One day at our friend's WASABI farm, Summer in 2019

August 26, 2019

COLUMN

In the summer of 2019, I went to the Izu Peninsula to visit a friend.

Although it is close enough to be visited from Tokyo on a day trip, it is a place that gives you the illusion of having stepped into another world.
That should be it.
The Izu Peninsula has different origins from Honshu, and is part of the Philippine Plate to the south of Japan, and was formed when it collided with the mainland about 20 million years ago.

A unique terrain where the mountains and the sea are side by side.
Mount Fuji across the sea, seen from the mountains covered in rare plants, was so beautiful it was beyond words.
The volcanoes that form the islands create tall mountains, which receive a lot of rain.
I heard that the area around Mount Amagi, famous for the Amagi Pass, has some of the highest rainfall in Japan.

Rain that falls passes through small holes in the lava, is stored in gaps in the strata, and reappears as spring water.
Due to this unique geology, the Izu Peninsula is blessed with an abundance of water throughout the year.

The place I visited this time was a wasabi field that a friend had cultivated .
This place was created over a long period of time by reviving an abandoned wasabi field located at the source of a river near the top of a deserted mountain.
The unique feature of Izu's wasabi fields is that they are cultivated without destroying nature.
It is said that it not only preserves the environment, but also has the power to prevent natural disasters and foster biodiversity.

Wasabi is a rare agricultural product that grows by absorbing nutrients directly from river water and can be harvested throughout the year.
The closer to the source, the fewer impurities there are and the more constant the water temperature is throughout the year, allowing for healthy, high-quality wasabi to grow without being affected by the season or weather.

Wasabi, which grows with the blessings of the earth and nutrients absorbed from water, contains "wasabi sulfinyl," which has a strong antibacterial effect and thins the blood. "Wasabi sulfinyl" not only creates a healthy body, but also has intestinal regulation and whitening effects, making it a plant that is said to be very good for beauty.

"Protecting the beauty of the mountains where wasabi grows will help to clean the ocean into which the water flows."
In Izu, a land where the sea and mountains are adjacent, I hear that farmers also take great care of the mountains with these words in mind.

The river water that produces wasabi flows into the foot of the mountain and grows rice.
The nutrient-rich water then flows into the ocean, providing food for fish and shellfish.

Izu is a place where everything needed to make sushi, including rice, wasabi, and seafood, is found.
The people of this area, who know the importance of seafood, may know better than anyone the importance of keeping the mountains clean.