The tea country around Shimada and the vast Makinohara plateau is the deepest heartland of Japanese tea, and a number of working farms and tea-garden temples here open their gates to visitors, offering guided walks between the emerald rows, comparative tastings of different grades and cultivars, and seated tea ceremonies overlooking the fields. These plantation experiences turn tea from a drink into a place: you see the leaf on the bush, learn how steaming and rolling shape its flavour, and finish with a properly prepared bowl in sight of the rows it came from.
🗓️ At a Glance
| Location | Shimada / Makinohara, Shizuoka |
| Hours | Farm tours daytime; most require booking |
| Admission | Tours and tastings typically ¥1,500–4,000 |
| Time needed | 1.5–3 hours |
| Best time | Late April–May for the harvest; green fields into autumn |
What to Do
- Guided walks between the emerald tea rows of working farms.
- Comparative tastings of grades and cultivars, from sencha to gyokuro.
- A seated tea ceremony overlooking the fields.
- Learning how steaming and rolling shape green tea’s flavour.
Combine Your Visit
- Combine with Shizuoka Green Tea for the wider tea story.
- Pair with Kakegawa Castle nearby.
- Read our Shizuoka overview .
Getting There
- By train + taxi: JR to Shimada or Kanaya, then a short onward ride to the farms.
- By car: the easiest way to reach plateau farms and hillside gardens.
Tips
Most farm tours and ceremonies need advance booking, especially in the April–May harvest season, so reserve before you travel rather than turning up. A comparative tasting is the highlight for many visitors — trying sencha, deep-steamed fukamushi and shaded gyokuro side by side reveals how much variety hides within ‘green tea’.
