Tracing the origins of Japanese matcha reveals a deep connection with the Zen teachings brought to Japan by the monk Eisai, founder of Kennin-ji Temple in Kyoto.
This article explores the history of Kennin-ji, often called the “temple of tea,” through the life of Eisai. It also introduces historical sites within the temple grounds that remain tied to tea culture.
Who Was Eisai, Founder of Kennin-ji
Chokushi-mon Gate of Kennin-ji
Eisai was a monk who brought both Zen Buddhism and the culture of tea from China to Japan, dedicating his life to spreading them. Kennin-ji, which he established, became a key center for both Zen practice and tea.
First, let us take a closer look at who Eisai was.
Early Life of Eisai
Birthplace of Zen Master Eisai (Okayama Prefecture)
Eisai was born in 1141 at a Shinto shrine in Okayama Prefecture.
Although born into a Shinto family, he developed a strong interest in Buddhism from a young age. At fourteen, he entered the Buddhist order. However, the Buddhist world in Japan at that time was in decline, and Eisai sought the authentic teachings in China.
His first journey to China took place when he was twenty-eight, lasting about six months. At forty-seven, he traveled again and spent around five years in Zen training. Believing that Zen was essential to reviving Buddhism in Japan, he returned with a determination to spread its teachings.
Encounter with Tea
Tea Garden within the Grounds of Kennin-ji
While studying Zen in China, Eisai encountered tea. In Zen practice, which values mindfulness in everyday life, drinking tea was part of daily discipline.
He learned that tea helped prevent drowsiness during meditation, purified the mind and body, and brought a sense of calm. Eisai brought tea seeds to Japan, along with the methods for making tencha (the base for matcha) and the tencha-hō—placing ground leaves into a bowl, adding hot water, and whisking with a chasen.
For introducing this way of drinking tea to Japan, Eisai came to be known as the “Father of Tea.”
The Founding of Kennin-ji and Eisai’s Work
Main Hall of Kennin-ji Temple
From here, we look at how Eisai used Kennin-ji as his base to spread both Zen and tea.
Spreading Zen and Tea Cultivation
Statue of Zen Master Eisai (Shizuoka Prefecture)
After returning to Japan, Eisai began teaching Zen and promoting tea cultivation, mainly in Kyushu.
He faced persecution from powerful Buddhist sects and restrictions from the imperial court. Yet he never gave up. He studied other schools to build harmony and wrote about how Zen could serve the nation.
As Japan transitioned to a samurai-led government, Eisai earned trust and recognition from the shogunate, gaining the support he needed to continue his work.
Founding of Kennin-ji
Sanmon Gate “Bōketsurō” of Kennin-ji
In 1202, with the backing of the shogunate, Eisai founded Kennin-ji in Kyoto at the age of sixty-two.
The temple grounds, modeled after Chinese temples, were vast. Today, they are about half their original size.
To avoid opposition from other Buddhist sects, Eisai made Kennin-ji a place where multiple schools could be studied together. His inclusive approach allowed the temple to be widely accepted, becoming a foundation for spreading Zen and tea culture in Japan.
Tea Practices at Kennin-ji
Hōjō (Abbot’s Quarters) of Kennin-ji – The Portrait of Eisai Is Displayed to the Right of the Principal Image
Through Eisai, a form of tea culture deeply connected with Zen took root in Japan.
Even today, Zen monks at Kennin-ji share tea from a single kettle after meditation, after meals, and before bedtime.
Every year on April 20, Eisai’s birthday, the temple hosts a tea gathering where visitors can observe tea being prepared in the traditional Kennin-ji style.
Zen and Tea Rooted in Japan
Kaisandō (Founder’s Hall) of Kennin-ji – The Resting Place of Zen Master Eisai
The tea-growing regions of Kyoto are said to have developed from Toganoo, where Eisai introduced tea cultivation in his later years, to Uji, which later became a famous tea area. One story tells that Myōe of Kōzan-ji in Toganoo visited Eisai at Kennin-ji, which led to an exchange of tea seeds.
Eisai also authored Kissa Yōjōki (“Drinking Tea for Health”), regarded as Japan’s first book on tea, when he was in his seventies. Historical records state that he presented both tea and this book to a shogun suffering from a hangover.
By not only writing about tea but also sharing its practice, Eisai played a vital role in establishing Japan’s tea culture.
He passed away in 1215 at the age of seventy-four, most likely at Kennin-ji. The temple became a purely Zen monastery about fifty years later under the leadership of the Chinese monk Lanxi Daolong.
Eisai’s decision to avoid direct conflict with other sects allowed Zen to take root gradually and peacefully across Japan.
Kennin-ji as the Temple of Tea
Eisai’s efforts made Kennin-ji known as a temple closely associated with tea. The grounds contain several sites that commemorate this history.
Eisai Zenji Tea Monument and Heisei Tea Garden
The Eisai Zenji Tea Monument, built in 1983, stands on the east side of the temple. It was donated by Gion Tsujiri, a historic Uji tea company, to honor Eisai’s achievements.
Behind it lies the Heisei Tea Garden, planted in 1991 to commemorate eight hundred years since the introduction of tea to Japan. Tea is still harvested here each May.
EisaiFūjin Raijin Tea Trees
Beside the temple’s Sanmon gate stand two tea trees that once grew in tea fields and were donated after their cultivation role ended. Having returned to their symbolic origin, they are nicknamed “Fūjin” and “Raijin” after Kennin-ji’s famous Folding Screen of Wind and Thunder Gods. Each stands about four meters tall, evoking a dignified presence.
Tea Rooms Tōyōbō and Seiryōken
Behind the temple garden is the Tōyōbō tea room, said to have been used by a disciple of Sen no Rikyū during a grand tea gathering hosted by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1587.
Next to it stands Seiryōken, built in 1940.
It is used for events such as the Eisai Tea Ceremony held every two years and the Kennin-ji Tea Offering Ceremony dedicated to Eisai.
Sairai-in Sub-Temple
Sairai-in, one of Kennin-ji’s sub-temples, is associated with Lanxi Daolong, who later established Kennin-ji as a purely Zen temple.
After being closed to the public for many years, it began limited special openings in 2024. During these periods, visitors can enjoy matcha within the temple grounds, sometimes served in a temporary café.
When visiting, one can reflect on the monks who spread Zen at Kennin-ji while quietly appreciating the experience of tea.
Conclusion
This article has traced the life of Eisai, the monk who spread both Zen and the practice of drinking matcha in Japan, and introduced Kennin-ji, the temple that became his base.
Visiting Kennin-ji offers insight into Eisai’s perseverance and his spirit of balance and openness. By preparing and savoring matcha, we can experience in daily life the essence of Zen that Eisai passed down—cultivating harmony and calm in both mind and body.
