Akito was an excellent host. Me, my wife and parents went to tour the tea farm and then went back to the factory after for tea tasting and to see the tea processing equipment. The tea farm was beautiful. We drove a short ways up the mountain, and had a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape and the fields. It was very serene.

Akito is very friendly, and was knowledgable about tea. We learned many things such as the roasting process for a cup of Hojicha, and he had many relevant resources and videos to share. We appreciated his passion about his work. He was proud to represent the Shizuoka area and the tea farmers, and had a respect for the whole process which was very genuine!

I would highly recommend this experience to anyone, and particularly those who enjoy tea! We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Amazing!

This was absolutely a highlight for our trip to Japan! About an hour on the Shinkansen out of Tokyo, Akito picked up our group right at the station for a private tour. He was knowledgeable, had excellent English, and made us feel right at home among the tea fields and processing factory. He walked us through tastings of several varieties of sencha including freshly roasting some hojicha in front of us to pair with a dessert he provided. An incredible time where we all learned a lot and took home our most delicious souvenirs! If you like tea I cannot recommend this stop enough!

Akito-san’s tour has been one of the highlights of our trip. He led us into the beautiful mountains of Shizuoka to explain the intricasies of the local tea industry over the course of a few hours. We got a ton of great pictures and came away knowing so much more about Japanese tea. We also had the opportunity to try a variety of different tea preparations that were very different, but all fantastic. This tour is a must try for anyone interested in learning more about tea!

Akito was an incredible host. He took us all around the farm and taught us so much. He answered all of our questions thoroughly and provided us with samples while explaining the different types of teas and processes. We talked about all kinds of things even unrelated to tea like how life is locally and the language. He was so sweet and his English was so so good making it easy to understand everything. It was so easy to work with him to get this booked. Highly recommend for everyone!!

One of the things Shizuoka is famous for is tea, and I wanted to have an opportunity to learn more about it with my wife while we were vising the area. To clarify, this tour is not related to the tea ceremony, but all the parts before it such as the farming and processing factory. Due to the small group size you have full attention of Akito and you can freely converse about specific topics about tea you want to know about in addition to the general knowledge the tour provides about green tea. I was particularly interested in how the global demand for matcha had affected the local scene and was glad to converse about the various economic backstory factors currently affecting farmers for sencha vs matcha production. For the first part of the tour you are taken to a farm that’s in the mountains, which offers really good view of Shizuoka area where you are able to walk among the tea plants and pluck the leaves while learning about various topics about the tea plants. At the processing plant/factory you see up close the various machines and what they do to the tea leaves as they are sorted and processed. You also see staff working various parts of the factory. There is also tea tasting from the tea plants from this tour including cold brew, and 1st, 2nd, 3rd flush, 3 other tea, and also tea salad (which was quite tasty!) Smaller private farms like the one we visited are usually not something most tourists can see because of the language barrier, but Akito’s tour allows you that opportunity and I highly recommend you take it if you have the chance.

My husband and I had the pleasure of visiting a tea farm and processing factory with Akito in May of 2026. We learned so much about Shizuoka’s tea varieties and really enjoyed the progression of the tour. Starting in the field and following the tea leaves through production and into tasting gives you a real appreciation for all the work that goes into a cup of tea! Would definitely recommend this tour as a stop between Tokyo and Kyoto.

Awesome experience! Highly recommend if you want to experience something unique and personalized. We got to see an actual tea farm, learn and try multiple types of green tea, and see the actual factory that makes the product. We got to ask all of ours questions and I feel more inspired to discovery and appreciate tea. Akito was an amazing host. He’s super passionate and knowledgeable, and answered all of our numerous questions

Akito provided an amazing green tea tour. I learnt so much and tasted some amazing tea. I thoroughly recommend joining Akito’s tea tour whenever you are in Shizuoka and he puts so my heart and passion into the experience.

Yes

This is definitly a must on everyones list for Shizuoka, if you want to learn more about Japans green tea region Shizuoka, enjoy beautiful scenery and taste delicious tea in a local factory. Akito is an outstanding host, very prompt in responding and organizing everything in detail, yet it still felt very relaxed and not rushed. We could tell he really enjoyed having curious guests and answering all of our many questions. The teas we tasted very delicious, specially the Sencha colf brew surprised us positively. All in all a highly recommended tour off the usual tourist spots and learn about local culture. Thank you!

I have learned about Chinese tea and gone on tea tours in China before and wanted to learn more about Japanese tea processing. Akito is knowledgeable in tea and comfortably answers questions about tea categorization, farming, processing and tasting. He is a great host, preparing tasty teas and presenting the fundamentals through a short presentation. It was also really time efficient! In just two hours, we saw the tea gardens, factories and a tasting. He is quite friendly and also easy to talk to. Highly recommend for anyone curious about Japanese tea!

