We went to a city best known for its matcha, Nishio City. The tour included many activities catered to helping people enjoy the wonderful taste of matcha!

To get to Nishio City was easy, but can be a bit tiring. We went from Nagoya to Nishio Station by the Meitetsu line (which took around an hour). There are 2 types of trains that go there, one with a transfer and another which is direct. We used a special pack called Nishio Matcha tea break one day ticket which costs ¥1,820. Included in it is a matcha and wagashi set at the Former Konoe Residence, a Meitetsu ticket to and from Nagoya to Nishio, and discount benefits at some of the shops in Nishio.

We got to Nishio station by 8:58 AM after departing at 8:02 AM by taking a train that goes from Nagoya Station to Shin-Anjo, then changing from Shin-Anjo to Nishio. Although there is a direct train there, we missed it so we had to take the train that transfers at Shin-Anjo. It is not hard to transfer though, so don’t worry too much if you miss!

When we arrived at Nishio Station, we immediately went to rent a bicycle at the Nishio Tourist Information Center. After going down the stairs, by turning left and going straight, you can immediately see the building. The rental fee was 300 yen if you rent for under 3 hours, and 500 yen if you rent for more than 3; we could rent it until 4 PM! Having a bicycle was very useful to going around the city, and it was actually my first time to ever ride a bicycle! The city was not that hard to get around and I managed to learn very quickly.

There are many matcha-related activities that you can experience in Nishio city! My favorite one was where we went on a matcha tour at a Matcha AOI. To get there, we rode our rental bikes for around 17 minutes. The factory needs reservation at least one week prior. I never knew much about the process of producing of matcha, so I was very surprised to go and actually give a shot at making matcha! It turns out that making matcha is very tiring, and by the end of rotating the matcha grinder, I felt like I could sleep for a thousand years. I was amazed at how people in the olden days could keep spinning the matcha for a long time.

After all the work I was put through with spinning the matcha grinder, I was rewarded for my labor. I got to drink some matcha along with some Japanese sweets. It was a wonderful experience; I really loved how I had to work hard just to drink matcha. It really made the matcha seem that much more precious and delicious. I can’t wrap my head around how rewarding and soothing it felt to drink some wonderful tea. The matcha factory tour is definitely something I would never forget!

My next favorite activity HAS to be the part where I got to relax at the Former Konoe Residence. It is part of the Nishio City Historic Park, which is only 10 minutes away from the station by walking, and with our bikes, we got there in 5! By using the Meitetsu package, we got to drink and eat there for free! I could take in the serene scenery and relax into the garden. It felt heavenly drinking hot matcha in the November breeze. There was also a wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) served with the tea, which went perfectly together! I normally don’t drink matcha, but that day made me fall in love with it.

Although drinking matcha was nice and relaxing, nothing could beat the view. As you can see from the picture, I could enjoy the view of the Nishio Turret from afar. Nothing could be as pretty as staying in the garden while enjoying the tea. It really made me wonder about the life the Konoe clan members’ lived; walking in the gardens, drinking tea, and living an adventure. It really was a marvelous place!

At the Nishio Tourist Information Center, we found out that there was a mascot of Nishio whose name is Ma-cha. He is dressed in the green color of matcha, with a matcha bowl as his head and a tea leaf pendant on his neck. I had a lot of fun looking at the cute mascot that I even ended up buying souvenirs with his face! I was so happy with the Ma-cha because he was adorable. I even got attached and was sad to leave him after the day ended.

For lunch, we decided to go for a tonkatsu restaurant named Tonkatsu Nishiki. It is pretty close to the Nishio City Historic Park, only about 3 minutes on the bike. We ordered miso hire-katsu and miso rosu-katsu lunch sets, pricing at 1300 and 1500 yen respectively. Although it may seem pricey, it was definitely worth it: the meat was so tender and smooth, and the miso sauce tasted amazing. Plus, if you grab a tourist brochure for Nishio, you can have 10% off from the total order!

Because Nishio is the city of matcha, of course we cannot miss out on the delicious desserts made with matcha! This place, Matcha Labo, was recommended to me by my friend who lives in Nishio. As the name suggests, they specialize in matcha-related drinks and deserts. The parfait seems to be the most popular item on the menu, so we ordered two: a chocolate-matcha topped with chocolate ice cream and a full-on matcha parfait with warabi-mochi and red bean paste. I definitely recommend this place to those with a sweet tooth, and the atmosphere is just ideal for cute Instagram pics!

Nishio is not only well-known for its matcha industry, but also for its cultural and historical value. The Nishio City Historic Park is a site consisting of the Former Konoe Residence, Nishio Castle, Nishio Municipal Museum and Nishio shrine. Nishio Castle, formerly known as Saijo Castle, was dismantled following the Meiji Restoration. Two of the original gates still remain, and a turret called Honmaru Ushitora Yagura was reconstructed in 1996. We climbed up to the turret and got a wonderful view of the grounds!

It was a strange feeling climbing up to the turret. The stairs were pretty narrow and steep, which added to our excitement for what’s to come. There were stepping stools in three corners of the room so you can try and look out from all three angles. All of them offer spectacular views of the peaceful grounds!

The Former Konoe Residence also boasts a beautiful view of the beautiful autumn leaves as they turn bright red. The path to the house was lined with many kinds of trees, and surrounding the house is a beautiful rock garden. We loved how the house just blends in harmoniously with the nature surrounding it!

I didn’t know the swirly rocks on the ground was part of the Zen garden and nearly stepped on it! I’m so glad I stopped myself in time though - just looking at the patterns on the ground and let myself be mesmerized by it made me feel so calm and relaxed.

We checked out the Nishio Municipal Museum, where many valuable historical and cultural items dating back to the Edo period are stored. We also visited Nishio Shrine nearby and prayed there. The greatest part about this park is everywhere is completely free to enter, so if you’re into learning more about the history of the area, we highly recommend this place!

If you want to visit Nishio City, you should get the cheaper tickets that are available in the next site: Nishio Matcha tea break one day ticket [Departure and arrival Nagoya]