Welcome to SHIMADA GREEN Ci-TEA JAPAN!
Shimada city is blessed with the clear, abundant water of the Oi River.
Shimada is located in the middle of Shizuoka Prefecture.
The Oi River flows from the Minami Alps, which is an area recognized as a UNESCO GEO PARK. The mighty river runs through the heart of Shimada city.
In the Edo era, a well-known phrase stated “Even horses can cross Hakone-Hachiri, but the Oi-river is hard to cross in any way“.
Because of heavy rains and the seasonal swelling of the river, travelers were forced to stay at Shimada-Juku or Kanaya-Juku. Owing to travelers’ long stays, many cultural exchanges were introduced, such as Shukuba-Machi, one of the fifty-three stages on the Tokaido road (Edo-Kyoto highway in Edo-era Japan).
These 53-stages played a very important role in the cultural development of Japan outside of Kyoto and what is now known as Tokyo.
Also 48% of the city’s land covering 315 square kilometers is occupied by ever-green forest, mostly in the northern parts of the city.
And the southern area merges with Makinohara heights. Makinohara heights was developed with the ambition of making it the number one tea plantation in Asia.
This was at the start of the Meiji period, by the support of Kaishu Katsu and his followers.
The view during the new green tea season gives a majestic sight of a truly world cultural heritage, with sacred Mount Fuji and the Suruga Bay surrounding the clear, mighty stream of the Oi river.
※Katsu Kaishu: (1823~1899) A Shogun’s retainer in the late Tokugawa Shogunate and served as a naval officer in the early Meiji period.
Making the best of the role as a transport hub.
The Tomei highway intersection, national road 1, and the JR Tokaido line moving east to west offers great, reliable accessibility. In 2009, Mt. Fuji Shizuoka airport was opened, and in 2012, the Shimada-Kanaya interchange on the new Tomei highway was opened. Furthermore,
the road from Omaezaki Port to Shimada-Kanaya Interchange, via the Makinohara Interchange on the Tomei highway, is currently being built to connect the route of south-north.
By making the most of the conveniences of transportation by land, sea, or air, our small city benefits from easy and reliable access. Shimada’s tourism ambition is to promote the city as a hub to exchange “human, products and information”.
The city of Green tea promoting itself to the world.
The cultivation of tea is performed everywhere in the city. The green tea grown in the Northern area is especially renowned. It’s a deep steamed sencha, known for it’s high quality, named “Kawane-cha”. Also, “Shimada-cha” and “Kanaya-cha” are excellent teas that are shipped all over Japan.
In recent years, the focus has been turning towards younger tea producers to establish the next generation of tea plantations. They are making efforts to create stable management of farms to secure the future success of tea farmers.
Also, Ocha No Sato ( the Tea museum), is a place where you can learn about the culture and the long history of tea in Japan. It is an internationally renowned tea facility near the Mt.Fuji Shizuoka airport. It has a souvenir shop and a well-stocked information center for visitors to learn all about domestic and international tea cultures.
Local sources with unlimited possibilities.
In Shimada, various historic spots and city landmarks remain, such as: ”Ruins of the Oi River toll gate crossing at Shimada-juku”. There is also a remnant of the station to cross the Oi River in the Edo era, known as “Kanaya-saka Ishidatami (Stone-paved path on Kanaya Slope)”, which has a very old and nostalgic atmosphere. The “Suwahara Castle Ruins”, where Takeda soldiers and Tokugawa soldiers had many back and forth battles (offensive and defensive) in the Sengoku era. Also, the “Shimada Taisai(Obi-Matsuri)” known as one of the oddest Japanese Festivals. There is the “Mage Matsuri” for celebrating the elegant Shimada Mage (a hairstyle in the topknot fashion) with dancing women in matching Yukata. A very exotic, yet traditional kind of festival is the “ Kanaya Green Tea Festival”, with 1000 dancing women in traditional tea-picking wear. Traditional and modern cultures harmonize with originality, while still respecting the traditions of old Japan in Shimada city.
Also, our city has the hot spring facility “Itawari No Yu”, known for its effects on making skin beautiful. And “Kawane Onsen”, which flows directly from the hot spring source.
In the Kawane Onsen, located along the Oi-river, you can enjoy the hot springs by day, and also stay in the cottages with outdoor baths for a night. Next to the Kawane Onsen, there is a hotel where you can enjoy local dishes with local products in a buffet style lunch. In addition, while immersed in the open-air bath, you can take in the majestic SL train, the old-style train running on the Ōigawa Railway. The cherry blossom season is especially enchanting. The train runs parallel to a line of cherry blossom trees along the Oi River. The view from the train, or also a car window, is simply stunning.
Since 2014, the Railway has also started the run of Thomas the Tank Engine (famous character of a steam locomotive from a British picture book), the famous English train so popular among children. People from all over Japan have come to share the delights of Thomas, and his magical run through the nature of our surrounding city.
The Horai-bridge, suspended over the Oi-river, is recognized as “the longest wooden footbridge in the world.” (also called the bridge of longevity for its sound in Japanese) by The Guinness Book of World Records. Also, the wide banks of the river are paved so they can be enjoyed for marathons, ground golf, baseball, and football (soccer) by the residents of Shimada.
In these different ways, our city is full of fascinating traditions and old cultures offered by our long history and rich natural environment. Shimada offers things not every Japanese city has.
Shimada Oi River Marathon
The marathon course “Liberty”, is paved on the riverbed of the Oi River. The marathon competition”Shimada Oi River Marathon” is held every October and hosts roughly 10,000 runners from around the country.
The 6th annual competition last year filled the capacity of 9,000 runners within three days. In the competition, “Shimada-style hospitality” was performed by the citizens, and more than 2,000 volunteers participated. Now, we are aiming to increase the number of non-residents in sports, cultures, and tourism by pushing our marathon competition to become the best and the most highly regarded marathon competition in Japan.
SHIMADA GREEN Ci-TEA JAPAN
As a city promotion activity, we’re trying to establish a “Shimada Brand” to convey the charm and identity of our city.
On the 1st of November in 2015, we announced our brand message and logo: “Shimada city green tea-nization plan” for the domestic market and “SHIMADA GREEN Ci-TEA JAPAN” for overseas markets. Our city image color is “Green-tea Green”.
Three strategies to expand the Shimada brand
Strategy for overseas market／SHIMADA GREEN Ci-TEA JAPAN
We will proceed with developments for the promotion of products to make the image of “Green tea=Shimada city”, and activities of invitation for users of Mt. Fuji Shizuoka airport.
Considering this opportunity as a big business chance, we will also positively promote ourselves to the Japan National Tourism Organization and various tourism agencies.
Strategy for domestic market／Shimada Green tea-nization Plan
We will send out our love of Shimada green tea by posters, internet sites, brochures, and promotional videos throughout Japan.
And we will also develop some tourism spots to enjoy Shimada green tea.
Strategy for local market／Shimada Green tea-nization plan
By trying to create the green tea-green, we will promote the use of the brand color for both public and private users in public facilities and private companies.
We will try our best to create topics by performing the “green tea-nization plan” with city businesses and publishers.
We will also improve our policy for Shimada citizens, to help them become more familiar with green tea, one of the most important cultural assets of the city.
