We had an incredible experience with Akito, there are not enough words to describe how this experience completely surpassed our already high expectations about the Japanese Tea world. Akito’s work inside the tea ecosystem in Shizuoka is completely fascinating, he has been able to build experiences that are truly unique. From beautiful tea farm landscapes to the best tea tasting, you’ll see everything about the tea world in Japan. And of course, the highlight of the tour is Akito himself, what a pleasure to meet him, his passion and ikigai around the tea world is truly admirable. Would take this tour on every trip to Japan, this is a real gem and a must if you visit Japan. Thank you Akito for your kindness and for this unforgettable experience.

Akito is a wonderful guide and, as a certified tea expert, provides a very personal and in-depth experience into everything tea related that Shizuoka has to offer. From growing tea, to processing tea, to preparing and consuming tea, the extended tour will go into every detail. You will also get a brief tour through Shizuoka, including walking outside the old castle grounds and having a chance at seeing Mt. Fuji from the government building’s top floor during a good day. Akito’s wonderfully warm personality makes this tour especially wonderful and he makes sure to take his time with any question you might have! Since he will personally drive you around and bring you to the tea plantations in the mountains, spaces are extremely limited and the tour feels very exclusive and intimate. Highly recommended and be sure to book early!

Akito was super knowledgable and answered all of our questions! We learned so much about Japanese tea, how it’s grown, the different factors that affect flavor and preparation. We even learned a bunch of different things you can use used tea leaves for! Thank you so much for the amazing tour!

The tea tour with Akito was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. We booked the full day tour which gave us a great overview of Japanese tea culture from processing and traditional drinking to the modern third wave (think sencha expresso & matcha ice cream). Akito speaks very good English and it was a pleasure to explore Shizuoka and the tea farm right outside the city with him. The itinerary is relaxed, we at no point had the feeling of being rushed. Akito takes time to answer questions and make interesting conversation. He is a certified tea instructor and very knowledgeable on all things tea & Japan. Without hesitation, we also recommended the tour to friends visiting Japan who are also into tea.

This is surely the most thorough tour we’ve ever done! Within 6 hours we learned and experienced so much with all our five senses.

From getting to know the rural side of Japan, over the nice views over Shizuoka, to the tea tastings and the stroll through the town – every moment was fascinating.

It didn’t feel like a set tour at all. Akito has a nice pace of introducing, explaining and showing things and does it in a very personal and individual way. No question was left unanswered and he himself is very eager to learn about other cultures, too.

The people at the places we visited were also very kind and welcoming. They gave us some unforgettable moments and served the most delicious food and tea! If you like fish, Shizuoka has one of the freshest to offer!

Shizuoka is indeed a gem hidden in plain sight on the way from Tokyo to Kyoto.

A slower, more relaxed pace and practically no tourists. Just get off here and give it a try.

If you like tea, you will love this tour❣️

あきと、いつもどうもありがとうございました。^_^

I truly consider this tour to be among my best, if not the best experience I have had during my trip to Japan. Akito was extremely friendly and knowledgeable, showing an obvious passion for tea. He offered rich insights into both the intricate production process and the cultural significance of tea in Shizuoka and throughout Japan.

The tea farm in the mountains is a real hidden gem and during the tour I was able to taste many different varieties of tea at a local tea shop. Additionally we had lunch at a local specializing in fish where I had delicious tuna sashimi and finished the tour with some matcha gelato.

I really can’t recommend this tour enough, every moment was a treasure.

This entire experience fully met and exceeded our expectations! The tea farm up on the mountains was truly a hidden gem that needed to be experienced firsthand as it offered some of the most magnificent views. Being able to see how tea is harvested and where it comes from allowed me to have a greater appreciation for Japanese green tea. Akito is a friendly and charming individual who has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Japanese tea. During the tour, he went through the entire tea-making process and taught us how to properly brew and enjoy Japanese green tea. Not only did we learn about tea, but also learned about the other beauties that Shizuoka has to offer! I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who wishes to learn more about Japanese tea and is in the Shizuoka area!

Thank you Akito for a great day full of wonders of tea. A wholesome tea experience; we learned a lot of the origins of tea and enjoyed the contemporary tea culture as well. Akito is a knowledgeable and friendly guide, we couldn’t have asked for more.

