Walk through the fields of pristine Daio Wasabi Farm
Located in the peaceful outskirts of Hotaka town, Daio Wasabi Farm is Japan’s largest such farm and a popular tourist destination for those in search a fun side trip from Matsumoto. Left behind ancient castles and shrines, visitors to Daio will soak up the welcoming atmosphere of an old Japanese village with quaint watermills and thatch-roofed houses that were part of a set for Akira Kurosawa's 1990 film “Dreams”. Steeped in history since 1915, the farm now occupies 15 hectares of land, featuring multiple large fields and a meticulously maintained network of small streams providing clear water from the Northern Alps for each wasabi plant. Following walking trails between the fields and learning how wasabi in your sushi is cultivated in Japan is surely an educational and fun experience. Besides, you cannot miss out the chance of tasting some of the intriguing wasabi concoctions at the onsite restaurants and shops, including wasabi pickles, wasabi soba, wasabi juice, wasabi beer, wasabi soft cream and wasabi chocolate, etc.
