Akito is super knowledgeable about the tea farming process and of Shizouka. Very friendly and hospitable! The view from the farm is absolutely beautiful. Highly recommend!!

Akito comes from a family that has been part of the tea culture of Japan for generations. He was able to explain not just current day processing but provide cultural history of the planation and processing over time. He provides a detailed understanding of how different teas our processed and how this influences the different flavor profiles of teas. This was a unique experience with wonderful views of the landscape to top it off.

Wow! What an incredible experience. As a tea lover myself I enjoyed this tour thoroughly. Akito is super kind and has so much knowledge. It was a great experience! Thank you.

Great experience with a small group. Tea tasting, tea fields, the factory… The whole process was explained. I loved each beautiful detail during the tea tasting. The group size was perfect to engage conversations and to ask questions. Thank you Akito for guiding us in this beautiful tea Region! Arigato gozaimasu!

My wife and I took a day trip from Tokyo to Shizuoka to experience the tea tour and tasting from Tea Cup Trip during our honeymoon. We thoroughly enjoyed the tea farm tour and had breathtaking views of the tea farm overlooking the city. We were glad that not much walking was needed. The tea tasting after the farm tour was also an incredible, authentic experience. We got to taste rare and unique teas from various production methods and regions. Akito spoke great English and was extremely hospitable. The booking process was easy and he was highly communicative. 10/10 recommended for anyone with interest in tea visiting Japan!

Top class – informative – polite

The tour was really really good – We learned so much about tea and the history of the tea farm. We got to ask many questions and Akito was more than happy to hear all about it and took a lot of time to answer. We even got picked up at Shizuoka Station.

When we arrived at the factory his mum had a mini-switzerland flag prepared for decorations and a mini origami for the chopsticks packaging.

While giving us different types of tea to try he even showed us some slides to explain some more.

After drinking tea he gave us a secret snack to try he always makes out of the tea leaves and gave us a typical japanese pancacke with red bean paste and cream from a local backery.

Overall really great experience and a lot of effort put into the detalis and our wellbeing.

You should defenetly not miss this tour.

The tour was a wonderful experience and I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about tea growing and processing, tasting new teas, and seeing both the tea farms and views of the city from the mountain! Akito was personable, friendly, and engaging throughout the whole experience and I highly recommend attending one of the tours whether you’re an experienced tea drinker, just getting into tea, or simply want to see what it’s like to grow and process tea in Japan.

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).