Daio Wasabi Farm

Blessed with breathtaking nature, Nagano Prefecture in northern Japan is widely known for its agriculture, particularly the massive crops of wasabi. Much of it is produced at the Daio Wasabi Farm, the largest farm of its kind in Japan.

Founded in 1915 and now spread across 37 acres of land, the farm produces over 150 tons of wasabi every year, accounting for a tenth of the nationwide production. Most of it is consumed at the farm’s restaurant in the forms of donburi, curry, noodles, beer, ice cream, and more.

The cultivation of wasabi is not the only thing that the farm offers to visitors. Photogenic sights await guests throughout the premises, including sacred caves and a shrine where the torso of Gishiki Hachimen Daio, a medieval thief whose adventures are sung about in local folklore, can be found.

In 1990, Daio Wasabi Farm was prominently featured in the final segment of Dreams, a magical realist anthology film directed by the legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. A quaint watermill was constructed for the film and has since become a popular tourist attraction.