Placid fields of Soba Buckwheat flowers

White flowers of soba buckwheat bloom throughout fields mid-to-late September 

at Kasa Mountain, Sakurai City, about one and a half hours drive from my home.

The spreading white and shades of green carpets were punctuated at their margins

with pinks, purples, or yellows under the blue skies dotted with thick clouds.

Cool places at high altitude and arid soil is perfect for growing buckwheat. 

Kasa relatively located in south, People of Kasa have cultivated buckwheat by sowing late in season 

so that flowers bloom in cooler weather.

As they grow and ripen rapidly, the seeds sown in late August bloom in mid-September.

The flowers turn into grain-like-seeds, which are ground into flour early November.

Buckwheat is highly nutritious grains. 

They maintain good health of capillaries and blood vessels, keep our body resistant to infection, 

and prevent oxidation of vitamin C inside our body. 

They are mainly eaten as "soba" noodle and used for crepes, pancakes, or cookies as well.

The gluten-free buckwheat is substitute for those who have allergy to wheat flour.

Mass of white flowers and heart-shaped leaves were swaying in cool, crisp breeze -

isn't it picture-perfect?

 There are also red soba buckwheat flowers. Here.

Linked to Mosaic Monday