Stop 2: Burial Mound of Prince Asaka
Now let’s get a close-up view of some tea fields. Head back down toward the Wazuka Yama-no-ie bus stop, but cross the river and keep going straight ahead on the righthand side of the street until you come to a narrow road between trees that leads to the tomb of Prince Asaka, who Shoho-ji Temple was built to honor.
As you walk up the stone path, you’ll see a horizon where the deep-green tea plants meets the light-blue sky. The serenity of the view is exhilarating.
Surrounded by tea plants on all sides, this is a great place for selfies, but stay on the paths and avoid touching the plants or any farming equipment. This is one of the few places where you can walk this close to tea fields. Remember that the tea fields are not just private property, they are Wazuka’s livelihood.
The location of the burial mound, at the top of a hill, gives it excellent views of the surrounding town, tea fields and mountains. You can walk around the forested burial mound, but entering it is not permitted. From in front of the tomb’s torii gate, if you look straight ahead, high among the trees you will see one of Wazuka’s newer spots to enjoy the scenery—but more on Sky Café later.
