ea originated in India from whence it slowly made its way to the rest of the world, becoming widely consumed in China as long as four thousand years ago. Tea history in Japan is said to originate with Zen master Eisai who brought tea seeds back to Kyoto from a trip to China in the late 12th century. Eisai wrote a book entitled "How to Stay Healthy by Drinking Tea," wherein he explained the various medicinal effects of tea and encouraged its consumption. Thus Eisai is credited with forming the base for tea culture in Japan.