By developing a unique aging method and branding sweet potatoes with a sugar content of 50 degrees or higher as “Golden Honey Sweet Potatoes,” we’ve created “a sweet potato everyone wants to eat—whether small, large, or oddly shaped.” In 2024, we achieved the opening of our company-operated cafe. We delve into the challenge of Ishida Farm, which succeeded in reducing food loss during production and giving sweet potatoes new value.

The Beginning of a Generations-Old Sweet Potato Farm’s Challenge

Katori City is located in northeastern Chiba Prefecture. The Sawara district, the city’s center, retains its historic streetscape from the Edo period when it prospered through water transport on the Tone River, and is designated a National Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Meanwhile, the Kurimoto district in southern Katori City, where the Hokusō Plateau stretches out, is an area thriving in field crops and livestock farming.

Chiba Prefecture ranks as Japan’s third-largest sweet potato producer after Kagoshima and Ibaraki Prefectures. The Hokusō Plateau’s well-drained soil, rich in minerals and composed of Kanto loam, is considered ideal for sweet potato cultivation. Within Chiba, major production areas include Kurimoto in Katori City, Narita City, and Tako Town, all situated on this plateau.

It is Ishida Farm that is developing its business by fully utilizing the characteristics of Katori City. In Kurimoto, they are creating a new sweet potato brand called “Kinmitsu Imo” (Golden Honey Sweet Potato), and in Sawara, a popular tourist destination, they have opened the cafe “Kinmitsudo”.

I want to reduce sweet potato loss.

Ishida Farm has been growing sweet potatoes here since 1820, with Yudai Ishida representing the eighth generation. Annual sweet potato production is approximately 300 tons. For their “Kinmitsu Imo” brand sweet potatoes, known for their high sugar content and “rich, creamy, and moist texture,” they primarily use the “Beniharuka” variety.

After graduating from university, Mr. Ishida worked for three years at a company providing corporate PR consulting before taking over the family business. His decision stemmed from the high losses inherent in sweet potato production and his belief that “rather than focusing on mass production, I want to think about how to deliver them.”
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Approximately 70% of the sweet potatoes produced are irregularly shaped, too small, or too large. Despite their good taste, these so-called non-standard potatoes struggle to enter the market and are often discarded or sold at low prices. This led Mr. Ishida to conceive a brand that would be valued regardless of standards by cultivating high-sugar sweet potatoes. “Rather than mass-producing sweet potatoes that meet specifications, we prioritize how our customers will value them,” Ishida emphasizes. In 2018, Ishida Farm was incorporated, and development of the “Kinmitsu Imo” began. The origin of this idea traces back to when Ishida once asked his grandfather, “How can we make sweet potatoes sweeter?” The question stemmed from a desire to create sweet potatoes valued for taste, not shape, since freshly harvested ones aren’t sweet yet. Guided by his grandfather’s answer, he later scaled up this method, leading to the current differentiation.
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Establishing Short-Term Aging Methods and Soil Improvement in Vineyards

Typically, freshly harvested sweet potatoes have a sugar content of around 10 degrees, but this gradually increases as they mature. “Even with previous methods, we occasionally achieved 50 degrees, but we consistently push ours beyond 50 degrees,” says Mr. Ishida. Ishida Farm sells only sweet potatoes exceeding this 50-degree sugar content as “Golden Honey Sweet Potatoes.” When these Golden Honey Sweet Potatoes are roasted and then dried, their sugar content can sometimes reach 75 degrees. Achieving such Golden Honey Sweet Potatoes required careful refinement of the aging method and meticulous soil preparation in the fields.
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We want to eliminate the supply-demand gap caused by long-term aging.

Sweet potatoes are typically harvested in autumn. After undergoing long-term aging for about 150 to 180 days, the starch within the sweet potatoes converts to sugar, increasing their sweetness. Ishida Farm also possesses a long-term aging facility where temperature and humidity can be controlled. Starting around March, they begin shipping sweet potatoes that have had their sugar content enhanced in this aging facility. However, Mr. Ishida points out, “During the peak demand period for roasted sweet potatoes from December to February, the maturation period is still too short, so we can only supply potatoes with a sugar content of around 30 to 40 degrees. Using the traditional maturation method creates a supply-demand gap.”
Therefore, Mr. Ishida embarked on developing a short-term maturation method to achieve year-round shipments of sweeter sweet potatoes.
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Development of a Short-Term Aging Chamber

