Traditional Plant Medicine and foraging
The history of harvesting medicinal plants dates back to early 7th century, when the first empress Suiko hunted wild herbs in today's uda city, Nara prefecture. This is written in the Chronicle of Japan in 611 AD.
Afterwords, during the ara of Yoshimune Tokugawa, 8th generation of Shogunate government in Edo period, one of the oldest medicinal plant garden was established in O-Uda. At that time there were 35 traditional pharmacies and 12 medicinal liqor shops in the town. In Uda, since ancient times, traditional knowledge to utilize natural resources had been passed down from generations to generations. Many notable pharmaceutical companies are also initiated in this town.
How about visiting the birthplace of medicinal plant culture in Japan, and going for harvesting wild edibles?
Japan's oldest medicinal plant garden "Morino herbal garden"
Morino Kudzu honpo, is a kudzu starch maker, also maintaining the Japan's oldest medicinal plant garden. There are 250 kinds of herbal plants, and 6 plants which was originally provided by Tokugawa Shogunate Government are still there.
1 Day
Medinal herb garden and plant-based temple cuisine
Nara | 2-15 persons
Hidden excursion to learn about wild plants and traditional herbal medicine in Uda city, Nara prefecture
2 Day
Excursion to learn about herbal medicine in Miyama
Miyama Kyoto | 2 -15 persons
Learn about plants from a herbalist in Miyama village
1 Day Group Activity
Foraging and making Medicinal herb liquor
Nara | 4 - 20 perosons
Plant hunting to mountainous villages with a ethno-botanist in Nara
