As Niigata is one of Japan’s top producers for rice and rice wine (sake), one of the best ways to connect to the local community is of course, getting on the rice fields!

Attracted by the panoramic views that Shikoku Karst has to offer, I decided that this was definitely one of my must-sees in Kochi, and off we went to Shikoku Karst on an early weekend morning in the middle of September.

I spent years eating sushi and burning my nose before realizing I didn’t know much about this spicy little devil. Then I visited the Daio Wasabi Farm in central Nagano. Just a quick trip from the popular castle town of Matsumoto, Daio is a sprawling display of meticulous farming methods and pristine natural resources.

“I think this whole organic thing is nonsense,” I told my lady friend, “but hey, it’ll be nice to spend a weekend away from the busy city for a change.”

Farmshop Restaurant and Market is renowned for their farm-to-table concept of delivering locally produced food to local consumers.

Japan’s tourism is booming with rapidly growing numbers of overseas visitors. Part of the new wave is Experiential Tourism. This means rolling up one’s sleeves and working in some traditional area to really get to grips with grass roots Japan.

So what do you do when your kid likes animals and you don't want her making friends with the pigeons in the park? You take her to a farm in Chiba, where she can pet bunnies and chase sheep. Yume Bokujo is one such place in Narita.