A fun side trip from Matsumoto that packs a spicy taste of rural Japan
Whatever your feelings about wasabi, the 15-hectare Daio Wasabi Farm in Azumino makes a great excursion from Matsumoto . Explore the beautiful grounds and become an expert on Japan's popular condiment.
Wasabi grows naturally in streambeds in some regions of Japan, but the plants are notoriously temperamental and need ultra-pure conditions to thrive. Thanks to mineral-charged water from the neighboring Alps and the careful attention of the farm workers, the Daio Wasabi Farm plants thrive.
The grounds look more like a work of art than of agriculture. The rows of perfectly spaced wasabi plants in their cultivated gravel beds conforming to the flow of the streams running through the property are reminiscent of Zen gardens.
Wasabi grows naturally in streambeds in some regions of Japan, but the plants are notoriously temperamental and need ultra-pure conditions to thrive. Thanks to mineral-charged water from the neighboring Alps and the careful attention of the farm workers, the Daio Wasabi Farm plants thrive.
The grounds look more like a work of art than of agriculture. The rows of perfectly spaced wasabi plants in their cultivated gravel beds conforming to the flow of the streams running through the property are reminiscent of Zen gardens.
