Shizuoka Prefecture is well known for its tea fields – especially with the iconic Mt Fuji looming over them – but if you happen to be traveling the southern reaches of Japan instead, you can get your tea fix at the Yame Central Tea Garden in southern Fukuoka Prefecture.
Admittedly, the name is a bit of a misnomer – this is neither a garden, in the true sense of the word, or very central or accessible, unless you have a car. (Without one, a taxi from central Yame city is your best option.) What you’ll find here, instead, are rows upon rows upon even more rows of green tea bushes, covering the rolling slopes outside of town. When I was there in the winter, there was nothing to do but walk the fields or take in the scope of it all from the viewpoint on one of the higher hills. In tea picking season, however, the garden offers official tours in Japanese and also the chance to sample and buy some of their products from their nearby shop.
You can find more information on Fukuoka prefecture’s excellent English-language tourism site.
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