Summertime Lotus Fields

Throughout the Summer months, the Japanese countryside is full of lotus fields stretching as far as the eye can see. It’s an amazing sight, as the lotus flower is revered in Japan for its ability to rise from the dirty, murky waters to bloom into a beautiful flower. Each year as the summer season rolls around, it feels as though the Japanese people have banned together to create this vista of extraordinary beauty for the enjoyment of the passerby, but Lotus fields are in fact grown as a popular seasonal crop.

Renkon {the Japanese name for lotus root}, is an important part of Japanese cooking. As a seasonal food, it is eaten in the autumn and winter, and is served during New Year’s for good luck. Renkon can be eaten raw in salads or fried as tempura {a personal favorite of mine}. Nothing about this oversized plant goes to waste as the leaves and seeds of the lotus flower are also edible, and the lotus fragrance is used in oils, soaps, and lotions.

Just outside the base’s back gates are fields overrun with these breathtaking plants. A popular place to go jogging, Ryan, Summer, and I spent the afternoon wandering through the fields admiring this beautiful summertime crop.

After spending a few hours enjoying the beauty of this Japanese crop, I am inspired to try some lotus root recipes and/or stop in at one of my new favorite restaurants… more about that coming soon!