Akito is a very great guide. My family drinks a lot of tea in general, but we had no knowledge of the differences in japanese teas. Akito diligently prepared a tea tasting for us and also opened up to us about what drew him to tea. The tea was so fresh and delicious. I could definitely taste the robustness of flavors compared to bottled tea.

Forewarning: The tour happens at a pretty high altitude, so if you or anyone in your party has altitude sickness remember to prepare the appropriate medicine.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable experience getting to know Akito and Japanese tea. Go if you like tea (green tea), but also go if you want to learn more about Japan from a local.

My family and I really enjoyed Akito-san’s tour of his family’s green tea farm and his father’s friend’s processing facility. Akito-san picked us up in his car from Shizuoka station and was a great conversationalist on the drive up to his family’s green tea farm. The drive up the mountain was both educational and beautiful. The view from the farm is very awe-inspiring with a view of Suruga Bay. At the farm we sampled Akito-san’s cold brewed mountain sencha, learned about the different harvest periods and methods, and were given an opportunity to pick some leaves for ourselves. We then headed to the processing facility where we sampled two brewings of sencha, genmaicha, a tea salad, and hojicha two ways. During the sampling we learned about the chemistry of tea brewing, affects of drying time on the tea, as well as the affects of roasting on the flavor profile of the tea. The tour ended with a tour of the processing facility where we saw all the equipment used to process the tea after harvest, and an opportunity to purchase different types of locally sourced green teas. Overall we are very pleased with the entire experience (my eldest teenage son was engaged fully, so that speaks volumes), and it’s great to see a local share his passion for the family business. We are greatful for Akito-san’s flexibility with our schedule, and his recommendations for really great local spots to check out!

Enjoyed the tea tour a lot. We saw the mountain, bamboo forests, tea farm, factory, had a tea tasting and explanation of japanese teas. Best part was a good vibe, talking not only about tea but about travels and Japanese food.

This Shizuoka Tea Tour was our last planned event to our Japan trip, and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to conclude our journey! Akito graciously picked us up from the train station and brought us straight to the tea fields nestled in the spectacular landscape of the Shizuoka mountainside. Akito then educated us on the growth, processing, and brewing of the tea grown on the farm; engaging us with all the sights, scents, and tastes of the tea throughout the process. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone staying at or nearby Shizuoka!

My husband and I had a very lovely time on our tea farm in tour led by Akito. We loved getting to see the tea farm and learn more about how tea is processed while sampling the different brewing methods. Akito sent us plenty of information in advance to make sure it all went smoothly and offered a courtesy pick-up from the train station which was very helpful! It was a lot of fun and a great excursion to Shizuoka! Thank you Akito!

I had a great time – seeing the tea fields and the surrounding nature, visiting the tea factory and tasting different teas was great and made me appreciate tea even more. It was fun and I learned a lot. Thank you, Akita!

Well explained about tea and had an interesting tea farm and factory visit that was an unique and special experience in Shizuoka.

We can’t recommend this tour enough! We had a fun yet relaxing time exploring the farm and factory. We loved speaking with and learning from Akito-san. His passion and knowledge of tea and the area is infectious and inspiring!

We look forward to sharing all of the tea souvenirs with our friends and family!

We couldn’t be happier about choosing Akito as our tour guide. He provided such a fun, educational, and personal experience. He walked us through each part of the tea making process, starting from the leaves grown on a local farm and ending in the factory where everything is processed. 100% would go again, this was one of our favorite parts about Japan! I cannot recommend Akito enough. Thank you, Tea Cup Trip!!!!!

Akito was a fabulous guide, very personable and knowledgeable. He showed us around the tea farm and explained how tea is grown and harvested. We were then offered a detailed demonstration and tasting of the teas grown on the farm using different preparation techniques, followed by a brief visit inside the factory that processes the tea so we could view the equipment firsthand. Highly recommend if you are interested in how Japanese tea is grown, processed, and served.

Our time on the trip was absolutely fantastic. Akito was incredibly informative about the different ways to grow and process tea. The views were incredible, the factory was incredibly interesting, the tea sampling was divine, and most of all Akito was a charming guide!

One of the highlights of our friend group’s trip to Japan. Akito was super nice and willing to work around any slight adjustments to the schedule. The area was super beautiful, including the drive up to the mountain. The factory was an interesting visit and the tea tasting was delicious. We all bought some tea after to take home with us (bring cash if you intend on buying).