The short-term sweet potato ripening cellar developed by Ishida Farm is an underground chamber dug horizontally through the soil and enclosed by earthen walls. Its appearance, resembling a cave, is quite different from the impression of an artificially climate-controlled long-term ripening cellar. Mr. Ishida built this ripening cellar inspired by a story he heard from his grandfather, a senior farmer: “Sweet potatoes harvested in autumn became sweeter when stored underground.”
Mr. Ishida explains, “The earthen-walled storage chamber has slight temperature variations. Applying this stress through temperature fluctuations is the key to sweetening sweet potatoes quickly.” However, this environment also places stress on the sweet potatoes. This rapid aging method makes the sweet potatoes prone to spoilage, requiring several years to establish the technique.
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Developing sweet potatoes suitable for short-term ripening

Mr. Ishida emphasizes, “Soil preparation is key to short-term ripening.” Cultivating sweet potatoes resilient enough to withstand demanding conditions made soil preparation in the fields indispensable.

“My father, who has farmed for many years, handles the core aspects of fertilizer design and soil preparation, consistently supporting the agricultural approach I envision.” Beyond this close collaborator, the Ishida family possesses several fields cultivated over centuries, creating an environment ideal for growing high-sugar sweet potatoes. This is precisely why Mr. Ishida confidently asserts that even if someone built a maturation facility identical to Ishida Farm’s, replicating their results would be far from simple.

As a result, Ishida Farm now consistently achieves a sugar content of 50 degrees within a remarkably short 40 days after harvest.
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From the challenge of branding to the stage of creating regional appeal

Ishida Farm does not ship through wholesalers. Instead, nearly all of its production is sold directly through department stores, high-end supermarkets, and its own online shop. This approach aims to enhance brand value by directly conveying the passion invested in the Kinmitsu sweet potatoes. This commitment led to the opening of the company-operated cafe, “Kinmitsudo.”

Opened the company-operated cafe “Kinmitsudo”

In 2024, Mr. Ishida opened “Kinnmitsudo,” a cafe specializing in sweet potato parfaits, in the heart of Sawara, a popular tourist destination.

“I want to deepen connections within Katori City itself,” he said, renovating a former tatami shop to blend harmoniously with the old townscape. The space, exuding Taisho-era romance, serves sweets and drinks generously featuring sweet potatoes. The highlight is the parfait supervised by Tenra Miyoshi, who runs a perpetually booked parfait specialty shop. Using sweet potato-based, highly talked-about sweets as a hook, it functions as one of the bases for introducing tourists to the farm.

While Kinmitsudo has become a popular weekend destination, Mr. Ishida shares his vision: “I want to further connect agriculture with tourism. By doing so, I hope to create even more opportunities for people to learn about sweet potatoes and Katori City.” Ishida Farm’s ongoing challenge to elevate the value of sweet potatoes is expanding into a stage where it enhances both agriculture and the region’s appeal.
*** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ***

The post Mr. Yudai Ishida of Ishida Farm, creator of the high-sugar sweet potato brand “Kinmitsu Imo” / Katori City, Chiba Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Kota Nakamura is the fourth generation of “Edo Kumihimo Tadashi Nakamura,” a 130-year-old kumihimo (braided cord) workshop, and is a Chiba Prefecture-designated traditional craftsman who mainly makes hand-knitted obi-jime and haori cords. He has won many prizes at the East Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, and his braided cords, which enhance the beauty of kimonos, have been well received and he has given many demonstrations at department stores and kimono stores.

Edo Braided Cords Supporting Japanese Clothing Culture

Matsudo City borders Tokyo and Saitama across the Edo River. The area around Matsudo Station, the center of the city, has a history of prosperity as a post station along the Mito Kaido Road in the Edo period (1603-1867). Despite its location amidst such scenery, Nakamura Masashi, a long-established Edo kumihimo (braided cord) shop in Matsudo that has continued to carry on the history of traditional crafts for about 130 years since the Meiji Era, is located in the area.

Edo Kumihimo passed down from generation to generation

Kumi-himo is a traditional craft with a history of about 1,400 years. As the name suggests, it is made by combining several strings of threads to create a strong cord that is easy to tie and hard to untie. It has been used for a variety of purposes, such as strings for scrolls with sutras written on them and strings for armor, but demand for obijime expanded especially in the middle of the Meiji period (1868-1912), when the o-taiko knotting style of tying obi (sash) became popular. Even today, “Edo Kumihimo,” which was refined in the old town people’s culture, continues to support the Japanese dress culture.

