政久) and began serving tea to travelers crossing the bridge. Successive generations served as hashimori (bridge guardians), and the house received documented visits from shoguns Ashikaga Yoshimasa, warlords Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Oda Nobunaga, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. The current building dates to 1672 (Edo period) and preserves the architectural character of a Kyoto merchant townhouse with deep eaves and wide open frontage. Today, the 24th-generation proprietor Tsuen Yusuke (通圓祐介) oversees the shop. Their matcha lineup ascends from everyday and organic grades through a distinctive scale of ceremonial mukashi grades (豊昔, 釣瓶の昔, 鳳凰の昔) to the premium 満天 and the flagship 太閤さん — named for Toyotomi Hideyoshi (太閤), whose historical connection to Tsuen is central to the brand identity. All matcha is sourced from Uji. Address: 〒611-0021 京都府宇治市宇治東内1番地. TEL: 0774-21-2243. Hours: 9:30–17:30, open daily.