We were supposed to visit Mt Tateyama but had to tweak our itinerary due to the pouring rain. Having no other options, we decided to take a JR to Matsumoto and made a side trip to Daio Wasabi Farm. The journey from Toyama to Matsumoto took around 2 hrs 5 mins.
Wasabi needs no introduction. It is the Japanese version of chilli padi, a greenish substance where the taste of the choking burning sensation can be felt through your nose instead of your mouth. Yet, this is the perfect ingredient to go with Sashimi sushi. However, I have no idea how a wasabi plant look like. Hence, a visit to Diao Wasabi Farm is on my travel list.
From Matsumoto, we took the JR to Hakato and then we had a quick lunch at one of the cosy restaurant near the train station. The decoration of the restaurant was very homely and filled magazines and books as well as comfy sofa. Our lunch were surprisingly deliciously even though it consisted of simple ingredients such as rice/pasta served with small portion of deer meat, potatoes and fried radish. The restaurant staff were very friendly and made us feel welcome with their smiles, services and small conversation even though they do not speak much English.
As the rain gets smaller, we decided to rent the bicycles from the opposite shop ("OBike") to the wasabi farm. Trust me, the ride to the wasabi farm is the most enjoyable and scenic one that I ever had, crossing through many farmlands and orchard. In Singapore, we can hardly enjoy a good scenic bicycle ride other than at Pulau Ubin. The ride to the farm is pretty near from the station and and can be reached within 30 mins. The route is also easy to navigate if you have a good sense of direction and know how to read a map.
The farm has been operational since 1915 and its obviously popular with locals and tourists as there were a couple of tour buses arriving at the same time as us. Despite this popularity, the farm was not crowded. We had lots of space to wander about.
The largest area of the farm is taken up by the crops of wasabi, endless rows of them. I had previously assumed that the wasabi plant grew in the earth like other root vegetables. I was so wrong! The crops are actually grown under shallow streams of perfectly clear and very clean water sourced from the nearby Northern Alps. During the hottest part of the year, the crops are also shielded from the sun by overhead canopies.
The gentle curving rows of crops mimic the flowing river, and the trickling sound of the streams create a peaceful vibe that made me feel very relaxed as I strolled the entire farm.
There is a small shrine onsite dedicated to the local hero Hachiman Daio who was considered a protector of the farm.
You could easily spend alot of time browsing the gift shop which sells a large variety of wasabi food products and novelties. Other than gift shops, there are restaurants and shops selling wasabi food such as wasabi soba, wasabi curry rice, wasabi ice-cream etc.
We tried the wasabi ice-cream which surprisingly was not spicy. It tasted nice though. My hubby also bought the Shinzo apple ice-cream which was absolutely delicious.
I am glad that I had the opportunity to visit this farm and its surrounding. It's really a lovely place to spend some time outdoor in this gorgeous countryside. This place is definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in Nagano.
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