Japan’s Izu Peninsula Is Considered the Birthplace of Wasabi

The fragrance of Vasabi fainted in the air as I had gone through roofs filled with specific plants in Japan’s Isu Peninsula. Quiet, shady mountain slopes were ideal for hiking, and abundant natural springs provided the right atmosphere to grow the famous Vasabi of the region. During the journey, my trekking partner and I did not only appreciate the growing Wasabi-we made it possible in every way, from a freshly grated dolp to the vanilla soft-serve-iM-iM-Ice cream to Mountain Yama and Soba with local vegetables to sprinkle a type of calf on the bowl of noodles.

I was on a week -long hiking journey with Japan to detect Izu Peninsula, known not only for its Wasabi and other delicious local cuisine, but also for its waterfalls, hiking, beautiful coastal ideas and incredible Onasen. “This is actually a hidden gemstone inside Japan,” says John Sweeny, who lives in Izu and has been a Walk Japan Tour Leader for eight years. “It is well known to Japanese people, but for foreign tourists, the peninsula is still relatively unknown.”

To reach the Isu Peninsula, my group met our guide at Tokyo station and stopped a train for Izu-Kon, where we discovered a small geological museum before going to our first hike. We used to walk and saw that air -shaped cliftop pine trees – are associated with Japanese artwork – and heard the waves made again through the waves and sea caves on the rocks. That night, we soaked in an open air with views of Pacific.

Each day, we seem to have a constant changing scenes, from the roofs of Vasabi plants, to the grand coastal rocks, Kawazu appears to be a falling water until seven waterfalls.

On the fifth day of our journey, we summoned a mountain to an approach, where we saw a small glimpse of Mount Fuji’s flax, coming out of the back of a shroud of clouds. The rest of the holy mountain – the highest peak of the japan was hidden, but our guide encouraged us to be patient. Find a place to relax and relax, he said. Just wait.

“In your busy life, you don’t have much time to wait to pass the clouds,” he said. Therefore, we used to breathe in the fragrance of the soil of the forest, appreciated vibrant colors, and listened to soft air.

Eventually, our patience was rewarded. The clouds participated, and Fuji-San elike to show his snowfall peak, before the clouds obscured it once again, which left us down instead of praising Suruga Bay.

The coast was paired with every aspect of our time on the Eju Peninsula, seeing the waves on the rocks of the sea and surrounded by the smell of the salty sea, such as the Shirhama was seen at the Tori Gate of Shrine.

The proximity to the ocean also shared what we ate every day, in which we enjoyed food at the traditional Ryokan Sarai. Sweeni said many meals during the journey “are in the style of which are the seasonality and what is around the peninsula.”

These delicious multicolored feasts were focused on local seafood such as marine breams, lobster, squad and crab, with Wasabi prominently painted on some menu. We had a Vasabi Hot Pot Dinner with Amgi Game Cock Soup and local vegetables, as well as a fresh grilled bamboo shooting, Sashimi with Amgi Vasabi, Stemed Scallop Dumplings, Student Cherry Blossom Radish, and Black Rice Jelly and Strawbury, a curse of desserts.

One day before we exit for our hike, we stayed at one of the last remaining traditional Katsuobushi Bonito Flake factories. There, the fifth generation owner Yasuhisa Serizawa worked on the tradition with his family’s Kanesa Dry Bonito Store, which was established in 1882. Serizwa uses traditional methods to produce Katsuobhi, and he hosted workshops to teach visitors like history and production. He showed us his factory, and told us about his method of salt conservation before taking out a tool similar to a planner and shaved us the delicious salty dry fish paper-thorough slices to enjoy. While Katsuobushi was made all over Japan, only a few manufacturers still remain today, so it was a special treatment to see his family work.

Our days were filled with learning, hiking and eating delicious local foods on Isu Jio trail, and I was always ready to soak in the owners that were often available in Ryocons where we stayed. These shared, from open-air hot springs, were with a personal in-room onssains with a ritual, where I was soaked with a large open window, while a storm was seen walking outside the sea.

Watching the waves of the ocean, listening to the sea crashed sounds, soaking in a warm ounce, increasing the aromatic growing fat, and slowing me to taste incredible seafood and to attach my senses in the Izu Peninsula. It is a great place to look and wait on the clouds – they can just participate and provide an ideal glimpse in Mount Fuji.