A Trip to Shizuoka 2

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Kakegawa, Kakegawa Castle, Shizuoka Tea Museum

24/10/2025 • 3 mins • Composed by Hyunjoo Kim

Shizuoka is less than two hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen, making it an easy day trip or weekend getaway. This time, we traveled from Tokyo by train to visit our supplier and also had some time to explore the region ourselves. As a tea lover, I’d love to share a few must-visit spots that made our trip so special.

Kakegawa

Our visit began in Kakegawa, where many of our suppliers are located. It is a small city primarily known as a centre of tea production within Shizuoka. During our time there, we had the chance to explore the town and get familiar with the region.

One of Kakegawa’s highlights is its castle, a symbol of the city’s history and culture. Originally constructed using traditional materials, the castle suffered damage from earthquakes over the years. In 2004, it was carefully reconstructed entirely from wood, making it the first castle in Japan to be rebuilt in this way, preserving both its historical design and traditional craftsmanship.

The castle is about a 10–15 minute walk from Kakegawa Station, and I highly recommend going inside and climbing to the top, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Kakegawa city and Mount Fuji. After visiting the castle, you can continue exploring nearby attractions such as the Ninomaru Tea Room, where visitors can enjoy a tea experience while overlooking a beautiful Japanese garden. There’s also the Ninomaru Museum and the Takenomaru Residence, a designated tangible cultural property of Kakegawa City.

Shizuoka Tea Museum

A short drive from Kakegawa is the Shizuoka Tea Museum. Before entering the main building, there is a tea room with a garden, which we visited first. The tea room and garden were restored to reflect the Edo-period style of Masakazu kobori, a daimyo known for his love of tea. Here, visitors can enjoy a traditional tea ceremony and appreciate the serene garden surroundings.

Inside the museum, you can explore teas from around the world, including China, Turkey, and Tibet, with reconstructions of traditional tea drinking environments. Monthly exhibitions introduce various tea making and drinking methods from both Japan and abroad. The museum also covers the history of Japanese tea, the Shizuoka tea industry, hand-processing tools, production machinery, cultivation methods, and the functional benefits of tea.

Before leaving the Shizuoka Tea Museum, I had the chance to participate in one of the museum’s hands-on activities: grinding matcha using a traditional stone mill. Guided by an expert, I carefully ground the tea leaves at a steady pace. The stone was surprisingly heavy, and it took over 10 minutes to produce just 3 grams of matcha, making it a surprisingly physical and meditative experience. Being able to take home the freshly ground matcha added a personal touch, turning this activity into a tangible memory of my visit. This experience was the perfect conclusion to our museum visit, allowing us to connect directly with the process behind every cup of matcha.

Even with a short stay in Shizuoka, it was a truly meaningful opportunity to experience tea in a traditional way. Walking through the tea fields, visiting historical sites, and seeing the care that goes into every leaf gave me a deeper appreciation for the culture and craftsmanship behind Japanese tea. If you are driving, it’s also possible to explore multiple tea plantations along the route, each offering its own unique scenery and insights into tea cultivation. Whether you are a tea lover or simply curious about Japanese traditions, a visit to Shizuoka provides a rich, immersive experience that stays with you after you leave.