All of us who have enjoyed a cuppa in the past 24 hours will not be disappointed by our latest news from Japan! Shizuoka prefecture, located a short high speed train ride away from Tokyo, is known all over the world for being one of the best spots to see Mt. Fuji, and the home to top notch onsen hot springs. What many people don't know is that Shizuoka is also Japan’s largest green tea producer - 40% of green tea comes from here! Covered with stunning tea fields creating an unforgettable landscape, it’s the mecca of Tea Tourism. That’s where you want to head for hands on experiences while visiting one of many plantations or simply enjoying a cup of this locally produced goodness. You can find a list of various experiences available here but the bigger news? The new post-covid perfect Cha No Ma Tea Terraces, of course!
The Tea Terraces are a part of an amazing initiative called the Tea Change Project which was created with the goal of revitalising the tea landscape. Tea is an important element of daily life in both the UK and Japan. 84% of Brits drink tea or herbal infusions every day and over 72% of Japanese people drink green tea on the daily! In recent years farmers have been increasingly abandoning their fields and the average age of tea farmers has been on the rise.
As a result of those changes, and faced with worries of the decline of the industry, the people of Shizuoka are more passioante than ever about offering the enjoyment of drinking tea in unique settings with the people that matter to us. They have also curated a collection of special Evening Tea Cocktails (yoi-cha) which you can try at one of the spots listed on their website. Not only that, but visiting between April and the end of June, you can try your hand at creating your personalised tea blend with the Master Tea Maker, Yohei Honda, and many other experiences you can browse here.
Imagine sitting with your loved ones on an open air tea terrace admiring a sunrise over gorgeous tea fields leading into the horizon with a warm cup of locally produced green tea in hand. Doesn’t this sound like the best start to a day you could possibly think of? Shizuoka has a list of tea terraces located on various farms in the prefecture which you can find here and each one of them has unique characteristics.
The Sky Terrace at Hoko Tea Farm which grows more than 20 types of tea, is just one of these. Located 350 metres above the ground, mesmerising views of Mt. Fuji and Suruga Bay are a given, but on certain days you can also experience the most incredible sea of clouds!
The whole farm is run by Jiro Katahira whose family has been producing tea for generations but the new tea terraces have introduced a special way to enjoy this bucket-list Japanese experience privately with those included in your reservation - ideal for the new normali-tea! What's more, you can bring your own food and tea! But when you've come this far, you might as well try out the locally produced blends.
We can’t wait to visit the tea terraces but in the meantime check out our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