This tour was absolutely amazing. We saw the tea fields and learned about the plant and its growing conditions. Akito was so lovely and comprehensively explained everything. He tailored his explanations to our interests, and we could get all the questions answered that arose during the day.

The tour had a good balance between knowledge transfer, tea tasting, and hands-on experience.

Apart from the tour, we wanted to highlight the lunch restaurant we chose, the Sashimi place, where we had one of the best meals in Japan. The chef came to our table and prepared a kind of Sushi roll in front of us. The fresh tuna was incredible and worth every penny.

After all, we gained a lot of insight into tea production and the different ways it can be enjoyed. We also got many fantastic recommendations for the area (onsen, shopping, etc.).

It was an incredible day and probably our favorite experience in Japan. We will never forget this day. Thank you!

Excellent combination of tea related activities. We loved the opportunity to

Visit a tea farm and factory as well as the cafes. We would recommend this trip to anyone who enjoys tea!

I highly recommend taking the Tea Cup Trip tour! It was one of the most memorable parts of my first trip to Japan. This tour allows you to learn and see firsthand the production process from the farm to the factory, and taste diverse green teas produced in local regions. This tour also takes you to a landscape in Shizuoka that is beautiful and inspiring to see.

We had such a lovely day in Shizuoka with Akito! Akito was kind to explain us everything abt Japanese teas! He showed us around Shizuoka- his hometown- introduced us to a great soba place and many other things! Thank you so much for all the information and kindness! Hope to see you again when we are in Japan!

Akito san is an AMAZING host! Super accommodating, friendly, and easy to talk to. If you’re a tea lover and looking for things to do in Shizuoka, I highly recommend this experience!

The “Hidden Gem Tea Farm and Stylish Cafe Tour with Matcha Gelato – Private Tour“ was just amazing! We learned a lot about cultivation and processing of tea plants and tasted different facets of Japanese tea. The recommendation for lunch was superb and we are very thankful for this great place. The tea espresso and matcha gelatto were intense tasting experiences we would definitively not have discovered without the tour. In addition, Akito-san is a very kind and well organized person. You can feel his passion for tea and the Shizuoka region which made the tour very entertaining.

Highly recommended!

The tour was the highlight of our 3 week trip through Japan. Akito is extremely knowledgable and has answered our many questions about tea and Japanese culture in general. We have brought different kinds of green tea with us back to Germany and I would love to come back, soon! We can recommend this experience without any doubt and have already sent the contact details to several of our friends also travelling to Japan this year.

Our 6 hr tour:

– pick-up from Shizuoka station (we put our large backpacks in coin lockers)

– 20 min drive to the green tea plantation on the mountain side

– amazing view over the tea plantation and an tea ceremony

– visit of the local tea farmers’ factory -> we had the great honor of tasting freshly produced tea!

– lunch at a very tasty restaurant with typical Japanese food

– Matcha ice cream and the opportunity for matcha-based sweets

– tea tasting of several different kinds of teas at a modern and stylish tea shop

– learning about pouring green tea correctly at the International foundation for Japanese green tea

– back to Shizuoka train station

Wonderful tour by Akito! He gave us much insight on the entire tea process from the growing, to the harvesting and processing, to the brewing, and even a glimpse into the modern take and future evolution of what tea consumption might be. He walked us through the background stories at the different points and also explained the science behind why things are done in various ways. A truly memorable experience that I would recommend to all! Thank you Akito.

I had a great time visiting the tea farm and visiting local tea shops with Akito. We ended up spending almost a whole day of him showing me around Shizuoka and teaching me everything about the tea making process. He clearly cares a great deal about local teas and tea culture, and I think what they are doing is great. If you love tea or just want to learn more about tea, this is definitely the tour to take.

I loved this tour. Everything was so well organized. And we enjoyed so many things and got new information about Japanese green tea.

It was nice to see farmers, in action and visit a local home.

And all those lovely tea places in Shizuoka… I was in my tea heaven.

Thank you guys! You made my dream come true.

Ps. There is a story, my pics and my video on my blog (which is in Finnish) ->

menaiset.fi/akito