The harvest of precious saffron, which is rarely produced in Japan, is at its peak in Taketa City, Oita Prefecture.
Saffron, which is familiar in saffron rice, etc., is native to southern Europe, and the pistils are dried and used as a coloring agent and spice.
According to Oita Prefecture, domestic production volume is only 18 kilograms, of which approximately 80% is produced in Taketa City.
This is the peak season for picking flowers in the city, and Ms. Junko Anan, who has been producing saffron for nearly 50 years, was busy picking pale purple saffron flowers.
When the red pistils are removed from the plucked flowers and dried, they become the spice 'saffron'.
It takes about 100 flowers to make just 1 gram of saffron.
Mr. Anan said, "There is a lot of detailed work and it is difficult, but domestic saffron has been evaluated for its good scent and color, so I would like to continue production."