The largest production of Japanese peppermint in Japan! Why don't you stay overnight in Takigami-cho and visit Japanese Hakka fields & experience its refreshing fragrance?
- Hokkaido
- Experience Gifu
Takigami Town, known as the "Village of Fragrance
Takigami Town has been preserving the cultivation of the rare "Japanese peppermint".
Takigami Town is known as the "Fragrant Village. The name comes from the various natural scents that waft through the air each season, such as the fragrance of the famous grass cherry blossoms, the fragrance of Japanese huckleberry, the largest producer in Japan, and the fragrance of the trees that are the main industry of the town.
Since ancient times, the mountainous regions of Hokkaido have been known for their high quality and cultivation of the light green alga (hakka). It is said that Okhotsk's Japanese peppermint once supplied 70% of the world market, but with the advent of inexpensive foreign and synthetic peppermints, the number of domestic peppermint growers has dwindled.
In this situation, Takigami Town continues to cultivate traditional Japanese sumac and currently accounts for about 95% of Japan's agricultural production.
Several farmers in Takigami Town have kept the tradition of "Japanese peppermint" cultivation going for more than 100 years, and have continued to carefully produce high-quality, safe, and secure Japanese peppermint by conducting all processes from cultivation to essential oil (extraction of peppermint oil) in the town.
Takigami Town is proud to be Japan's number one producer of Japanese peppermint!
What is Japanese peppermint?
It is characterized by the square stem shape of the Perilla family and the suessful aroma that can be felt just by squeezing the leaves.
The oil of Japanese hacca has a refreshing and cool aroma, and is used not only for food, but also for insect repellant, deodorant, cleaning, and various other uses such as medicine and cosmetics.
Safe and secure Japanese peppermint field carefully cultivated in Takigami Town
Benefits of Japanese peppermint
Feels cold
Reduces inflammation
Increases appetite
Stabilizes the mind
Good for waking up
Refreshing
It is said to have many other benefits as well!
What is a farm stay? More than just seeing and going to "Takinoue Taiken
Have you ever seen a Japanese Hakka field? Let's learn more about it through a guided tour by a Japanese Hakka farmer!
Takigami Town is working on "farmer's stay" and has experience programs that dive into many local industries.
Among them, we would like to introduce the "Japanese Hakka Farmer" program.
During the tour of the Japanese peppermint field in Takigami Town, you will be guided by a Japanese peppermint farmer, who will talk about the benefits of the herb, and if the weather permits, you will be able to enjoy a cup of herbal tea in a corner of the field while socializing with the farmer. If weather permits, you can also enjoy a chat over a cup of herb tea in a corner of the field.
Advance reservations are required.
Fee] From 3,000 yen per person (90 minutes or more) *Reservations are accepted from 2 people.
*Subject to change or cancellation due to weather or other conditions.
Safe and secure Japanese peppermint field carefully cultivated in Takigami Town
Japanese Hakka varieties grown in Takigami Town
HOKUTO
JM23
JM23
There are many varieties of Japanese huckleberry.
Visitors can also experience the aroma comparison!
Rare Japanese peppermint flowers
It is said that Japanese Hakka flowers are very rare.
Flowering time is from late August to early September, but the blooming is a reference for the timing of harvesting, and farmers start harvesting at the time of blooming when the oil is the highest, so it is very rare and precious.
Japanese peppermint field in full bloom
Flowering time: Late August to early September
Many female fans visit every year to see the pretty, light-purple flowers in full bloom!
Reaping will start soon.
Harvesting the stems and leaves of the Japanese peppermint
Reaping: Early to mid-September
After the stems and leaves are harvested, they are thoroughly dried.
This is in preparation for the distillation of Japanese hacca oil.
During this period, you can see Japanese Hakka flowers and the stems and leaves being harvested and dried at the same time.
Loading up the stems and leaves of the Japanese Hakka plant!
