Tabinoya

Kyoko’s cooking was a highlight. Her sophisticated, scrumptious dinners and breakfasts used simple local ingredients, and I thought they were better than meals I’ve had at some fancy four-star ryokans. Dinner had more than 10 courses, each one intricate, and the kids loved their carefully prepared meal. Knowing one person had made it all was touching. We were very well fed, and we’re grateful for the delicious food. We were a family of five driving through Shizuoka in late March. It was too early to pick tea leaves, and there were no bamboo shoots either. Instead, Koichi and Kyoko showed us how to grate a local yam for a special dish at dinner. The kids loved it. They’re wonderful hosts who have opened their lovely home to visitors wanting an authentic countryside homestay. They’ve been doing this for almost a decade and have been featured in local magazines. Koichi took us to a nearby tea plantation with a beautiful view of the iconic ‘cha’ formed by 1000 trees. He also drove us up the mountain for a scenic view, stopping at picturesque spots for photos, including Sakura. He made tea for us when we arrived and at every meal, using locally harvested leaves. We slept in both upstairs rooms. It was cold outside, but the house was well heated and we had warm fleece blankets. The toilet and bath are downstairs and clean. The steep stairs weren’t a problem, as the kids enjoyed going up and down. There’s also a bamboo grove behind the house that we would have liked to explore, but we chose a good night’s sleep instead. We slept really well. Thanks as well for the quick replies to our email questions and for checking in before and after the trip. We loved our stay and hope to return for tea picking next time. Thank you for taking such good care of us.

We didn’t stay overnight, but we joined the tea tour, and it was my favorite day of my week in Japan. Koichi was kind and accommodating, and made the day special. The area is stunning. We visited in early April, when the Cherry Blossoms were at their peak and the weather was perfect. He served tea and a light meal, then drove us around the community. It was exactly the taste of rural Japan I’d hoped for, in a remarkable green tea-growing region. Thank you so much!

Such a lovely host! Our three-hour tea plantation tour turned into much more, including a great view of Mt Fuji. Kolchi was wonderful with us, and we got to taste lots of different teas. A must-see!

We traveled from Germany to see the tea-growing area near Kakegawa and Koichi and Kyoko welcomed us so warmly. Koichi gave us two full days of immersive tea experiences and shared lots of fascinating insights. Kyoko treated us to excellent traditional Japanese meals each day. An unforgettable experience!