"Morino Old Herbal Garden," the oldest existing private herbal garden in Japan, is located in the historic city of Uda, Nara Prefecture, on a street where old townscapes still remain.
Behind "Morino Yoshino Kuzu Honpo," which has been producing Yoshino honkuzu for about 450 years, there is naturally a botanical garden where you can see over 250 kinds of medicinal herbs throughout the seasons.
Uda City has been a medicinal herb production area since ancient times, and it is said that during the reign of Empress Suiko, court events for "kusagari" (herb gathering) were held there. Walking through it, you can feel the breath of the plants, and this verdant herbal garden, which seems to heal you, is a place where you can reflect on the long and deep relationship between medicinal herbs and Uda City.
After checking in at Morino Yoshino Kuzu Honpo, you step inside, and medicinal herbs with beautiful flowers proudly bloom all over the pathways, allowing you to feel the power of the plants. Further in, you can also see the remnants of the factory where honkuzu was once made.
Climbing the winding stone steps leading into the garden, you walk among seasonal plants, from common to rare, and along the way, there's an arbor overlooking the town of Uda below. Here, you can take a moment to compose yourself and gaze at the town.
Climbing further, you find a beautifully maintained medicinal herb field. There are also large trees, and it feels as if the power of medicinal herbs permeates the air everywhere.
Finally, we buy kudzu mochi and kudzu flour sold at the shop and take them home. If you dissolve it in hot water and drink it, it will warm your body and regulate your stomach.
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