We visited in May and I am writing this in June, because I wanted to take the time to review this properly. Akito is the most welcoming host and tour guide. His family co-op Tea Farm was informative and fun! We drove to the top of the mountain where we were able to see the entire farm as well as much of Tokyo! He explained the different types of leaves, we saw how they moved the leaves from the top of the mountain down, and of course, drank some delicious green tea! We were able to walk through it all, but it was not strenuous.

We then went down to the factory where we toured how the leaves are processed and we were able to meet some of the family and co-workers who were exceptionally friendly. We tried some more teas with different processing methods, and were able to purchase some of them to bring home. I wound up keeping more that I intended to give away 🙂 He then brought us right back to the bus station and it was super easy to take the bus to the train station. He. told us everything we needed to know.

I will attempt to spread this review far and wide – no crowds, no strenuous walking – just a lovely afternoon with a wonderful host and team on a beautiful farm.

Such an enjoyable experience in both the field and in the tea tasting. Our guide was an amazing host an teacher. The tea farm is beautiful and a one of a kind experience to have. It definitely became one of the highlights of our trip, I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Japan.

Exellent teatour, not too far from city but enough to see bambu forest and beautiful view from the nice teagarden. And it was pleasure to meet Akito, arigatō🌱

Very nice private experience visiting the tea farms and learning about tea from Akito-san! Unlike other tea farm experiences, we liked how Akito-san shared his own experience from his family and close friends who were / are actual tea farmers. We could also buy fresh tea leaves and dare I say the strawberry daifuku we had with the tea were some of the best we’ve tried! Definitely recommended!

Akito was a fantastic tour guide who did a great job showing us the unique side of Japan that exists outside of the major cities. The tour took us up to the top of the mountain with both incredible views of the tea farm and the city below. We tasted multiple variations of green tea; all from tea leaves taken from the rows of tea bushes we were standing in during the farm tour. The tea factory was also a very cool thing to see at the end of the tour. We only did the 2.5-hr tour, but when we return to Japan for the next trip, we will be arranging the longer group tour.

Akito, a certified tea instructor, led us on a very personalized tour of a private tea farm. Although I have drank Japanese green tea daily from an early age, there was still much that I wanted to know to deepen my appreciation of this special beverage even more. Akito provided the insights and experiences that both deepened and broadened my understanding. He taught us the proper technique of picking tea and then had us try it out for ourselves on a few camellia stems. We were able to witness the tail end of the second flush harvest accompanied by Akito’s explanation of the details. We sampled different types of tea grown and produced by the Hidden Gem Saranti Tea Farm, located high up on the mountains overlooking Shizuoka City, including cold-brewed sencha, sencha, genmaicha, and kiku houjicha. As its name suggests, this tea farm truly is a hidden gem, producing some of the finest tea that I have ever had; a special treat indeed. Akito took the time to demonstrate and explain the proper method of making and serving each type of tea [water temperature, steeping time, roasting temperature and duration of kiku [stems] to make houjicha]. He is a wealth of knowledge so bring your questions with you. Akito is fluent in English, which enabled us to have conversations on a deep and detailed level. Akito also put together several very informative slide decks that were great learning aids for us. We ended the tour at a tea factory and were able to see all the specialized heavy equipment up close; quite an amazing behind-the-scenes experience to understand how harvested camellia leaves are transformed into the tea that we drink. Akito’s vast knowledge of tea aside, he is genuine, friendly, easy to talk with, respectful, and is attentive to your needs. We had a great time with him and look forward to booking another tour with him in the future.

My family and I had the pleasure of touring a beautiful tea farm with Akito in Shizuoka. We were able to see the tea plants growing in the mountains and visit the tea processing factory. Akito explained the different types of tea and how to brew the perfect cup. We wanted an authentic experience and also wanted to support the local families who have been farming for generations. Akito is very knowledgeable, an excellent communicator, and kindly fit us into his schedule when he learned that we would only be able to visit on a certain date.

Akito’s tour was a special experience that we will always remember, and we now deeply appreciate the intensive process and care that go into tea farming. I highly recommend the Tea Cup Trip tour and encourage everyone to experience Japanese tea.

Akito was a wonderful guide and the tea farm setting was stunning! The little Canadian flags to welcome us were such a nice touch. All the tea samples and strawberry/chocolate mochi were delicious. Highly recommended!