The heart of Uji tea: Imayama to Wazuka

Hi fellow hikers!

This time, we dive right into the heart of Uji tea country. While many people associate Kansai tea with the city of Uji, fewer know that the leaves historically came from the wider Yamashiro region, and that nowadays much of the production of what we call Uji tea comes from the picturesque town of Wazuka.

Meeting points:
Two possibilities:

1. Inside the Kizu station, platform 2 at 9:15. From there we'll catch the 9:28 to Kamo, then change for the train to Tsukigaseguchi.
2. Directly at our hike's starting point, Tsukigaseguchi station, at 10:02.

Return: depends on how the day goes. A bus departs from Wazuka once an hour.

Length/elevation: 20km, up and down 700m.

About the weather: one week ahead the weather looks cloudy with chances of rain. I'm planning on maintaining the hike unless it looks like it'll be pouring. Will post an update in the comments on Friday evening.

What to expect
Before starting our journey, we’ll pay a visit to the Roadside Station Ocha-no-Kyoto Minamiyamashiro-mura, which offers all sorts of tea-based products.
We’ll then make our way between the tea fields of Minamiyamashiro to reach a small winding forest road. After a few sweeping views over the valleys we’re leaving behind, the road will take us all the way up to the Dosenbo Highlands.
Walking the local roads, we’ll cross hamlets, rice paddy fields, and more tea plantations. We’ll then get back into the woods, following a dirt road where the forest occasionally opens up to let us catch glimpses of the surrounding mountains.
Finally, we’ll reach Wazuka and its striking landscape of tea plantations crowding the steep hills.

Points of difficulty
The slopes are not very steep but are fairly long, requiring decent stamina.

Logistics
Well-worn shoes (with good grip if the weather looks wet), water, lunch, snacks and appropriate clothes for the day. The roadside station near the start will be our only chance to buy extra food and drinks. There are a couple of bathrooms along the way.

Usual disclaimer
By joining this hike, you acknowledge that the organizer assumes no liability for physical injury, financial ruin, enlightenment, karmic rebalancing, or any other unforeseen catastrophe.