Every building here is so beautiful！Sipping tea and admiring the moon on the cliff at Wagokoro Villa’s “Furaian” teahouse

▲ The traditional tatami mat teahouse “Furaian,” perched on the edge of a cliff. (Photo provided by Uchiko City Office, Ehime Prefecture; the same applies to the following images)

Reported by Jiang Yanting, Ehime Prefecture

Want to enjoy tea while admiring the moon and soaking in an atmosphere of timeless charm? Head to *Wagokoro Villa*, the most famous attraction in Uchiko City, Ehime Prefecture.“Wagokoro Villa”Here, you can experience such poetic beauty. Among its features, the small teahouse “Furaian,” located on a cliff above the Kagami River, leaves the strongest impression. Not only can you enjoy tea on the edge of a cliff, but you can also overlook the beautiful riverside scenery and gaze at the moonlight reflecting on the water — truly a moment of great happiness in life.

Wagokoro Villa is situated on the most picturesque spot along the Kagami River — Wagokoro Gorge. From afar, you can clearly see the small teahouse“Furaian”perched on the cliff, surrounded by trees, which adds to its poetic ambiance. The villa consists of three structures: Wagokoro-in, Furaian, and Chishin-an. Each building embodies the beauty of traditional Japanese design, and strolling through the area allows you to immerse yourself in the rich, ancient atmosphere of the surrounding mountains and nature.

▲ From a distance, you can clearly see Furaian nestled by the river, surrounded by trees, enhancing its serene and secluded feel.

Among them, “Furaian” is the most distinctive. Shaped like a boat, it sits atop the cliff, with a clear, unobstructed view of the entire Wagokoro Gorge below. Its ceiling is made of a bamboo-woven net in an arch shape, using solid wooden planks that cleverly reflect the moonlight on the river surface. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Furaian becomes the prime moon-viewing spot, as the swaying moonlight filters through the bamboo ceiling and casts patterns onto the walls and floor.

▲ The ceiling, crafted from woven bamboo and wooden planks, skillfully reflects the moonlight on the lake. %It is a space that is both open and refined, exuding a classical elegance and serenity.

The floor is made of wide, single-piece Sendai pine boards, equivalent to two tatami mats in size. The interior and exterior of the teahouse feature minimalist designs that take advantage of the natural landscape, filling Furaian with a rustic, timeless charm. One of the highlights inside the teahouse is being able to enjoy the entire view of the Kagami River while savoring matcha prepared by the tea master and freshly made sweets. The sweets change in shape and flavor with the seasons — shaped like cherry blossoms in spring and chrysanthemums in autumn.

▲Sweets are specially served on paper instead of plates to allow guests to appreciate the beauty of simplicity. (Photo by reporter Jiang Yanting; the same applies to the following images) %The tea ceremony experience here is highly praised, and many visitors come to enjoy the traditional “chanoyu” style.

Wagokoro Villa
Address: 411-2, Ozu, Ozu City, Ehime Prefecture
Phone: 0893-24-3759
Hours: Daily 9:00–17:00 (ticket sales until 16:30)
Access: A 5-minute taxi ride from JR Ozu Station
Admission: 500 yen
Matcha experience: 400 yen