This vintage omiyage doll represents a tea-picking girl (茶摘み人形 / Chazumi Ningyō) from Uji (宇治)—a city in Kyoto Prefecture renowned as one of Japan’s most prestigious tea-producing regions, particularly celebrated for its matcha and gyokuro green teas.
The doll is beautifully handcrafted, dressed in traditional tea-picking attire: a vibrant red and indigo kimono with gold detailing, an apron bearing a woven design of Uji landmarks, and a white tenugui (headscarf) tied around her head—an iconic look of women harvesting tea leaves in the early morning mist.
Strapped to her back is a charming green basket, symbolizing her role in the tea fields. Her painted bisque-like face and gentle expression embody the serene grace of rural life in Kyoto’s tea culture.
This doll is a nostalgic souvenir celebrating the rich heritage of Uji's tea cultivation, ideal for collectors and lovers of Japanese folk crafts and regional traditions.
