Tea planted in rows along the foot of a cedar clad slope (Photo: Cathy Cawood)

Tea Plantations in Shiga Prefecture

Green tea and rice in the Japanese countryside

Cathy Cawood   - 1 min read

When I was cycling to Shigaraki, I came upon an area with many tea plantations. In May the tea plants had fresh young growth on the tips. In my opinion it makes the best green tea! I think picking the tips must be boring, painstaking work though. Sometimes the beautiful mounded rows of tea plants were growing right next to newly flooded rice fields. It was a truly Japanese countryside scene - rice and green tea!

Cathy Cawood

Cathy Cawood @cathy.cawood

 I came to Japan in 2003 to teach English. I lived in Shiga prefecture for 1 year, and it still holds a special place in my heart. I lived in Kyoto for 9 years, then moved to Machida, Tokyo in 2014 after meeting my Japanese partner. I love to take photos, and my Japan in Pictures Facebook page ha...