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A Study Program for Aspiring Tea People Around the World
Do you love Japanese tea? Do you want to become a tea expert or do business in the tea industry? Then the Shizuoka Tea Study program is for you! This short-term program in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan's leading producer of quality tea, will give you an in-depth, hands-on experience of every step of the tea-making process, from harvesting leaves to producing tea. Learning from the pros, you'll get a step closer to becoming a tea expert yourself!
Benefits of Joining the Program
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Learn from experts in Japanese tea |
Gain hands-on experience of every step of the tea-making process |
Receive a certificate upon completing the program Get one step closer to becoming an expert in the tea industry! |
Program Outline
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Hosts Tea companies in Shizuoka Prefecture |
Study period * Study period varies by host |
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Accommodations Hotel, apartment, or the like near the study site * Accommodations vary by host |
Eligible participants
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Shizuoka Tea Study Program-Trial Tour
Program
Participants who complete the program will receive a diploma. The compulsory study contents below must be completed to fulfill the requirements for a diploma.
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Shizuoka tea briefing and preparation practiceOrganizerHost tea companies |
Japanese tea and Shizuoka tea history, industry, and functionalityOrganizerHost tea companies |
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Tea cultivationOrganizerHost tea companies |
Unrefined tea processOrganizerHost tea companies |
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Finishing processOrganizerHost tea companies |
Tea evaluation methodsOrganizerHost tea companies |
Expenses borne by the participant
- Round-trip travel expenses to host tea company (airfare + domestic travel)
- Participation fee (amount varies by tea company and program)
- Accommodation fee (in some cases, this may be included in the paticipation fee.)
- Meal expenses
- Enrollment in overseas travel insurance covering farm work and volunteer work
- Farm work-appropriate clothing and shoes, change of clothes, daily necessities
Flow up to start of program
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Complete and send |
Document |
Web interview * Applicants who |
Participation * Applicants who |
Submit required |
Start of program |
* Normally it requires about a month from application to confirmation.
Application
Eligibility requirements
- As a rule, applicants must be aged 20 or older holding a visa for short-term stay of within 90 days in Japan, including from visa exempt countries. Note that the permitted period of stay varies by country or region: 15 days for foreign nationals from Indonesia, Thailand, and Brunei; 30 days for those from the United Arab Emirates.
- Confirmed participants must submit documents including participation agreement, and enroll in overseas travel insurance.
- The program does not accept applications from general tourists.
Participants will not receive any remuneration.
*Please confirm the latest condition when traveling.
In order to prevent the spread of infectious disease, Japan is currently implementing immigration restrictions on travelers.
Link to Ministry of Foreign Affaires of Japan: https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html
Host tea companies
Below is a list of the study program’s host tea companies. If you wish to be a participant, please submit an application using the prescribed form.
| COMPANY | INTRODUCTION |
|---|---|
| OSADA Seicha Co., Ltd. |  The town of Morimachi, in the northwestern Shizuoka Prefecture, flourished in the premodern Edo period as a hub of tea in neighboring Harunocho for more than 30 years. The company also own the tencha tea farm, where... |
| Maruyama Tea Products Corporation |  Artisanal skills cultivated since the company's founding in 1933 to make delicious tea in the lush nature and mild climate of Kakegawa, and the innovative spirit to constantly take bold action with an eye to the future - pursuing these... |
| SANWA Co., Ltd. |  Sanwa obtained FSSC 22000 certification in 2018 in order to deliver safe products to customers outside Japan. The company invites study program participants to see its now factory and management structure adapted to the... |
| Marumatsu Tea Co., Ltd. |  At Marumatsu, a tea master selects tea leaves to be purchased from over hundreds of growers throughout Japan. Seasoned craftsmen then perform finishing and firing processes suitable for each tea leaf, before packaging the final... |
| Matcha Organic Japan Co., Ltd. |  Matcha Organic Japan's tea farm spreading across the mountain district practices all organic farming. The company's philosophy is to deliver delicious organic matcha and make people smile around the world, its mission to handle all... |
| Kanei Hitokoto Seicha Inc. |
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| Marufuku Seicha Co., Ltd. |
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| Kawabata Tea Farm |  Located in the lush natural landscape of Kogouchi, an area in the northern part of Shizuoka City, Kawabata Tea Farm handles every aspect of tea production - from cultivation to processing and sales - without the use of... |
 Our company is based on the idea of integrated tea company, unifying tea farming, unrefined tea processing, making tea products and the sales phases. We are waiting for the participants who want to connect this experience to business... |
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| Otsuka Green Tea Co., Ltd. |  Otsuka Green Tea is one of the oldest established tea manufacturer in this region. We are mainly making deep steamed sencha which has the strongest taste and blight green color in Japanese green tea. Since 2007, we started... |
Founded in 1865, Kanei Hitokoto Seicha is an established tea manufacturer based in Shimada City, home to the Makinohara Plateau, the largest tea farming region in Japan. The company is strong in tea OEM services and...
Marufuku Seicha purchases teas from Shizuoka and throughout Japan, and engages in tea production, processing, and distribution. Fascinated paticularly by the flavor of tea leaves from the montainous area upstream of the...Application
Eligibility requirements
- As a rule, applicants must be aged 20 or older holding a visa for short-term stay of within 90 days in Japan, including from visa exempt countries. Note that the permitted period of stay varies by country or region: 15 days for foreign nationals from Indonesia, Thailand, and Brunei; 30 days for those from the United Arab Emirates.
- Confirmed participants must submit documents including participation agreement, and enroll in overseas travel insurance.
- The program does not accept applications from general tourists.
Participants will not receive any remuneration.
