In 2013 I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to travel to Japan on a tea research tour, and become fully immersed in Japanese tea culture. We visited an eight-acre tea farm 'Sakura no En' in Minamata City, in Kumamoto prefecture, run by Matsumoto-san and his wife. All the tea is farmed organically with no pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer or manure, and their trees are around ninety years old. We were welcomed like old friends, and drank cups and cups of their delicious teas whilst sitting under the kotatsu, eating home-made cake and green tea curry. Matsumoto-san showed us round his factory, drove us high up into the mountains to view all of his tea fields, took us to a local bakery where his tea is served, then drove us back to the station, stopping on the way to buy us traditional hot cakes to eat.
- 1 min read
Sakura-no-En Tea Farm
An organic tea farm in Minamata City, Kumamoto

By Anonymous
Community writer

Tea seeds, farmed organically

The view over the tea fields

The tea fields

Matsumoto-san taking us on a tour of his tea fields

Treated to home-grown fruit as well as tea

Sitting under the kotatsu reading tea-farm themed manga, about the tea farm we visited

Friendly smiles and warm welcomes

Matsumoto-san preparing some of his organic tea for us

Serving the tea, along with green tea curry, also made from Matsumoto-san's organic tea

Trying out a variety of teas

Sitting under the kotatsu

Nori, which we ate with the green tea curry

For dessert... green tea cake! So delicious, and hand-made by Matsumoto-san's wife
Join the discussion
Iain Stanley
10 years ago
What's green tea curry like??

Anonymous
Photographer
10 years ago
Extremely nice! I can definitely recommend it :)
Mandy Bartok
10 years ago
This looks like a wonderful experience! Does Matsumoto-san open his farm for tours to anyone or just special groups?
Erik Smith
10 years ago
Hi Mandy! I'm friends with another organic tea farmer in Minamata who takes in volunteers through WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). Currently, I am working with him to plan a special event in April or May for both Japanese and non-Japanese to work on the farm for a day and learn about the tea-making process, etc.
Mandy Bartok
10 years ago
Erik, I'd love to be kept up to date if that event comes through. I visited a farm in Shizuoka about 6 years ago and picked tea there but it was a very touristy experience and I'd love to learn more from an organic farmer. Can you post a comment on this thread with the dates, if possible?
Erik Smith
10 years ago
Of course!

Anonymous
Photographer
10 years ago
Hi Mandy, it was organised through Inside Japan , a tour company based in the UK. I'm sure if you contacted them they would be able to organise a similar visit.
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