New attraction in Okayama
Okayama Prefecture is commonly known as the “Fruit Kingdom” in Japan.
Did you know that there are many other places in Okayama where you can enjoy delicious agricultural products?
We, ITPlan Tourism Center offers several tours that allow you to enjoy Okayama’s delicious foods while getting to know the producers.
Here are two examples of agri-tourism and other attractive tours.
”Okayama Coffee Tour’’
”Okayama Coffee Tour’’ is a special tour that focuses on domestic coffee grown and harvested in Okayama, allowing visitors to experience the world of coffee through all senses.
Coffee cultivation in Okayama defies common perception.
It is usually believed that coffee can only be grown in tropical regions near the equator, but domestic coffee in Okayama has been successfully cultivated using a number of know-hows to break this tradition.
In particular, organic cultivation and traceability have attracted much attention.
Attraction of ”Okayama Coffee Tour’’
This tour plan allows visitors to learn up close and personal how coffee is created and turned into a beverage. Below are three of reasons.
Learning from the producers
During the harvest season, you may be able to see red coffee cherries ripening. (The coffee you will see will vary depending on the season you attend.)
Visitors can learn about the know-how of domestic coffee cultivation from the producers. At the plantation, you will hear directly from the growers about how coffee changes over the course of a year and the key points of cultivation and processing. On the farm, visitors will learn about the work in a jungle-like atmosphere while viewing the coffee seedlings.
Coffee roasting and brewing
The process of roasting coffee beans harvested on the farm is also part of the tour. Visitors can request the degree of roasting and enjoy the coffee to their own taste. The roasted coffee beans are then used for the coffee brewing experience. A variety of brewing equipment is provided, and visitors can brew their own coffee. They can enjoy the aroma of fresh, aromatic coffee and taste it on the spot.
Highly recommended for those who wants to…
- Taste good food in a professional condition.
- Like coffee and to learn in the production area.
- Be interested in agriculture and domestic coffee cultivation.
- Interact with producers.
- Work in the coffee business or considering a training place.
- Touch the soil and have a digital detox.
Visitors can enjoy a luxurious moment by interacting with producers and going through the process of growing and making coffee. Why not fully enjoy the aroma and taste of coffee in the great nature of Okayama?
Click here to see more! (Japanese version)
Okayama Farm to Table Tour
Taste the fresh herbs of Okayama
The “Farm to Table Tour Okayama” is a plan that allows you to enjoy picking herbs at a great local farm and a herb cooking class at a restaurant. From farming to cooking, this tour emphasizes making and tasting your own food, and allows you to experience the different aromatic herbs of each season.
The restaurant is available for private reservations.
Sample tour schedule
| 10.00 a.m. | Walk in the herb garden |
| 10.15 a.m. | Recommended herb tea tasting |
| 10.30 a.m. | Seasonal herb picking experience and herb arrangement |
| 11.00 a.m. | Transportation. Herb cooking class at a private restaurant |
| 11.30 a.m. | Making special pizza with picked herbs |
| 12.30 p.m. | Herb seminar by a qualified herbalist |
| 02.00 p.m. | Dismissal |
Attraction of “Farm to Table Tour Okayama”
- Stroll through a farm where about 150 kinds of herbs are harvested and processed pesticides-free.
- Enjoy the aroma of herbs that differ from season to season.
- Learn how to use them at home and how to arrange them for cooking with advice from the producers.
Herb Picking
- You can make bouquets with the herbs you pick.
- You can make edible bouquets and potpourri at home
- You can also enjoy herb arrangements.
Herb cooking class
- Making special pizzas using harvested herbs.
- Recipe introduction and demonstration by a professional herbalist in a restaurant that can be reserved exclusively for visitors.
Herb Seminar
- Herb seminar by a qualified member of the Japan Medical Herb Association.
- Learn about the types of herbs, their efficacy, and how to prepare herbal teas according to your physical condition.
Visitors will experience the process from farm to table and will enjoy living with herbs at home.
Cooking with herbs of your own choosing will be especially special!
Highly recommended for those who wants to…
- Try delicious food in a professional recommended state.
- Like herbs and want to know how to utilize them.
- Be interested in agriculture. Those who want to try it casually first.
- Exercise their body in nature.
- Feel and touch more Okayama.
- Touch the soil and have a digital detox
Click here to see more! (Japanese version)
Other options with specialty chocolate
Coffee pairing experience at a Bean To Bar chocolate store
After tasting coffee at a domestic coffee farm, why not savor it with delicious chocolate?
In Okayama, there is a Bean To Bar chocolate specialty store with a “chocolat sommelier” on staff to show you how to enjoy chocolate.
Cacao, the main ingredient of chocolate, has different flavor characteristics depending on its origin.
Professionals will hold a seminar for you to find out which region of Japan’s coffee goes well with which region of chocolate.
You will be able to directly hear about the tasting method that allows you to taste the flavor of the cacao and the secrets involved in the production process.
*Product image for illustration purposes only.
*Actual product may vary
If you are related to the chocolate or coffee business, the experience you will gain from this tour will be more than useful.
Example Schedule
| 02:00p.m. | Coffee farm stroll and roasting/brewing experience |
| 04:00p.m. | Transfer to Bean To Bar Chocolate Specialty Shop |
| 06:30p.m. | Pairing Seminar at Bean To Bar Chocolate Shop |
| 08:00p.m. | Dismissal |
Click here to see more! (Japanese version)
Other options with ancient chocolate
Discover the history of cacao at the Museum of Ancient Mesoamerican Civilizations
Want to learn more about chocolate?
”Okayama Ancient Cacao Tourism” is an adventurous tour plan that explores the history of cacao and the fascinating world of chocolate.
- Learning at the museum: Guided tours and hands-on experience of the excavations at a museum specializing in ancient Latin America.
- History of Cacao Beverages: Learn more about the history and production process of cacao beverages and enjoy small cacao beverages specially made for the museum.
- Bean To Bar chocolate making: recreate an ancient chocolate recipe with a JAFA-certified chocolate sommelier at a specialty chocolate store.
History and chocolate combine to create a unique and fun tour that gives visitors a memorable experience.
Example Schedule
| 03:00p.m. | Visit BIZEN Museum of Latin American Art |
| 05:00p.m. | Move to Bean To Bar Chocolate Specialty Shop |
| 06:30p.m. | Ancient Chocolate Workshop |
| 08:00p.m. | Dismissal |
Click here to learn more! (English)
Only your group per day
Tours can be conducted privately without other visitors.
This allows you to concentrate on the content with your friends and colleagues.
Please feel free to contact us for more information about our tours.