In the first flush season, many tea businesses provide events of hand-plucking experience. Today I’d like to introduce some recommended spots for the experience and related activities.
(1) First Flush Fair in Fujinokuni Tea Museum
Fujinokuni Tea Museum will hold various events in this first flush season from 28th April to 10th June. Of course, hand-picking of tea shoots will be included. In addition to the hand-plucking experience, the museum will prepare other activities such as dress up experience of tea plucking girl, tea perfume making, workshop of pairing tea and foods, crafting tea wares, and so on.
Extra Activities!
If you try the hand-plucking in Fujinokuni Tea Museum, it is recommended to touch the tea-related culture exhibited in the museum. Traditional tea room “Shomokurou” is renovated based on the philosophy of Load Kobori Enshu, the disciple of Load Oribe inheriting the teaism of Sen no Rikyu.
Besides, the museum has a retail shop of various specialty teas, exhibition hall of tea wares, academic space providing newer information about tea science, and of course fancy cafeteria and restaurant inside.
(2) Hand-Plucking Experience on Nihondaira Tea Estate
Nihondaira Tea Hall (Nihondaira Ocha Kaikan) annually provides the services of hand-plucking experience on Nihondaira Tea Estate. Visitors can enjoy picking tea shoots with seeing a fantastic landscape of Mt. Fuji and Suruga Bay beyond the tea garden.
(3) Kuraya NARUSAWA
NARUSAWA, a souvenir shop locating next to Nirayama Reverberatory Furnance, provides visitors with tea-picking experience on the tea garden placed on its back. Izu Peninsula has various spots such as beautiful landscapes, fantastic beaches, historic sites etc. If you visit Izu Peninsula, it is recommended to drop in Kuraya NARUSAWA. We can try hand-plucking experience till autumn.
The tea garden for hand plucking experience back to Kuraya NARUSAWA. We can pick tea sprouts with seeing Nirayama Reverberatory Furnance and Mt. Fuji.
Extra Activities!
(1) Yummy Local Foods – We can enjoy local foods such as local beers, liquors, gibier meats, in the restaurant adjacent to the NARUSAWA souvenir store.
(2) “Nirayama Reverberatory Furnace” – This UNESCO world cultural heritage might let us image the past scene of iron smelting.
(3) Beautiful beaches – Osesaki beach is very famous for the diving to so beautiful ocean. Other beaches are also famous for its quality of sea water. Landscapes including beaches and mountains, of course including Mt. Fuji, express sacred atomosphere.
