GREEN TEA PLANTATIONS, SURF BEACHES & LAID BACK LIFESTYLE
Makinohara City is located in the central region of Shizuoka Prefecture. The city, with a long stretch of Pacific Ocean coastline, is part of the “Makinohara Uplands / Plains”, which is famous for green tea plantations.
The Makinohara Uplands / Plains area was developed and cultivated to grow green tea after the Meiji Restoration of 1868 by a former retainer of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
Today green tea plantations and fields in the Makinohara Uplands / Plains cover an area of more than 12,000 acres (5,000 hectares) and are said to make up about 12% of all green tea fields in Japan.
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GREEN TEA FIELDS / GRINPIA MAKINOHARA
One of the larger plantations on the Makinohara Plains is managed by Grinpia Makinohara, which offers visitors a chance to learn every aspect of green tea including cultivation and processing. Tea-making machines from the early Showa period are displayed in the small exhibition room.
Green tea picking is available for visitors during the harvest season.
Grinpia Makinohara also has a store where you can try different green teas and different green tea flavors of ice cream.
BEACH LIFE
Makinohara is blessed with long stretches of beaches along the Pacific Ocean coast that produce some great waves.
In the Summer the beaches are a popular destination for locals looking to escape the heat, and a laid back beach culture has slowly developed over several decades.
Shizunami and Sagara Sun Beach are the most popular beaches in the area and popular with sun lovers, surfers and families.
PERFECT WAVES OUTSIDE THE OCEAN
In addition to the beaches, Makinohara offers unforgettable surfing experiences outside the ocean.
In 2021, Japan’s first surf stadium newly opened in Shizunami, which can create ideal conditions for surfing anytime with a variety of waves.
Surfers from beginners to professionals can enjoy riding the waves.
CHILL OUT LIKE LOCALS
In recent years, a number of new cafes, bars and beach-house style accommodations have popped up around the Makinohara beach areas.
One example of this is HAZ Cottage which is only 15 mins walk from Sagara Sun Beach.
The cottage is a renovated old Japanese style house that has been given a modern beach house feel.
Sit back and relax with local beer in hand while listening to the sound of waves.
OGANE FAMILY RESIDENCE
The Ogane Family Residence, a family home built in the 18th Century, is open to the public and provides visitors a glimpse of what rural Japanese life would have been like in the Edo Era.
The surrounding gardens are popular, and most famous for, the hydrangeas that bloom from late May through to the end of June.
MT. FUJI SHIZUOKA AIRPORT
Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport is Shizuoka Prefecture’s gateway to the sky.
There are countless places in the prefecture where you can enjoy a spectacular view of Mt. Fuji. This airport is one of our recommendations.
The Sekiun-in observation deck built on the east side of the airport terminal building is the best spot here. You can see airplanes landing and taking off with Mt. Fuji in the background.
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