Fields of lotus in the countryside

On one of my long bicycle rides through the countryside around Kyoto I found a large area with many lotus ponds. At first I though that some altruistic Japanese had decided to create a vista of extraordinary beauty for the enjoyment of passersby. I was wrong, although I don't think my assumption was unreasonable because people have done just that all over Japan with plantings of cherry blossom, hydrangeas, cosmos and other flowers. However I realized that like the beautiful yellow rapeseed blossom in spring, the lotuses are a food crop. Lotus root is used in salads, tempura and stir fries. Beauty and usefulness!