(Takahiro Takiguchi)
In Miyazaki Prefecture’s northwestern end, Takachihogo-Shiibayama is home to unique agricultural and forestry traditions. Here, you’ll find sprawling rice terraces, intricate irrigation canals, lush forests and abundant tea leave plantations.
The area’s celestial landscape has inspired many legends and local folklore and its distinctive ways of farming earned it recognition as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) site in 2015.
One impressive agricultural feature in Takachihogo-Shiibayama is the intricate irrigation canal system that spans 500 kilometers. The extensive canals nestled within the steep, forested mountains to irrigate the terraced rice paddies were dug in the early 20th century.
The irrigation canals not only bring much needed water to the rice paddies, but they also protect the surrounding communities from landslide, thanks to the way the canals drain rainwater, an official of Takachiho Town said.
Tochimata Tanada, one of the developed rice terraces, boasts an area of 24 hectares and is sublimely beautiful against the backdrop of Sobo and Miyazaki mountain ranges. Tochimata Tanada was designated as one of country’s most beautiful 100 rice terraces in 1999 by the Japanese government.
Nearby, the mountainous region also produces shiitake mushrooms cultivated by sawtooth oak logs.
“Forest-grown shiitake mushrooms have a rich umami flavor and extremely chewy texture, making superb ingredients and a base for indispensable dashi stock used in Japanese washoku dishes,” said Kazuhide Sugimoto, president of Sugimoto Company. Sugimoto processes and distributes dried mushrooms from the region around the country and abroad.
The region is also the home of high-quality Kamairicha tea. To get to these tea plants, head to Gokase Town at an altitude of 600 meters, where kamairicha tea (pan-fried tea) is processed. Japanese green tea leaves are usually steamed during the roasting process. In Gokase Town, organic highland green tea leaves are pan-fried, giving them a sweet, crispy aroma, smooth and profound flavor, and transparent golden color.
With global recognition of washoku Japanese dishes, high-quality kamairicha has also been appreciated overseas and today 10 percent of the total sales at Miyazaki Sabo tea shop come from overseas markets, according to Akira Miyazaki, president of the tea shop.
Takachihogo-Shiibayama is a beautiful, bountiful region where you’ll discover some interesting agricultural traditions you can’t find anywhere else. And, the area is only a 3.5-hour drive from Sasebo Naval Base. Check it out!
GIAHS Takachihogo – Shiibayama URL
Tochimata Tanada (terraced rice paddies) URL
Sugimoto Shoten URL
Miyazaki Sabo (tea shop) URL
