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It’s no secret that Japan is known for green tea. Aside from chado (tea ceremony), another way to experience this cultural aspect is to go tea picking. Tea picking teaches you about the cultivation process while also presenting a tangible experience of picking tea leaves in traditional attire.

Where and When to Go Tea Picking

Shizuoka Prefecture is the perfect place to experience tea picking while in Japan. It is widely known as the country’s leading tea producing prefecture due to its mild weather and abundant rainfall, and is also home to Mount Fuji. Not too far from Tokyo, Shizuoka is accessible via the Shinkansen (bullet train) and has plenty of places where you can partake in tea picking. The best time to go tea picking in Shizuoka is between April and October.

I went tea picking near Nirayama Hansharo in Izunokuni on the Izu Peninsula. To get there, I took the Shuzenji Line train from Mishima Station. This train line is separate from the local JR line, so I had to purchase a paper ticket to ride this train. It cost 320 JPY to get to Izu-Nagaoka Station from Mishima Station. Then, a 5 minute taxi to get to the tea picking site at Nirayama Hansharo. Greenpia in Makinohara is another good place to go tea picking in Shizuoka. Greenpia is located near Kanaya Station in the Shimada area of central Shizuoka Prefecture.

Tea Picking Process

The first part of the tea picking process includes learning about the traditional attire. Each piece of the outfit must be worn a specific way and is layered in a certain order. One part of the outfit is a little head scarf, which many places allow you to keep as a souvenir. The outfit is quite comfortable and easy to move in. Fun fact: Women who pick tea are some of the only people in modern-day Japan who wear kimonos on a regular basis!

After getting dressed in the traditional tea kimonos, it is time to go to the tea fields. To correctly pick the tea leaves, you pinch the stem right under the three top leaves and gently snap it off. It’s picked this way so the plant continues to grow and tea can continue to be harvested from the plant. Tea fields are meticulously taken care of throughout the year to ensure the highest quality yields possible. There are typically multiple harvests in a single tea season, each producing different qualities of tea.

Most tea picking places allow you to stay in the fields for about 30 minutes. This is enough time to take photos and pick a small amount of tea leaves. I was allowed to keep the tea leaves I picked and given instructions on how to prepare the leaves to make tempura (deep fried tea leaves).

Tips for Tea Picking

• Call ahead to make a reservation.
• Wear closed-toe shoes.
• Check the weather forecast.
• Be respectful toward the process and to the fields.

Tea picking is a wonderful experience to be shared amongst friends. I recommend going tea picking while in Japan to learn about a special piece of Japanese culture! If you would like to learn more about Shizuoka Prefecture or about tea picking, please email me: taytraveleat@gmail.com.

Happy travels,

Taylor