Japan’s largest green tea producer, Shizuoka Prefecture, is home to vast green tea fields just a few hours by train from Tokyo. In this experience, you’ll explore a local tea plantation, sample tea and tea leaf tempura, and learn about Shizuoka’s unique tea production from the farmers themselves.

Your day begins at Tabinoya, a former tea farmer’s house turned local experience center. Here, you’ll meet your guide, enjoy a fresh cup of tea, and get a brief overview of the day’s activities. The experience evolves with the seasons, offering various hands-on opportunities in line with the tea-production calendar.

During the four annual harvesting seasons, guests tour the fields, pick tea leaves, and even try deep-frying them as tempura. Harvesting typically takes place from late April to May, in June, from mid-July to early August, and from late September to mid-October. From November to February, guests can join farmers in planting tea using the traditional chagusaba method. This sustainable practice protects biodiversity and contributes to the area’s recognition as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS).

On rainy days or outside the harvesting and planting seasons, guests can learn kamairicha, a traditional method of drying and firing tea leaves to bring out their flavor.

No matter the season, this experience offers an engaging and authentic way to connect with Shizuoka’s tea culture, taste fresh tea, and enjoy a hands-on look at how Japan’s finest tea is made.