| Wazuka (和束町, Wazuka-chō) is a town located in Sōraku District, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.
As of 1 September 2022, the town has an estimated population of 3,312. The total area is 64.93 km².
Wazuka is home to roughly 300 tea growing families. The area was selected in the Kamakura period (1192–1333) for tea production and has enjoyed an 800-year history as one of the main production areas of Uji tea. Today Uji tea comprises only about 4% of the tea produced in Japan, and Wazuka tea only half of that. Also a considerable crop of rice is produced among other agricultural products.
The local community is in cooperation with NICE, a major volunteer program, and together hold a large annual work camp at the end of August lasting 2 weeks. The program is open to about 12 foreigners per year and an equal number of Japanese work campers. |
