Tours & experiences
Hidden Gem Saranti Tea Farm Tour – Private Group Tour
Visit us to experience the beautiful, breathtaking, and unforgettable private tea farms in the mountain and a local tea processing factory in Shizuoka Prefecture!
Duration: 2.5 hours
Place: Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Hidden Gem Tea Farm and Stylish Cafe Tour with Matcha Gelato – Private Group Tour
Experience the breathtaking and unforgettable private tea farms, a local tea processing factory, and stylish tea cafes. Brew your own cup of tea, taste Matcha gelato, and feel the blend of nature and city-Shizuoka City.
Duration: 6 hours
Place: Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Feel free to message us to check availability for dates not on the calendar. Please note that booking generally opens 2 months ahead of the tour month.
Although the above tours are primarily designed for private groups, we occationally run group tours that welcome solo participants. If you’re a solo participant or your group wants to meet fellow tea lovers, check out EVENTS.
Here are some of the upcoming group tours.
Arigato for your interest in our tours!
Akito Ohashi
Founder of Tea Cup Trip
About Shizuoka Prefecture
Home to Mt. Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain, and Suruga Bay, Japan’s deepest sea, Shizuoka Prefecture is blessed with rich and diverse nature, geography, climate, and traditions. Its rich terroir offers authentic and fresh Japanese food and Japanese tea. The prefectural capital, Shizuoka City, is the perfect blend of nature and city and allows you to experience the slow and genuine Japanese lifestyle.
About Shizuoka Tea
With a long history of tea developed by Zen monks, samurai, and tea masters, Shizuoka Prefecture has over 20 distinctive tea regions, which account for about 40% of Japan’s tea production. It also plays a significant role as a distribution center for Japanese tea. About 60% of the tea produced in the country is gathered in Shizuoka City’s Tea Town, refined by skilled tea masters, and distributed throughout the country. Furthermore, The modern tea cafes near Shizuoka Station, more akin to stylish coffee shops, make this city a one-of-a-kind place to experience all things tea: the farms, the processing, the traditions, and the latest trends in consumption.
How to get to Shizuoka City
Located on the Golden Route connecting Tokyo with famous cities such as Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka, Shizuoka Station is only 60 minutes from Tokyo Station and 90 minutes from Kyoto Station by Shinkansen bullet train. With such easy access, you can make a day trip from Tokyo or stop off on your way from Tokyo to Kyoto. Plus, if you have a JR Rail Pass, you can get to the station from other JR stations at no extra cost.
Many travelers pass through the station without realizing the beauty of this place. Why not take some time away from the hustle and bustle of big cities or popular rural destinations to relax?
Visit the Official Shizuoka City Tourism website for more information on how to reach JR Shizuoka Station.
Google Maps is helpful to plan your travel, finding specific route options and travel times whether via public transportation or car.
Leading up to the tour, Akito communicate very well how the tour would work including logistics on how to be picked up. You will not have to worry about anything including getting back to the station.
The tour was exceptional and beautiful. We were able to see the tea fields and then learned about the full process and supply chain of Japanese tea leaves.
Afterwards, Akito made us different teas and showed us the factory where they process to store the tea.
If you want to learn about the different ways tea gets their profile or even the logistic of making, selling, and the tea leaf economy, this tour is for you
thoroughly enjoyed the tour and how there were ample photo taking opportunities. also appreciated how detailed the tea tasting session was. should definitely give this a chance if you're interested in tea 🙂
He is a very nice person with a big heart and we are so glad that we decided to plan this tour with him
So if u come near Shizuoka, it is a Must Do !
Thank you again Akito
As a fellow entrepreneur, it was thrilling to witness the innovative spirit in Shizuoka, often referred to as the "Silicon Valley of Japanese Tea." Akito's connections in the local community enriched our experience, and seeing the entrepreneurial efforts in the region was a highlight.
Luckily, we got to experience the tea fields on a foggy, rainy day after the first harvest, surrounded by wild mandarin plants. This added a mystical and lush green atmosphere to the tour. It was like experiencing an immersive interpretation of Basho's famous haiku about the Shizuoka road.
Akito tailored his explanations to our level and interests, making the experience both educational and enjoyable. He also provided a deep understanding of Japanese agriculture and culture.
My only regret is not buying more shincha from Akito directly. The quality of his tea is unparalleled compared to what I can get in Europe. Be smart and make room for buying a lot.
Superb host, fascinating trip. Highly recommended!
https://www.instagram.com/p/C7FqI_ryRZg/
If you want to really find out about tea in Japan, TeaCupTrip is for you. It’s not something tricked up for tourists….it is the real deal!
From tea farm to tea garden, traversing the beautiful Shizuoka countryside and trying so many wonderful delicacies - the entire experience was unforgettable!
Akito took us to the Shizuhata tea farm and Saranti factory and walked us through the whole process of production, from the plant to the teacup. He clearly has a deep passion for tea, and was able to answer all of our questions without hesitation, whether about the risks to the plants from weather and climate, the different tea "terroirs", the economic difficulties for farmers selling tea, or even about the international market! And of course, his explanations of the differents steps in the factory process, that emulate the steps of traditional hand-rolling techniques were very clear.
The experience of drinking tea right there in the tea fields was particularly special, experiencing different ways of drinking sencha (cold-brew, multiple infusions of a warm brew and genmaicha), with explanations of the science behind the brewing of tea, and how different method change its flavour profile.
But most important for us was the personal relationship Akito had with all the people at Shizuhata, who he is clearly close to. This is not the kind of tour where you ever feel like you are intruding, or stepping on anyone's toes as they are going through their day. Everyone at Shizuhata was comfortable with Akito's presence and were incredibly welcoming to us! We really enjoyed talking to all of them, especially the immensely personable Kyoko-san.
All in all, a unique experience I would strongly recommend to anyone interested in learning more about tea, enjoying wonderful landscapes and meeting some lovely people!
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
Cat & Alex
We got to visit the tea farm and the factory. Learned a lot in a very short amount of time. Thankful that he let me join!
My mind and soul went to a state of peace and quiet. It was like I regained 5 senses I neglected in a fast paced society. I’m going to prioritize a time to enjoy a good cup of tea 🥰
This tour is perfect for tea lovers, mountain lovers, and anyone who’s interested in a way of life outside big cities. Definitely recommend this tour🌱🌱🌱
Sitting drinking green tea in the tea farm with the most amazing view of Mt Fuji (we were incredibly lucky with the weather) was something we will never forget. Akito was an excellent host. We would definitely recommend this tour.
And Akito is the best! 🙂
Así como también aprender a preparar una buena taza de té y que hasta un expreso de té podemos encontrar!!!.
Terminando la tarde con delicioso helado de té y una vuelta por el centro de la ciudad.
Nada mejor que día un poco más relajado, conociendo más sobre Japón !!!
I loved doing a different tour with a little more about the tea culture .... from being in the middle of a farm tasting a delicious tea and a spectacular view.
As well as learning to prepare a good cup of tea and that even an espresso tea we can find!
Finishing the afternoon with delicious tea ice cream and a tour of the Downtown.
Nothing better than a little more relaxed day, knowing more about Japan!
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
I recommend this tour to everyone, because the green tea bags that we have in Europe has nothing to do with the real Japanese tea. We tried different type of Shizuoka greens and how taste can change depending on how you brew it.
Akito is amazing, he was very friendly and helped us in everything he could.
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