Tea terraces, Mount Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Tea terraces

Located about 30 miles from Mount Fuji's storied summit, Shizuoka is considered the green tea capital of Japan, with about 40% of the nation's tea grown in the city's vicinity. That amounts to a lot of leaves, considering steaming cups of steeped tea are a mainstay of traditional Japanese meals. One thing our photo's sun-soaked shrubs won't be used for, though: matcha. That coveted umami-tinged powder comes from tea plants grown specially in the shade, with no exposure to heat or sunlight prior to grinding for use in drinks, desserts, and more.