With a car on this trip, we took the opportunity to drive out of Matsumoto to visit the Daio Wasabi Farm at the foot of the Northern Japanese Alps. Tourist information told us that this was one of the largest wasabi farms in Japan.

On the way there, we could see people with cameras on a tall temporary structure looking across the road. So of course we stopped. We paid our fee (a fundraiser at a local arts event) and climbed the sets of steps to see ….

An image of a sumo wrestler, Mitakeumi, (a local guy who twice won the sumo tournament) grown in rice … and so large that I couldn’t fit in the entire image!

So back to the Wasabi Farm; the plants are grown in a network of small streams with clear flowing water from the Alps. Given the size of the carparks it is clearly a massive operation – but it is only 15 acres with a hugely developed tourist business.

I have to admit that it undoubtedly the most unattractive farming that I have ever seen with all plants protected by black tarp sheeting. This is erected during the summer months to protect the plants from the sun., so it would be a a more pleasant experience in other seasons.

• 

• 

• 

• 

The visitor shop sold every conceivable wasabi flavoured product in display after display … even green teddies! We tried a wasabi croquette and a wasabi ice cream in an outside eating area but sadly it wasn’t possible to detect wasabi flavour in either.

• 

• 

My final photos show rice growing and distant views of the mountains.

• 

•