Approximately 150 racers competed on this road on May 15, 2016. (in Makinohara-shi, Shizuoka Prefecture)
In Shizuoka Prefecture, its famous green tea plantaions become a race course for cyclists. The roads that run through the green tea gardens are perfect sites for a road race and an organized bike ride as they have great ups and downs, are well-paved, and have no signals. On some Saturdays and Sundays, the roads are closed to cars and pedestrians and hundreds of cyclists turn them into a race course for a day. (There is almost no other established race course in Japan that can accommodate this many riders at a time.)
Riders across Japan and also from Taiwan participated in one organized event held in Omaezaki-shi, Shizuoka Prefecture
During the race, cyclists are also welcome to enjoy the most delicious shincha (a special type of first harvest tea) served by locals who wish to expand green tea consumption.
The very first road bicycle race in the tea plantations in Shimada-shi and Makinohara-shi was held on May 15, 2016. Racers went around the course of 1.75 kilometers and with the height difference of 20 meters, which is supervised by a local bicycle racer who once won the all-Japan championship.