Harvest: Mid to late September
Finally, the dried Japanese Hakka stems and leaves are loaded and transported to the distillation kiln.
So many stems and leaves are harvested under the blue sky.
Preparing for distillation
Preparation for distillation: Around late September
Finally, the distillation process begins!
Dried Japanese Hacca stems and leaves are being transported to the distillation kiln.
After this, "steam distillation" is used to separate the water and oil to extract the Japanese hacca oil.
Extracting "Japanese peppermint oil" during distillation
Distillation work: Around the end of September
Distillation is the process of heating Japanese peppermint in a cauldron and extracting the extract from the steam that comes out. This process produces Japanese peppermint oil.
This process is done only once a year!
The distillation is done in a large kiln, about 2 meters wide and 2.5 meters deep!
Only a few kilograms of oil can be extracted from a large amount of dried leaves.
This is how the rare Japanese Mint oil is produced!
The distillation process takes place after harvesting and drying, and the date of distillation is not known until that time of year.
The distillation process is not known until after the harvesting and drying process, and the distillation days are limited depending on the weather, making it a rare and precious experience.
We will show you the charm of Japanese Hakka at the aroma seminar!
In the aroma seminar, you can learn how to use Japanese Hakka in your daily life and the charm of the herb through hands-on experience.
In particular, the "aroma spray" made with the essential oil extracted from Japanese Hakka (Hakka oil) is very popular!
Just spray it on a T-shirt! It is very popular for outings such as firework festivals and camping because it is full of coolness and keeps insects away.
It is also useful for cleaning and deodorizing rooms.
From August 2, 2022 (Tuesday), the first "Marunouchi Street Park 2022 Summer" in Tokyo will feature the fragrance of Japanese Hakka!
Dry mist x Japanese Hakka from Takigami Town: a collaboration of coolness and fragrance
This event is scheduled to run for one month long.
During this period, visitors can experience a "dry mist vapor" that cools the sidewalks of Marunouchi Nakadori Avenue, mixed with a concoction of "Japanese Hakka oil"!
This summer, why not experience the "refreshing aroma & cool feeling of Japanese Hakka" in a mist in Marunouchi, Tokyo?
Become familiar with Japanese Hakka and herbs in Takigami Town!
Not just seeing, not just going, but feeling the "workings" itself, the farm stay plan "Takinoue Taiken"!
At the Fragrance Village Herb Garden, there is a menu of herb experiences!
In addition to admiring the many herb flowers, visitors can see, hear, touch, smell, and taste nature at this facility.
There is also a menu of hands-on activities using herbs (soap making, calendar making, etc.). (Advance reservations are required.)
The red pointy-roofed "Fragrance House" in the "Fragrance Village Herb Garden" is a place where you can feel nature through all five senses, where you can also enjoy herb tea, handmade cakes, and soft ice cream made from herbs and "Japanese Hakka," a light meal made from locally produced and consumed herbs.
This summer, in addition to "going" and "seeing," why not experience the mountains, rivers, and forests that fill the town of Takigami, Hokkaido, and the rich people who live here, and experience Japanese Hakka and herbs through a farm stay where you can feel their daily lives?
Tours and experiences are available by advance reservation only. Please inquire in advance for availability and reservations.
*The contents of this article are subject to change or cancellation due to weather or other circumstances.
All photos: Courtesy of Takigami Town Tourist Association
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●Location Asahi, Takigami Town, Monbetsu County, Hokkaido 099-5602 Japan Roadside station 2nd floor, Asahi, Takigami-machi, Monbetsu-gun, Hokkaido, 09-5602, Japan
Access to Fairy Tale Village "Takinoue" is about 40 minutes by car from the Ukishima Interchange on the Asahikawa-Mombetsu Expressway.
The contents and services in this article are subject to change or cancellation due to weather or other circumstances.
*Overnight farm stays are available by advance reservation only. Please inquire in advance for availability and reservations.