• Strawberries in Takeo, Saga, Japan
  • Strawberries in Takeo, Saga, Japan
  • Strawberries in Takeo, Saga, Japan

Day 38-39 The Sweetest Strawberries in Takeo City, Saga

May 29 • Blog, Kyushu • 1377 Views • 10 Comments

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I said goodbye to my great-aunt and great-uncle in Isahaya City and headed to Saga Prefecture. I came by this long bridge that lead to Nagasaki Airport, which was on a little island. As I cycled up the hills, these pretty farms showed up, shaped like staircases.

Mountain by Ureshino, Saga Prefecture, Japan 佐賀県嬉野市の近くの山

Once I came down the hills after cycling by one of the most famous onsen (hot spring bath) towns in Japan, Ureshino, I rested my bike on a tree and sat by a field of wheat farms. I was almost at my destination, but was in need of a little tea break.

There was no one but me and the pretty farms. I was sitting in the field of green wheat plants that swayed with wind. The light green wheat field looked so soft and fluffy as it moved gently with the spring breeze. I was eating ohagi, which was mochi rice covered in sweet red beans, as I hydrated myself with water.

Then I heard a car come by. I was facing the other way though, just resting, not even realizing that it had stopped there.

“Konnnichiwa!”

Not expecting anyone to be talking to me at that moment, I quickly turned around, said hello and looked up to see who was talking to me. A man around my age in an orange jacket was standing there. As soon as I turned around, he said, “Do you want to eat strawberries?”

“Strawberries??” Coming back from my resting mode without understanding much of what was going on, I automatically answered, “YES.”

He was a strawberry farmer in Takeo City in Saga Prefecture. I happened to be sitting right by his strawberry farm when he came to check the water for his plants.

He went inside the greenhouse, and came out with both of his hands full of strawberries. Wow. I could not believe what was happening, just when I was sitting all by myself. We talked and he said it was rare to see someone resting there. I told him that the three trees standing by the farms looked like a scene from Hayao Miyazaki’s film from the 80′s, “My Neighbor Totoro”, and drew me in. Have a look at the recent US film trailer, you’ll see the kind of countryside I was in:

Having the sweetest strawberries made by my sweet new friend in Takeo, Saga.

He told me about how strawberries could get tired too as they were alive. Then he had to mix and control the glucose in the water to make them happy and sweet. Indeed, these strawberries tasted happy that they instantly made me smile big. He was growing other vegetables too, including some for school lunches. He told me he had a year old child and lived near there with his family.

He asked where I was heading to. I told him where I was staying that evening, and he told me that was only about 5km ahead. We said goodbye and I headed to Takeo Onsen, another onsen town in Saga Prefecture.

I happened to get an amazing deal at a nice ryokan (Japanese style hotel) in Takeo Onsen that evening. As soon as I got there, I took a bath where they had these beautiful full bloom fuji flowers (Japanese wisteria) above the outdoor bath.

As I was minding my own business back in my room, I got a phone call from the front desk.

“You have a guest.”

“Huh??”

I’m traveling, I just got here, I don’t know anyone… Ah!

Yes, it was my new friend in Takeo, the strawberry man! To my big surprise, he brought me a packet of strawberries to where I was staying.

“I brought only one packet since you’re traveling on a bike and figured you couldn’t carry any more than these. Have them for dessert.”

Saga's Strawberries 佐賀のいちご、さがほのか

What in the world did I do to deserve such a nice treat in a place I’d just arrived? This day in Takeo, Saga instantly became one of the most memorable moments of my cycling trip.

Happy, pretty strawberries.

Saga's Strawberries 佐賀のイチゴ、さがほのか

At seven in the morning the next day, I went outside to their weekly farmer’s market that the strawberry man had told me about. The onsen town was small, but was so pretty, and I even came by a VW van of a coffee seller. Yesss! This stay could not get any better.

The morning sunlight was hitting the buildings of Takeo Onsen.

Onsen tamago, eggs cooked in hot spring water, were sold there too. They are much like poached eggs when you them break open.

These pretty geta sandals could not be bought during my cycling tour.

I was so happy that I chose to come to Takeo Onsen, and not the bigger, more famous onsen town nearby. An amazing encounter with a young local farmer made my day sweeter than ever. He told me what his father always told him; “In farming, making soil is important. In life, ‘making people’ is the most important.”

Thank you Strawberry Man in Takeo City, for the sweetest strawberries and such a wonderful memory.

10 Responses to Day 38-39 The Sweetest Strawberries in Takeo City, Saga

  1. Alice says:

    What a sweet guy, and a wonderful story. I want to go to there!

    • sachi says:

      It still is one of the best days I’ve had in my cycling tour. It is amazing how one hello from a stranger can turn into a lasting memory of a lifetime.

  2. [...] the same, but in the meantime I’ll live vicariously through her stories. This tale of the Sweetest Strawberries in Takeo City is just [...]

  3. I know of ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ – what a beautiful sounding time you had in that strawberry farm. I can only imagine how amazing it must have been. That strawberry farmer was so kind to have brought that packet to you. :)

    • sachi says:

      It was such a beautiful surprise that made my day. It’s one of my favorite events in my trip so far! :)

  4. Ashley says:

    Love the blog and your trip looks like so much fun! Something my husband and I would like to do someday…

    The strawberries look especially good… yum. :D

    • sachi says:

      Thanks, Ashley! Your website is so cool too!

      Cycling to eat has been definitely a great idea, I’d never thought it’d be this much fun myself! :)

  5. arina says:

    wow so sweet!luckily u’re surrounded by good and nice people.im happy for u..good luck in your journey! =)

  6. [...] was even more surprising than the salmon in the river was what happened later that day. Remember the Strawberry Man from Takeo City, Saga back in April? He was the man who gave me strawberries while I happened to be resting by his farm. He contacted [...]

  7. [...] made the cake with the strawberries made by the farmer in Takeo, Saga. Sweet [...]

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