Shizuoka is Japan’s largest production center for green tea. Unlike black tea, green tea is not fermented but simply steamed and dried. Various types are available depending on the cultivation and processing techniques. American actress Ananda Jacobs visits Shizuoka in the midst of the harvest season to meet the people who devote their lives to producing this remarkable drink. (This program was broadcast on July 16, 2020.)

Actress Ananda Jacobs Japanese green tea The tea plantations on the Makinohara Plateau cover 5,000 hectares and produce 40% of Shizuoka's green tea. This vast plain was once an uncultivated wilderness, until it began to be developed around 150 years ago. Tochizawa lies in the mountains, on the upper reaches of the Warashina River. The topography and temperature differential cause foggy conditions, which help shade the strong sunlight, making it an ideal place for producing premium quality tea. Here, harvesting is done by hand, in the traditional way.