Old McDonald Had A Farm

Today we went on an adventure to a ginormous wasabi farm. To describe the experience in three words it was beautiful, yucky, and super-fun (words combound with a dash count as one word...yes Mr. Webster, combound). The wasabi was planted for miles in a windy fashion that gave the illusion of a river of plants. And although it was fun and admirable to see all the thousands of wasabi plants, the beauty was in the surrouding area. It was such a green lush area with colorful flower and ponds with giant yellow fish and little shrines and statues scattered about. For those of you who frequent sushi shops and wondered how your wasabi got to be on your plate, they plant it in long rows and water it with only the purest natural water. The water used to water the wasabi was the clearest water I've ever seen. The wasabi can't get too much sun so for most of it's life it is covered with shades.
Then they harvest it and use every part of it: the roots (what people generally eat), the stalks, and the leaves. There were taste testers and most of the samples burned a hole threw my mouth, esophagous, and stomach. We also shared one of their famous wasabi ice cream cones...Caleb LOVED it. I gave him my portion.
There were trails and caves winding around the area and I wish I hadn't done lunges for the first time in forever yesterday. Japan is beautiful. Wasabi is nasty. I suggest the first and suggest avoiding the latter. That being said, if anyone wants me to bring them back some wasabi gum drops, wasabi juice, wasabi rolls, wasabi suckers, etc., place an order in the next two months.

Caleb with monsters from Where the Wild Things Are

Summoning the courage to enter the deep dark caves of 5'X5'...

The lone gnome...also known as Happy from Snow White
The raining rock