Nakamura Tadashi also mainly produces obijime and haori cords. Nakamura Tadashi says, “The method of making kumi-himo has been handed down from generation to generation through trial and error. So, in this braided cord business, I am faithful to what has been handed down, and I do it with precision,” says Nakamura. Without being eccentric, the braided cords are to stabilize the obi or haori and to enhance the overall appeal of the kimono. Nakamura’s braided cords are so highly regarded that he now receives requests for haori cords from professionals and comic storytellers.

Fresh colors in tradition

The raw materials for the braided cords made in Nakamura’s workshop are silk yarns, and most of the plain dyed cords are dyed by Nakamura himself.

Nakamura says, “I dye while envisioning the shape of the finished braid. He says, “The color must be one that can be used to coordinate with a kimono. I am always looking for colors that have been around for a long time, but also give a fresh impression. How can we interpret tradition in the modern age and brush it up? The dyeing process offers a glimpse of such a quiet challenge.

Unique techniques and tools for kumi-himo

Braided cords are made in various parts of Japan, and each region has its own characteristics. Kyoto’s kumi-himo has a flamboyant coloring, reflecting the noble culture of the nobility. Edo kumihimo, on the other hand, reflects samurai society and merchant culture, and is unique in its use of subdued colors and the braided patterns created by the crossing of threads and yarns.

There are four main types of stands for braiding: round, square, twill bamboo, and high.

Hand-kumihimo, a technique that requires a fine sense of balance

The most typical stand for Edo kumihimo is the round stand. The first step in the process is to make a bundle of threads and tie it to a “kumitama” (braided ball).

As the number of threads per bundle is reduced and the number of balls is increased to 8, 16, 24, and so on, it takes more time to complete the braid, but more detailed expression can be achieved. Nakamura calls this “the number of pixels in a braided cord” in a modern way.

The strings attached to the braided balls are placed on a round stand and braided while crossing diagonally opposite strings. The braided cords extend downward each time they are braided because the braided cords are suspended by weights from holes in the upper board of the round stand, and the weights are gradually applied to the cords. This is the reason why Mr. Nakamura calls “kumi-himo is mechanics.

Nakamura says that good braided cords are “moderately tight and flexible,” and that machine braided cords tend to be too tight and hard. The proportion of machine braided cords has increased considerably due to the balance between cost and productivity of obijime, and almost all cords distributed are machine braided. The percentage of hand-knitted strings is really decreasing. That is why the value is found in hand-knitted strings, which have both the skill of braiding and the ability to determine the weight of the weight to be used,” he says.

In addition, the degree of twisting to give strength to the strings also affects the hardness of the finished product, so the degree of twisting must be adjusted one by one with fingertips. The difficulty of braided cords lies in how to balance these various factors,” he says. But the abundance of variations is the fun part of making things.

Inheriting tools filled with the wisdom of predecessors

In addition to the round stand, Mr. Nakamura also makes active use of the “Ayatake stand. Ayatake stands are used for weaving by inserting a weft thread to a warp thread, just like in weaving. While the beauty of the braid is accentuated by the use of a round stand, the ayatake stand is not as thick because it is hammered in with a spatula, and is characterized by its neatness and fine texture.

Mr. Nakamura is also in the process of repairing an old kumidai he inherited from a retired craftsman. The wooden gears mesh with each other to form a semi-automatic string. Mr. Nakamura hopes to pass on the wisdom of his predecessors.

Mr. Nakamura’s Aim for Kumihimo

Mr. Nakamura began learning to make kumi-himo at the age of 17. After two years at a crafts school, he became involved in the family business in earnest, but at first he was so absorbed in the process that he was not interested in the colors and designs. However, after she began to sell kimono at department stores and kimono stores, Nakamura’s mindset changed.

Obijime that enhances the beauty of a kimono

I went from looking at braided cords at home to actually meeting people wearing kimonos at demonstrations,” he says. From there, I became more and more interested in coordinating kimonos, and I got into making obijime,” he says. Mr. Nakamura is now particularly interested in kumi-himo, a type of braided cord. In addition to the functional aspect of a firm tightening, it is “an obijime that looks beautiful when combined with an obi and a braided cord.