We really enjoyed this tea tour from Akito. He explained everything very clearly. Also he even roasted tea for us before brewing 🙂 Amazing views and tea! Don’t forget to try rare Japanese black tea here. It’s very tasty. If you are tea lover don’t even think of missing this tour! 🙂

Akito took my mom and I on an amazing experience through the tea fields of Shizuoka. Alongside another two person group, Akito took all four of us up into the mountains of Shizuoka to see a family friend’s tea field. He kindly picked all of us up from the Shizuoka JR station and drove us into the mountains. I am susceptible to being car sick, but his driving was very smooth and timely. Didn’t feel a thing!

As we drove into the mountains Akito described to all of us how he got into the tea industry, the current state of tea economics, and also answered our questions. From the get go you can feel his deep passion for tea as well as his desire to bring Japanese tea to the rest of the world. Once we got to the mountains we were able to see the tea fields up close and we even got to try some of the leaves from a bush no longer used for production. Such an unique experience. We then went down to the processing factory and were given samples of this year’s Spring Harvest and a tour inside the facility. He explained to us both the science and the method of how to brew sencha and hojicha (two types of Japanese teas), and he even roasted the hojicha for us! We also got to try some of the tea leaves as a snack. He paired it with soy sauce and some roasted rice. It’s such an interesting side dish, a great way to make sure all the leaves don’t go to waste.

Akito also had several of this year’s teas available for sale. My mom and I got several bags. This was a good choice as we later went to several tea shops in Shizuoka and found that his price was better compared to the other stores for the same quality tea. So if you go on this tour, stock up!

My mom and I really appreciated Akito’s hospitality, wisdom, and patience, as this tour would not have been the same without any of these.

We booked roughly two months in advance of our trip. He only books four tours a month, with each tour accommodating four people each, so book early!

Akito is a fantastic tour host. He had good communication prior to the actual tour. I learned so much about how Japanese tea is processed and was able to sample many different variations of tea. The views of scenery were very memorable. I highly recommend this tour!

We had an amazing experience on this tea tour – truly one of the highlights of our trip to Japan.

Akito is incredibly friendly, kind, and welcoming, and you can immediately feel how passionate he is about tea. He explains everything in a very clear, detailed, and engaging way, so you not only taste the tea but really understand it.

The visit to the tea fields was exceptional – seeing where and how the tea is grown firsthand made the whole experience much more meaningful. The tea tasting was just as impressive, with a great variety of high-quality teas and detailed explanations on how to properly brew and appreciate each one.

Overall, the entire experience felt very authentic and personal, far from a typical tourist activity. You can really see the effort and care put into every part of the tour.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves tea or wants to experience something unique and memorable in Japan.

I had a wonderful time on this tour. First, Shizuoka is absolutely beautiful–it was hard to believe we were just an hour outside of Tokyo. Then, the tour. Akito is so kind and knowledgeable. He grew up in Shizuoka and does a lot of work promoting tea culture in the area and abroad. He was impossible to stump; he knew everything.

Akito took us first to the top of a mountain to get a sense of the area and smell the fresh air; then, we went down into the tea fields to see how tea leaves are obtained from the plant itself. We continued on to a factory so we could see how tea leaves are processed, and finished with a tasting of several types of teas (my favorites were the cold brewed sencha and hot hojicha). He has the kind of access and relationships with tea producers that make for a truly behind-the-scenes experience. It felt like getting a peek behind the curtain.

Along the way, I learned so much about the Japanese tea industry, agriculture, Shizuoka, and of course tea. Akito’s love of tea is evident in the thoughtfulness of his presentation and his deep knowledge types of tea, how to drink it, the tea industry, and of course his prefecture. I’m so glad I went on this tour, which felt like being guided by a brilliant friend. I hope I’ll be able to take another tour from Akito in the future!

Our whole family visited the tea fields and saw the factory where tea is produced, all guided by the stories of Mr. Akito, who shares his knowledge in a passionate way and opens the mind to the true value of tea as a product. Highly recommended.

Had a great time with Akito and his father. I learned so much about tea, the different types and how you can use every part of the tea leaf. Akito was very accommodating and answered all my questions. Would recommend!

We wanted to learn more about how tea is grown and manufactured during our stay in Shizuoka, and happened to find Tea Cup Trip -Tea Farm Tours and Experiences, which was just what we had been looking for. We joined a private group tour covering both the tea farm and the tea factory, and it was an interesting and enjoyable experience from start to finish. Akito san was a very friendly and outgoing guide and shared freely of his knowledge on both the production and the preparation of tea, including tasting samples. We would absolutely recommend the tour to anyone who would like a deeper insight in the importance of tea in Japanese culture.