Green tea plantation
Kakegawa welcomes you with green carpets, a scenery made up with a full of green teas.
Tea production has been a big industry in the city of Kakegawa for a long time. People open up “satoyama” – undeveloped woodland near populated area, grow tea trees, harvest beautiful green fresh tea leaves in spring, and produce green teas. This industry creates a big distinguishing scenery, a scenery of tea plantations covering the land with beautiful greens.
Shizuoka Prefecture where the city of Kakegawa belongs to is the best green tea production area of 47 prefectures in Japan. Many farmers practice green tea cultivation since the warm climate fits the cultivation.
Do you know the green tea makes the travelers enjoy not only by tasting but also by watching green teas? The scenery of tea plantations does that. We will introduce three characteristic areas of green tea scenery.
◆Higashiyama Area
Looking towards west from the Shizuoka airport, you can see a mountain with a big “CHA (means tea)” letter. That is Awagatake Mountain in the Higashiyama area, known as a district to produce one of the finest quality of green teas in Japan. Tea plantations are spread out all over this area, even on steep slopes. The agricultural method, which has been practiced in this area for a long time, was certified as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) in 2013 by UNESCO. You can drive up to the top of Awagatake Mountain. If you are a healthy, exercise-and-body-sensory-centered traveler, however, why don’t you walk in the scenery of green tea plantations? You can enjoy a nice cup of green tea at the cafe in the terrace on the top with a great view of surrounding areas. No other ways of enjoying green tea can be better than the one you experience here.
◆Gomyo Hill
In 1994, Mr. Nishimura discovered a new comet when he was observing comets on this hill of green tea plantations. On the top of this quiet hill where a spirit of adventure of looking for a light of stars and tea plantations coexist, you can find a stone monument as an indication of a comet discovery point. Please enjoy a wonderful view of nicely trimmed green tea plantations.
◆Kamiuchida
Going south east from the Kakegawa Station, you can also see beautiful green tea plantations in the Kamiuchida area. The tea plantations in this area, where you can also notice while you drive on the Tomei Expressway, are covered with such vivid green color as Japanese animation movies. At the Kiwi Fruits Country Japan, one of the nation’s most popular farms in its size, you can experience farming and enjoy the wonderful scenery.
Green tea plantation