Nakamura’s approach to making obijime with the idea of coordinating with kimono and obi in mind is as follows: “Subtract patterns and colors rather than adding them. Even a single color can be seen as expressive enough,” and the goal is “the beauty of the overall appearance of the kimono rather than an over-emphasis on the obijime. By doing so, he says, “Obijime that can be easily matched with various kimonos are created.

Nakamura’s style incorporates a modern sensibility into this basic stance. Nowadays,” says Nakamura, “a slightly thinner obijime is more popular. It gives a cleaner appearance,” he says. Nakamura says that the observation he has gained through demonstrations enriches his own sensitivity.

Handing down the culture of kumi-himo to future generations

Nakamura confides that the number of craftsmen in the world of kumi-himo is decreasing. Even if the younger generation is interested in kumi-himo, it would be a waste if they are forced to say that it is impossible for them to work with it. At least, I would like to lay the groundwork so that they can manage to make a living. The reason why he has started participating in traditional craft exhibitions is not only to brush up his skills, but also to have people recognize the quality of his work and to link it to a reliable sales channel. In fact, until now, he has dealt almost exclusively with wholesalers, but the number of kimono stores and other interested parties has increased, leading to the diversification of sales channels.

Mr. Nakamura also focuses on training his assistants. I think the great value of traditional crafts is that they can be handed down to future generations and continue to be made, even after my death,” he says. Edo kumihimo is the product of Nakamura’s will. It is sure to continue to beautify people’s outfits in the future.

The post Kota Nakamura of “Tadashi Nakamura,” an Edo-style braided cord company that enhances the beauty of kimonos and passes on the tradition to future generations / Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Kangiku Meikyu has been refining the quality of its sake based on the concept of brewing from the climate of Chiba, and is now attracting attention as a representative hope of Chiba Prefecture’s sake breweries. The company fell on hard times after the retirement of the previous master brewer, but has since recovered with a single-minded focus on putting the drinker first. The craft beer they produce in parallel with their sake has won awards at international competitions, and their commitment to challenge has not faded away.

Aiming to make sake a part of Chiba’s food culture

Kangiku Meikozo is located near Kujukuri Beach, which faces the Pacific Ocean, in a corner of rice paddies spreading out on the horizon. The brewery has a long history, having started sake brewing in 1883, using the groundwater and abundant rice that enrich the region as raw materials. During the Showa and Heisei eras, the company’s business with major supermarkets in Chiba Prefecture increased, and under the leadership of Kenichi Sase, the fifth generation Kangiku owner, the company rebranded all of its brands to promote high value-added products. The company shifted its business focus to sake retailers nationwide, and the brushed-up quality of its sake was highly evaluated, leading to an increase in production volume every year since Mr. Sase took over as the fifth generation.

Sake that Synergizes with Food

Mr. Sase says that he aims to make sake that is “light and easy to drink,” but that this does not mean that it is a thin sake, but rather a sake with a certain depth. It is a sake that has enough presence to create a synergy of deliciousness, with the flavor of the sake accompanying the food. Sake that is light and has a clean aftertaste that does not interfere with the food and does not tire one’s palate. Sake that supports the food culture is the guiding principle of Kangiku’s sake brewing.

Imbuing Sake with the Climate and Scenery of Chiba

Kangiku is focusing on a series of sake products that fully express the “Chiba-Kujukuri-ness” of the region. Each product image suggests imaginative situations in which the sake may be enjoyed.

The “Fusa no Kangiku” series is a basic sake series that can be enjoyed on a daily basis, using Chiba rice in some of the four lineups to explore the possibilities of local rice. The DISCOVERY series, which uses all rice produced in Chiba Prefecture, is a light nigori (lightly nigori) draft sake, creating a refreshing sensation. The “Occasional” series, also made from raw sake, is an unfiltered, unpasteurized junmai-daiginjo that is brewed only once a year and designed to “color special moments.

The “OCEAN99” series, which is based on the theme of the Kujukuri region, can be said to be the face of Kangiku. Inspired by the beaches of Kujukuri, which offer a variety of seasonal scenes, these seasonal junmai ginjo and junmai daiginjo-shu are characterized by their fresh, crisp flavors reminiscent of sea breezes and whitecaps. The rice used is changed seasonally, and the brewers try to work backwards from the product image to brew with a variety of rice, including not only rice grown in Chiba Prefecture, but also Suisei, a sake brewing rice from Hokkaido, and Dewa Sanzan, a rice from Yamagata.

