Tea Picking at Nakai Samurai

Deep in the valley of the Tenryu River, far from the cities, noise and … anything else for that matter sits Nakai Samurai. Yes, that’s a place name. It is a small village within the village of Tenryu in the Ina Valley. And when I say this place is remote, you will have to see it for yourself to know quite how out of the way this is.

Access:

Nakai Samurai is on the JR Iida Train line. You can get there from Toyohashi (which has a shinkansen stop), or from the northern most stop on the line, Tatsuno. This train line is a truly beautiful and rural experience! Check out hyperdia for train times. And because it is a JR line, if you have a JR pass you can ride for free! Trust me, be a pioneer! This is great!

When you get off the train at Nakai Samurai Station you will have to walk all of … 5 meters maybe to get to the main attraction here. Nakai Samurai is a tea farming village. The steep sides of the valley make an ideal place to grow tea.

The tea here is 100% organic. This has downsides for the farmers. First of all is the amount of harvests that are possible. Most tea farms can harvest 3 to 4 times a year. But organic tea only gets one harvest. Despite these issues, the farmers here are proud to be organic and their tea has become famous around the country.

From right next to the station you can pick tea looking down over the Tenryu River. It is amazing sight that looks more like a Cambodian landscape than a Japanese one is many ways.

If you book with the local farmers they will take you on a tea making experience. They will greet you at the station with tea, take you tea picking, and then you can even make your own freshly roasted green tea within an hour. The taste of fresh green tea you have made yourself may well ignite the tea lover within you. I am British and renounce milk and sugar in my tea for this stuff!

The views here are spectacular and you’ll see a side of Japan almost no one else has, not even most Japanese. This is a big recommendation. Get in touch for more information.

The farmers will also take you to see some local hokura (spirit gods) which have been carved into the mountainside before you go. And a delicious lunch bento box can be provided by a local ryokan and can be eaten … at the station. Hey, sometimes adventures are best without too much luxury! This memory will stay with you!