Visiting a matcha farm in Japan: a must for true matcha fans

If you're like us, one of the things you most look forward to before a Japan trip is having matcha practically on tap, every day, several times a day and in various formats. Which makes visiting a matcha farm an appealing day out - after all, getting up close and personal with a tea plantation is not an everyday thing, at least not in Europe. Now, if you're picturing bright green, terraced fields under clear blue skies, you'll have to get your timing right. Producing high-quality ceremonial matcha requires shading the tea plants for weeks before harvest. If you don't time your trip perfectly, you will either stare at giant black tarps or empty, heavily pruned bushes.

Here's what you need to know so you don’t waste a precious day of your Japan trip.

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First of all...

Where are the best matcha farms in Japan?

While tea grows across the country (with the exception of Hokkaido and northern Tohoku, where it's a bit too chilly), two regions dominate. But you're sure to find a tea farm near you, wherever your Japan base is.

Tea farms near Osaka and Kyoto - the Uji & Wazuka region

While it doesn't produce the same volumes as other tea regions in Japan, if you want the absolute pinnacle of matcha culture, you head to Kyoto. While the town of Uji is considered the matcha capital of the world, the surrounding countryside of Wazuka is where the actual magic happens. Wazuka produces about half of all the tea in Kyoto prefecture, with one-after-the-next terraced tea farms making the landscape look a bit like it were made of green corduroy. Many of these farms offer tours and tea-picking experiences.

Tea farms near Tokyo: Shizuoka & Saitama

If you are staying mostly around Tokyo and don't want to travel all the way to Kyoto, Shizuoka is your best bet. Shizuoka produces over 40% of Japan’s green tea. The massive selling point here is the scenery - on a clear day, you'll be out among the matcha babies with a perfectly framed Mt. Fuji towering in the background. If you've less time to spend, a half-day trip to the tea plantations of Saitama will satisfy your matcha craving.

Tea farms in Kyushu

The climate and the rich volcanic soil are the perfect growing conditions for green tea and matcha, and you'll find tea plantations all over the island. Yame in Fukuoka is Japan's 6th largest producer of green tea and is famous for its premium matcha. Kagoshima prefecture produces more green tea than anywhere else in the country. Don't forget that many of these tea farms also have factory shops, where can load up on the finest matcha straight from the source.

When is the best time to visit a matcha farm?

Timing your visit is the trickiest part of the planning process. The look of the fields changes dramatically depending on the month.

The golden window: May (spring harvest)

If you want to see the vibrant, glowing green fields you see on Instagram, May is the ultimate time to go. This is when Ichibancha (the first harvest of the year) takes place. The plants have stored up nutrients all winter, making the leaves incredibly rich in flavor and neon-green in color.  From mid-April through early May, farmers cover the plants with black mesh sheets to block the sunlight. This forces the plants to produce massive amounts of chlorophyll (which gives matcha its deep green color and umami taste). If you visit during these exact weeks, your views will be blocked by tarps. By mid-to-late May, the sheets come off, and the fields are bustling with harvest activity.

The silver window: June to July (summer harvest)

The second harvest happens in the summer. The weather is hot and humid, and the tea grows incredibly fast under the summer sun. The fields look beautifully manicured and lush. The summer leaves are more bitter and are generally used for culinary-grade matcha or lattes rather than high-end tea ceremonies.

The dead zones: Late autumn & winter

From December through February, tea plants go completely dormant. In late autumn, farmers prune the bushes heavily to prepare them for the next spring.

How to visit a matcha tea farm

Japanese tea fields are active, private agricultural businesses - they are not public parks. While you're free to admire the scenery, you shouldn't ever walk onto a matcha farm without being part of a tour group: you could do a lot of damage if you don't know exactly where you can step and where not.

The other thing is: while a lot of these tea farms aren't necessarily far away from the nearest city, public transport is sadly lacking and you're likely to either need a car, a taxi or book a local tour.

Option 1: Book a guided farm tour (recommended)

This is by far the best way to do it. Local farmers or guides will legally take you into the fields, let you try your hand at picking leaves (chatsumi), and guide you through a proper tasting.

• For Kyoto/Wazuka: This tour of Wazuka's premier matcha farm picks you up in Kyoto Station, saving you the headache of getting out to the farm in the first place.

• For Shizuoka: Look into the full-day Shizuoka tea farm tour on Viator, which combines tea picking with iconic mountain views.

Option 2: Stick to public paths and enjoy the scenery

If you prefer to wander independently, you can rent a bicycle or walk along the designated public paved roads slicing through the hills. In Wazuka, you can stop by the Wazuka Tea Cafe to rent an e-bike, pick up a map of public viewpoints, and try some fresh matcha ice cream. You'll have to take a combination of trains and buses to get there, though (approx. 90 mins).

Matcha farm visit: FAQ

Can I just show up to a tea farm without a booking?

You can walk or cycle along public roads winding through tea towns like Wazuka anytime for free. However, if you want a guided tour, a tea-tasting experience, or access to private viewing decks, you must book in advance.

How do I get to the Kyoto tea fields by train?

The main tea fields are not in Kyoto city center. To get to Wazuka, you take the JR Yamatoji line from Kyoto Station to Kamo Station (about an hour), and then catch a local bus for another 20 minutes to the Wazuka Minami-eki stop. Be warned: the local buses have an infrequent schedule. Check times carefully on Google before you set out.

Is it worth visiting tea fields if it rains?

Surprisingly, yes. The morning fog and light rain over the valleys of places like Uji and Wazuka create a moody, beautiful mist that looks incredible in photos and actually helps concentrate the sweetness of the tea leaves.

Is it worth going on a tea farm tour?

Fans of green tea or matcha will get a lot out of a tea farm tour. On most tours and experiences you get to see how the farm works as well as pick tea yourself or grind matcha or do a tea tasting - check beforehand what activities are offered as part of your tour. Even if you're not bothered where your matcha comes from, a day out in the countryside with iconic Japanese views of row after row of tea bushes, maybe with Mount Fuji as a back drop, is a very special experience.

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