Brewing sake that retains a sense of freshness

At the brewery of Kangiku, there are many ways to create a fresh taste while making the most of the rice’s characteristics. Some of the previously mentioned OCEAN99 sake is fire-aged, and the introduction of a “pass stripper,” a machine that can heat the sake after bottling, gives it a light, unpasteurized flavor.

In addition, a unique feature of Kangiku’s brewing is that the flow line of equipment is connected in the shortest possible time, with freshly pressed sake immediately sent directly to a thermal tank with refrigeration capabilities. Sase explains, “We can do this in about three days, so even once the sake has been fire-aged, it retains its freshness.”

In addition, to ensure stable quality, the company conducts component analysis during the fermentation process and utilizes temperature-controlled storage facilities in the warm climate of Chiba Prefecture, among other efforts to maintain and improve quality from every possible angle.

Desperate Sake Making Begins with the Toji’s Declaration of Retirement

The biggest turning point after Mr. Sase took over the brewery was when the previous toji, who was in charge of brewing, announced his retirement the following year, saying that he would no longer be the toji. Even though the reason was his advanced age, Mr. Sase was troubled by this sudden turn of events. At that time, Yusuke Yanagishita, who was still in his late twenties, came forward and volunteered to take over as toji.

From there, Mr. Yanagishita worked hard to master the brewing techniques. The previous master brewer stayed with him for a while to teach him the techniques, and little by little he was able to achieve a satisfactory result. Sase recalls with nostalgia, “We all started drinking sake at 2 or 3 a.m. and learning how to make new sake. When we were drinking sake at the restaurant and it was time to go home, we wanted to make sake that would make people want to go home after drinking it one more time. We all had a strong desire to make something that would leave a lasting impression on people’s memories.

This single-minded desire, which has remained unbroken to the present day, has been the driving force behind the company’s rapid progress.

Continuing to Take on New Challenges

Sangiku’s challenges know no bounds. In fact, Kangiku has been producing craft beer at its brewery since 1997, and KUJUKURI OCEAN RICE ALE won the Grand Prize in the rice beer category at the “World Beer Awards 2022,” an international beer competition. KUJUKURI OCEAN RICE ALE” won the Grand Prize in the rice beer category at the World Beer Awards 2022. KUJUKURI OCEAN RICE ALE also uses Chiba-grown Koshihikari as a secondary ingredient, giving the beer a strong Chiba identity.

In the fall of 2024, a taproom called TAP ROOM 99 will open near Chiba Station, where Kangiku’s craft beers can be tasted. We want to listen to what our customers have to say about our beer and sake,” he said. I think it is necessary to make minor changes in sake brewing little by little while finding out what kind of sake people are looking for.

The company name “Kangiku” was named after the winter chrysanthemum, a small but dignified flower that blooms in winter, with the hope of brewing dignified sake despite the small size of the brewery. This humble attitude of putting the drinker first may well become a tradition of sake brewing that leads to the future, filled with a spirit of challenge and unafraid of change.

The post Kenichi Sase, 5th generation brewer of Kangiku Meikozo, a refined sake brewery that plays a role in Chiba’s food culture / Yamatake City, Chiba Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Hatamuguri has been reviving abandoned farmland with a desire to preserve the local nature through recycling-oriented agriculture. His unique farming method, which does not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers and utilizes biochar, has attracted sympathy, and he was selected as one of the top 30 producers in the “Chiba Gastronomy Award 2023” in the producer category. Top-level chefs are also paying attention.

A two-person unit aiming for recycling-oriented agriculture

Sakura City, located in the northern part of Chiba Prefecture, once flourished as a castle town. The Hokuso Plateau, which stretches across the city, has long been a place where agriculture has flourished, and in 2023, together with Kisarazu City, it declared itself an “organic village” to promote organic agriculture from production to consumption.

In Sakura City, Hatamuguri is a two-person farmer unit that uses “biochar” to reclaim abandoned farmland and conducts recycling-oriented agriculture without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

Hatamuguri’s Farming Style

Hatamuguri is a farming unit formed in 2020 by Kentaro Saito and Miho Ishii, who named their farm “Hatamuguri” after the pollen-carrying insect “Hanamuguri. They cultivate as many as 100 crops organically on their approximately 2 hectares of fields. In addition to common vegetables, they also grow a wide variety of herbs, edible flowers, and buckwheat noodles, which are shipped as sprouts (edible parts of plant shoots) rather than as berries. One of his most popular products is jumbo garlic, a member of the leek family called leeki, which he recommends roasted in foil. It makes a great all-purpose seasoning if you marinate it in soy sauce,” Saito-san says, enthusiastically explaining his recipes.

