Brought to you by local Yame guides who truly know and love the area along with Japanese-English interpreters, this is a fantastic opportunity to discover Yame’s lush nature and rich traditions. We’ll stroll through the terraced rice fields of Hoshino-mura, watch a traditional puppet show (with a 260-year history), and much more in this fun sightseeing trip! Book a seat here!
Tea fields in Yame
Traditional puppet show (toro-ningyo)
Luckily, the tour date coincides with two local festivals, the Rokuri Higanbana Matsuri (Rokuri Red Spider Lily Festival) and the Yame no Matsuri (Yame Festival). Tour participants can join activities such as mochitsuki (rice-pounding). Enjoy this rare chance to see and participate in two country festivals in one day!
See the fiery red higanbana next to the green fields.
Mochitsuki (rice pounding)
Browse and shop for unique local goods and handicrafts in this famous tea-growing area, and sample the famous Yame Dento Hongyokuro (high-quality Yame green tea). It’s a great time to pick up some tea and tea accessories for yourself or as gifts for family and friends. A delicious Japanese lunch made with seasonal ingredients will be served, too!
Yame Kanko Bussankan Tokimeki
Tea sampling available here
High quality Yame green tea
With only 20 seats available, reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis. Book a seat for yourself and make new friends, or form a group and enjoy the day together. Ideal for both overseas visitors and local foreign residents. (Japanese nationals welcome too, if they book with non-Japanese.)
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Schedule
9:10 Meeting (in front of Nishitetsu Kurume Station)
9:20 Departure
10:30~10:40 Nuio Road Park (refresh break)
10:50~12:00 Rokuri Higanbana Flower Viewing *Rokuri Higanbana Matsuri (Rokuri Red Spider Lily Festival) and mochi (rice cake) pounding event
12:50~13:50 Lunch (Kigokoro Kuboyama)
14:00~16:30 Free time: Yame Dento Kougeikan (Yame Traditional Crafts Center) / Yame Kanko Bussankan Tokimeki
15:00~15:30 Lantern Dolls of Yame Fukushima (Fukushima Hachimangu Shrine)
15:30 ~ Behind the scenes tour: Once a year, a puppet theater performance takes place inside the grounds of Fukushima Hachimangu Shrine. Designated as an important intangible folk cultural asset, the origins of the performance can be traced back more than 260 years. The show takes the cooperation of more than 40 people, and features string-and-pole operated karakuri puppets. Definitely a must-see!
16:30 Departure (Yame Dento Kougeikan)
16:40~17:10 Tea tasting at Murozono Meicha
18:00 Return (in front of Nishitetsu Kurume Station)
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• Departure: 9/24/2017 (Sun.)
• Tour Price (per person): adult ¥5,000 (incl. lunch), child ¥2,500 (excl. lunch), below ES ¥1,000 (excl. lunch) *payment by cash at the meeting spot on the day
• Number of participants: 20 person limit (individuals or groups from overseas, and Japanese provided they attend with at least one non-Japanese person in their group.)
• Handling company: Cha no Kuni (Land of Tea) Tourist Information Center (2-129 Moto-machi, Yame City)
• Planning and operation: FM Yame (1314-1 Kurogimachiima, Yame City)
• Email contact: tour@yame.travel (for questions about the tour and to cancel reservations – sorry, this tour is sold out.)
• Child seats are not available
This tour is sold out. There will be another one in February 2018. Please continue to access the Fukuoka Now website.
