Page 17 - Simply Vegetables Spring 2024

Kenrokuen Gardens - Kanazawa
willow lined picture-perfect canal town,
I rented a bike to explore the nearby Kibi Plains. I travelled along a 15km cycle path, weaving around sprawling fields, past farmhouses and lots of farmers tending to their vegetable crops. I was surprised with how many crops were still growing in late November. A new crop for me was daikon radish. This is an extremely popular crop in Japan. It is a winter root vegetable that is long and tubular, white in colour with leafy green tops.
Following further research, I discovered that while Japan is in the northern hemisphere it is more humid than Ireland and the UK due to its geographical location
Exploring the Kibi Plains
Kibi Plains, Kurashiki
and climate patterns. Japan is an island nation surrounded by water, which leads
to higher levels of humidity. It is common to see all year-round Japanese vegetable gardens packed with produce. The Japanese plant carrots, garlic, onions, and radish to sit under the snow during winter. Springtime is filled with greens, summer
is the time to get all the staple foods taken care of, and autumn brings fruits and a new round of greens. Japanese staple crops also appear similar to here with tomatoes, potatoes, and onions leading the way.
During my trip, I visited a garden centre in Takayama. I was excited to see the range of unusual plants and seeds on
Garden Centre - Seeds Dispaly
Local farmer tending to their vegetable crops
sale in Japan. It was a bit of a trek, 1.5- hour walk from my hotel. I discovered
that garden centres are mostly located in the suburbs of big cities and not close to public transport. Once I finally arrived, I was surprised to see so many similarities, selling a similar range of plants, fertilizers, tools, and landscaping materials. The store I visited even had pet-related products, home and interior products, and food and drink. The biggest challenge for me was the language; however, I had downloaded google translate on my phone prior to my trip which allowed me to use my phone’s camera to translate text on the back of labels or seed packets.
I really enjoyed everything about my
trip to Japan. It was such a wonderful experience. I loved the food, people, culture, architecture, art and the spectacular gardens. I got to visit some beautiful places. I am very much looking forward to this growing season so I can incorporate
a few new ideas. I have set the goal to
try and grow some daikon radish. I would highly recommend a visit to Japan if you ever get the opportunity.
Daikon Radish
Kenrokuen Gardens - Kanazawa
Simply Vegetables 17