The majority of the farm is JAS-certified organic. He also runs a small-scale flat-fed chicken farm, and the farm’s vegetables, wheat, and chicken droppings grown on his own fermented feed are used as fertilizer. He also composts horse manure from the horses he keeps. After weighing the yield against the cost and time required, he rarely uses plastic mulch (a material used to cover arable land to suppress weeds and store heat) or greenhouses. The two farmers share a common understanding that they are aiming for recycling-oriented agriculture that does not burden the ecosystem.

Forming a Farming Unit

Mr. Ishii, who is from Sakura, used to be a zookeeper. After the birth of his child, he decided that he wanted to grow vegetables that he could eat with peace of mind, and began growing vegetables organically using horse manure. Later, he changed jobs to work for a social welfare corporation that grew organic vegetables for nursery schools.

Mr. Saito, who had always been interested in primary industry, graduated from an agricultural high school. After working for a number of agricultural corporations in Chiba Prefecture, he ended up at the same social welfare corporation as Mr. Ishii.

However, the social welfare corporation’s agricultural department was abolished, and both were forced to resign from their jobs. In the midst of all this, they receive an offer to lease the land they are currently using as a farm. Both Mr. Saito and Mr. Ishii had no experience with conventional farming methods that utilize pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and had been doing organic farming all their lives, so their ideas for recycling-oriented agriculture matched. They rented adjoining fields next to each other and formed a unit of farmers who shared the use of work sheds and agricultural machinery.

Tackling the challenge of soil preparation using biochar

They decided to start farming in their new location, but first they had to regenerate the soil on their rented land. The former mulberry field had been uncultivated for more than several decades, and during that time it had been continuously plowed to keep the grass from growing. The land was so overmanaged that it was like a desert with no signs of life. That is when he turned his attention to biochar.

Biochar is carbonized organic material that improves the natural environment, including the biological layer and soil. Mr. Saito originally became interested in charcoal through his participation in volunteer activities at a charcoal-making camp for children. It was during this time that he had the opportunity to learn about biochar from one of Hatamuguri’s business partners, and decided to try using it on his own farm. To promote resource recycling and land maintenance, Hatamuguri uses bamboo and prunings that have become overgrown in the fields and in the local satoyama as raw materials for charcoal. We make the most of what we have. That is the basis of our method,” Saito says.

Bamboo and trees are fed into the carbonizing furnace, which burns at about 350 degrees Celsius, and the fire is turned off just enough to prevent them from turning to ash. The charcoal is finished when it is so soft that it is shredded when held in the hand. As a result of continuing to spread this biochar over the land, the biofuel layer has gradually recovered.

Biochar as a home for microorganisms

Mr. Saito describes the effect of biochar simply as “creating a habitat for microorganisms. The charcoal has a porous structure with numerous microscopic holes in it, and these holes hold moisture, allowing microorganisms to live in the soil.

We actually collaborated on research on the effects of biochar in the daikon radish fields here. The results showed that the field with biochar retained more moisture and grew better than the field without. Biochar is not only an important soil conditioner for Hatamuguri, but it is also an indispensable tool that has led to a cooperative relationship with Sakura City for the maintenance of bamboo forests and satoyama.

The company is now actively involved with a wide variety of people.

Proactive involvement with a diverse range of people

Mr. Saito says, “The main reason I use this kind of farming method is because I want to eat delicious food if I am going to make it,” while Mr. Ishii recalls, “I was worried at first because I have to use much less fertilizer and the growth is slow. Ishii confidently states, “The flavor is richer because of that. Currently, Hatamuguri’s sales channels include personal home delivery, online sales, and shipments to direct sales outlets, but every year the company’s delicious taste and stance on agriculture attracts more and more sympathy, and restaurants are handling more and more of its products.

In particular, the company has an ongoing relationship with “Presente Sugi” in Sakura City, which it began doing business with when it was a former employee of the company. Presente Sugi has been listed in the Japanese edition of the French restaurant guide “Gault & Millau” (Gault & Millau), which is said to be as influential as Michelin, since 2022.

