I've been to Shimoda, but I've never been to the mountains. ～A woman in her twenties living the life of Shimoda at her own pace (3)

  • Shizuoka
  • Experience Gifu
Did you know that you can pick watercress in Shimoda?
Watercress can be found in Inazusa, a mountainous area of Shimoda.
Shimoda has a strong image of the sea, but it also has mountains!

Just a 7-minute drive from Inazusa Station on the Izu Kyuko Line is Shimoda's only watercress farm, Hiratake Farm.

Inazusa area, mountainous part of Shimoda

The field is surrounded by mountains as far as the eye can see. This area is rich in water, with water flowing from the steep mountains of the Amagi Mountains.

The mountainous areas of Izu City and Kawazu Town, located upstream from Shimoda City, are famous for wasabi fields, and this watercress field was originally cultivated in what used to be a wasabi field.

Owner of Hiratake Farm

Takezo Hirayama, the owner of Hirayake Farm, is a native of Shimoda City and an I-turn farmer from Tokyo. He had been working for a company for many years, but he always wanted to return to his hometown, so he decided to become a watercress farmer.

Mr. Hirayama started watercress cultivation because he was convinced that the mountainous area of Izu was the perfect place to grow watercress, which is an aquatic plant in the same Brassicaceae family as wasabi.
Takezo Hirayama, owner of Hiratake Farm

Watercress picking experience

We slipped into the field in our boots and began to pick watercress!

With just enough to grab with one hand, we grabbed a bunch of watercress and carefully cut them off with a special sickle. The sickle was small and light, and it felt like it could easily cut without effort.
After about 15 minutes of harvesting experience, we were able to pick a basket full of watercress.

Actual eating of freshly picked watercress!

Watercress is a vegetable that can be eaten raw as long as it is fresh.
It is rare to have a chance to eat freshly picked watercress, so we rinsed it with clean water and enjoyed it with a crunch. The freshly picked watercress was fresh and tasty, with a tangy spiciness that is unique to watercress.

Next, the watercress is sandwiched with Spam.
The fluffy bread, juicy Spam, and watercress are a perfect match to complement the Spam!
The Hiratake Farm's original watercress sandwich, available only here in Japan, is a must-try!
The watercress harvested is put in a plastic bag to take home as a souvenir. Hiratake Farm's watercress is characterized by its large leaves, thick stems, and crunchy texture.

Cooking with harvested watercress♪

Mr. Hirayama gave me his recommendation on how to cook watercress, and I cooked it with a business owner who has been a great help to me.

I served watercress as an accompaniment to beef ribs, as Mr. Hirayama told me that watercress "goes great with meat.
Another dish that can only be enjoyed with fresh watercress is the raw watercress salad.
Both were very popular because of the presence of watercress.
Mr. Hirayama grows watercress in the mountainous area of Shimoda.
It is a moving experience to see a vibrant watercress field bathed in sunlight!
When you come to Shimoda, please try watercress picking!
For more information about "A Journey to Meet Farmers Who Grow Watercress, the Next Generation Superfood, in the Unexplored Region of Shimoda," please check out the link.

A journey to meet the farmers who grow the next-generation superfood "watercress" in the unexplored region of Shimoda.

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