This seventh day wasn't programmed and it was quite spontaneous, but it has been one of the most interesting ones of this Japanese trip.
Since we were in Japan, we really wanted to see tea fields and rice fields. The solution has been the city of Wazuka.
You will get there in two hours, first you get the Nara line from Kyoto and you get off at Kizu station (till here the trip will be free with your JRpass), and then you will take a bus till Wazukayamanoie.
We haven't been super lucky because the weather was quite gloomy, but it was actually perfect to enjoy a hot tea... so that made our day in anycase.
You will have a short walk of a couple of minutes passing the bridge on your left till the tea house. Here you must absolutely buy some tea as souvenir, and then you will book the experience of the Sky cafe: you choose what tea to drink, my suggestion is to get sweets as well (the cookies with the tea-leaf shape are amazing) and then you will have 50 minutes in a woodden hut with an incredible view only for you. It is not really expensive, you pay what you drink plus something like 15euros more, definitely worth it.
Questo settimo giorno non programmato è stato abbastanza spontaneo, ma posso dire che si sia rivelato uno dei più interessanti di questo viaggio giapponese.
Essendo in Giappone, volevamo davvero vedere campi da tè e campi di riso. La risposta è stata la città di Wazuka.
E' raggiungibile in due ore, prima prendete la linea Nara da Kyoto e scendete alla stazione di Kizu (fino a qui il viaggio sarà gratuito con il JRpass), quindi prenderete un autobus fino a Wazukayamanoie.
Non siamo stati molto fortunati perché il tempo era piuttosto cupo, ma guardando il bicchiere mezzo pieno, è stato perfetto per godersi un tè caldo...
Giunti alla fermata, camminerete per un paio di minuti attraversando il ponte alla vostra sinistra fino alla tea house. Qui comprate assolutamente del tè come souvenir e poi prenotate l'esperienza dello Sky cafe: prima sceglierete quale tè bere, il mio consiglio è di prendere anche dei dolci (i biscotti a forma di foglia di tè sono fantastici) e poi vi godrete 50 minuti in privato in una capanna di legno con una vista incredibile. Non è molto costoso, pagate quello che berrete più qualcosa come 15 euro in più, ne vale davvero la pena.
Αυτή η έβδομη ημέρα δεν ήταν προγραμματισμένη και ήταν αρκετά αυθόρμητη, αλλά ήταν μια από τις πιο ενδιαφέρουσες από αυτό το ιαπωνικό ταξίδι.
Αφού ήμασταν στην Ιαπωνία θέλαμε πραγματικά να δούμε τις καλλιέργειες τσαγιού και ρυζιού. Η λύση ήταν η πόλη της Wazuka.
Θα φτάσετε εκεί μέσα σε δύο ώρες, πρώτα θα πάρετε τη γραμμή Nara από το Κιότο και θα κατεβείτε στον σταθμό Kizu (μέχρι εδώ το ταξίδι θα είναι δωρεάν με το JRpass σας) και στη συνέχεια θα πάρετε ένα λεωφορείο μέχρι το Wazukayamanoie.
Δεν ήμασταν πολύ τυχεροί γιατί ο καιρός ήταν πολύ ζοφερός, αλλά ήταν πραγματικά τέλειο για απόλαυση ενός ζεστό τσάι... και αυτό μας έφτιαξε την ημέρα μας.
Όταν φτάσετε θα περπατήσετε λίγα λεπτά περνώντας μια γέφυρα στο αριστερό σας χέρι μέχρι το tea house. Εδώ πρέπει οπωσδήποτε να αγοράσετε τσάι ως σουβενίρ, και στη συνέχεια θα κάνετε κράτηση για την εμπειρία του Sky cafe: επιλέγετε τι τσάι θα πιείτε, η πρότασή μου είναι να πάρετε και γλυκά (τα μπισκότα με το σχήμα φύλλο τσαγιού είναι εκπληκτικά) και μετά θα έχετε 50 λεπτά σε μια ξύλινη καλύβα με απίστευτη θέα μόνο για σας. Δεν είναι πολύ ακριβό, πληρώνετε τι πίνετε και κάτι σαν 15 ευρώ πάρα πάνω, σίγουρα αξίζει.



 





Now, after the pit stop at the Sky Cafe, it was the time to explore the tea fields. It is extremely suggested to get electric bikes at the same tea house for something like 10euros. In this way you can really explore all the Wazuka cultivations. Unfortunately for us, that day was rainy, so we went on foot, to be able to carry the umbrellas with us. Even if we haven't been far away, let me tell you something... tea fields are gorgeous. They are this fluffy curved green lines all over the landscape. I was super excited about it, and you can see it from my face.
Τώρα, μετά τη στάση στο Sky Cafe, ήρθε η ώρα να εξερευνήσετε τις καλλιέργειες τσαγιού. Προτείνω να πάρετε ηλεκτρικά ποδήλατα στο ίδιο tea house για κάτι σαν 10 ευρό. Με αυτόν τον τρόπο μπορείτε πραγματικά να εξερευνήσετε όλες τις καλλιέργειες του Wazuka. Δυστυχώς για μας, εκείνη την ημέρα ήταν βροχερή, έτσι πήγαμε με τα πόδια, για να είμαστε σε θέση να μεταφέρουμε τις ομπρέλες μαζί μας. Ακόμα κι αν δεν μπορούσαμε να πάμε πολύ μακριά, επιτρέψτε μου να σας πω κάτι... το τσάι είναι πανέμορφο. Όλο το τοπίο γεμίσει με αυτές οι χνουδωτές καμπυλωτές πράσινες γραμμές. Ήμουν πολύ ενθουσιασμένη, όπως φαίνεται και απ'το πρόσωπό μου.
















Time for a meal, just remember that in Wazuka almost everything closes at 17.00, at least in October, so hurry up! We walked through all the village, so we had the chance to see the machines that chop the tea, and also a couple of rice fields (the ones below) till we arrived at the restaurant Sabou Takenoko. Here I tried matcha noodles, delicious! We had also a couple of other dishes, all super yummy, I don't remember the names, but one had beef and rice. But stay away from the matcha icecream because it is really bitter.
È arrivata l'ora di mangiare, tenete a mente che a Wazuka quasi tutto chiude alle 17.00, almeno ad ottobre, quindi affrettatevi! Abbiamo attraversato tutto il villaggio, quindi abbiamo avuto la possibilità di vedere le macchine che tagliano il tè e anche un paio di risaie (vedi sotto) fino a raggiungere il ristorante Sabou Takenoko. Qui ho provato i matcha noodles, deliziosi! Abbiamo testato anche un paio di altri piatti, tutti squisiti, non ricordo i nomi, ma uno aveva carne e riso. Ma state lontani dal gelato al matcha perché è davvero amaro.