The chef comes to our farm, and every time he comes, we ask him for various requests. We have provided him with edible flowers, spinach roots, and even seagrass for insect eating,” laughs Saito. Through these relationships with chefs, Saito says, “I have changed the way I look at the fields, thinking about what kind of crops are in demand and what kind of wildflowers could be used.

Connecting Agriculture and Nature to the Future as a Model for the Community

Hatamuguri not only maintains a relationship with the chefs, but also focuses on interaction with consumers.

Every Sunday, they open a restaurant in a rented space that can be used for food and beverage business, serving meals made with ingredients from the fields. The pizzas made from the wheat dough they grow themselves are especially popular. Ishii says, “We hope this will be a good opportunity for people to learn about our activities. To encourage interested customers to actually visit the fields, he also plans “hatameguri,” where visitors can shop for produce, take a walk in the satoyama, and experience farming. They welcome people from all walks of life as a place where they can experience the blessings and cycles of nature.

The duo’s future plans include the production of processed products. Since Sakura City declared itself an organic village, inquiries for organic vegetables from major supermarkets have increased. They hope to make use of the out-of-spec vegetables, which are difficult for supermarkets to accept, as processed products.

Mr. Saito also says, “In order to increase the number of fellow organic farmers, we would like to establish a system where we can offer our know-how to new farmers when they come to our farm. Mr. Ishii added, “We want to circulate resources from abandoned farmland and make sure that the money goes back into circulation. I hope we can become a small but established model of agriculture,” he continued. This is my hometown, so I want to preserve the nature somehow. That is the root of everything.

With Hatamuguri, the world of agriculture and nature will become even richer in the region. One cannot help but hope for such a future.

The post Farmer unit “Hatamuguri,” which connects people and nature through recycling-based agriculture, Kentaro Saito and Miho Ishii / Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Kazuaki Furukawa, the fourth generation owner of Furukawa FARM, has made the decision to switch from chemical fertilizers to organic fertilizers and to stop using herbicides through a cultivation method called “weed cultivation. He has been able to improve the taste of his pears while reducing the burden on the environment. He focused his attention on the rare “Natsuhikari” variety, which won a prize at a contest, and now he and his wife, the fifth generation, are striving to create fans of the farm.

Cultivating soil with an eye on eating quality

In Chiba Prefecture, which regularly ranks as Japan’s largest producer of pears, the northwestern part of the prefecture is the most active pear-growing area. The history of pear cultivation dates back to the Edo period, when pear cultivation in Chiba Prefecture began in present-day Ichikawa City. The northwestern part of the prefecture still accounts for about half of the prefecture’s pear production, thanks to the Kanto loam soil, which is suitable for pear cultivation, and its proximity to the huge consumption center of Tokyo. Kamagaya City is one of the major pear production areas.

In Kamagaya, many pear orchards have direct sales stands on their premises, and from the beginning of August through early autumn, banners selling pears directly are flown along the main roads and in other places. Pear orchards are an indispensable souvenir of the Bon Festival, and many also sell pears for gift-giving. The sight of pears being sold with tastings by the side of the work area is a typical summer scene.

Furukawa FARM runs a pear orchard in Kamagaya City.

Producing pears that you can decide the price yourself

Furukawa FARM began as a vegetable farm in the Meiji era (1868-1912) and started growing pears in the 1950s. Kazuaki Furukawa, who was in his 20s at the time, took over the family business around 1990, but he did not want to “inherit what his parents had done,” so he participated in an agricultural training program in the United States for about two years before starting farming. After returning to Japan, he decided to start working toward the “pear orchard he wanted to create.

At the time, Mr. Furukawa’s biggest problem was “the current situation of growing pears for which he could not decide the price. When I came back to Japan, my family was still growing vegetables, and during the summer when vegetables were not available, I was growing pears to make up for it. So we couldn’t take care of the pears, and we couldn’t produce good pears, so we had no choice but to sell them at the market. I always wanted to change the situation where pears were shipped at a low price every day and increase the ratio of direct sales,” he says.

To improve the quality of his pears and increase his profit margin, Mr. Furukawa shifted the main focus of his cultivation from vegetables to pears, and gradually switched to cultivation methods with an awareness of eating quality.

Changes after switching to organic fertilizers

Furukawa FARM has been using 100% organic fertilizers since 2002, and has stopped using chemical fertilizers altogether. Currently, they use chicken manure, cattle manure, fish meal, and rice bran as fertilizers, and they say that the “taste” of their produce has changed dramatically since they switched to organic fertilizers. The new organic fertilizers have greatly changed the taste of the grapes. “Although they grow slower than chemical fertilizers, they produce fruit more slowly, so they store plenty of juice and have a nice crunchy texture,” he says.

Furthermore, “the balance between acidity and sweetness has improved,” he says. Based on his experience, Mr. Furukawa believes that nitrogen, a component of fertilizers, affects the acidity of pears. When we were using chemical fertilizers, the nitrogen content directly entered the pears, and the acidity was too strong. I have the impression that the acidity has become milder. For this reason, he pays special attention to the use of chicken manure, which has a high nitrogen content. Chicken manure has a strong immediate effect, so I never use it close to harvest. Rather, it is important to use it after harvest to prepare the soil environment for the next season,” says Furukawa.

Soil preparation through herbaceous cultivation

The farm’s soil is cultivated using a method called “herbaceous cultivation,” which makes use of weeds that grow naturally in the garden. Along with this, he also uses no-till cultivation, in which the fields are not tilled. Even after spreading fertilizer, they do not plow the field with a tractor, but leave it as it is and let nature take its course until it permeates the soil through decomposition by microorganisms. The number of earthworms increases and moles come a lot. Recently, beetle larvae have grown up to become adults and appear in the pear orchard.

Grass cultivation is a cultivation method in which a variety of weeds grow and take root in the garden, which is expected to fix nutrients in the soil, prevent the soil from drying out, suppress the rise in surface temperature, and make the soil softer. Healthy soil is the key to healthy pear trees,” says Furukawa while walking on the soft soil in the garden.

Young Farmers Spreading the Word about Highly Evaluated Eating Quality

Furukawa FARM currently grows six varieties of pears: Kosui, Natsuhikari, Toyosui, Kaori, Akizuki, and Niitaka. Of these, the rare “Natsuhikari” has been the focus of much attention in recent years. In addition to the Natsuhikari and other varieties winning awards at contests, the activities of the fifth generation couple who joined the farm as Mr. Furukawa’s successors have also contributed to a gradual increase in the number of fans. The sales channel, which used to focus on market shipments, has grown to the point where direct sales account for more than half of the business.

Natsuhikari, a rare variety attracting attention

In 2022, Natsuhikari won the Gold Prize in the August fruit and vegetable category of the “Vegetable Sommelier Summit” hosted by the Japan Vegetable Sommelier Association. In the same year, Kaori won the Gold Award and Toyosui won the Silver Award in the September Fruits and Vegetables Category. Natsuhikari is the most popular pear at Furukawa FARM.

Although Natsuhikari was developed in Chiba Prefecture in 1995, its production is low and it is a rarity in Chiba Prefecture, being outnumbered by the standard varieties Kosui and Toyosui. However, it has a high sugar content that is said to exceed that of Kosui, and it is so juicy that the juice drips down when the peel is removed.

Daughter and her husband spread the appeal of pears

Although the future as a pear farmer presents some challenges, such as the difficulty of cultivation due to global warming, the fact that his daughter Natsuki has succeeded him as the fifth generation farmer is a source of great hope for Mr. Furukawa.

For Natsuki, the farm is a place of fond memories, where she has helped with the work during her summer trips home. As I get older each year, I think it will be tough for my parents to continue to handle this amount of work alone. Our pears are very tasty, so I didn’t want the business to die out after my parents’ generation,” said Natsuki, who decided to start farming with her husband, Kodai.

Natsuki and her husband, Kodai, decided to start farming together. She has opened an online store and uses Instagram to spread the word, saying, “Especially since Natsuhikari is still not well known, we need opportunities to let people know about it. At the direct sales booths, they carefully convey the characteristics of eating quality with tastings. Natsuki laughs, “I often have a lot of fun talking about pears with customers who come to the direct sales stand. Thanks to such efforts, the number of fans has gradually increased, and the direct sales ratio has been successfully raised.

We are gradually getting more and more customers who tell us they are looking forward to receiving Mr. Furukawa’s pears next season,” says Natsuki. I think we must continue to produce pears of even better quality than before,” says Mr. Kodai with enthusiasm. Mr. Furukawa, watching the activities of the next generation at his side, said, “We were just too occupied with what we had been doing until now, but I am very encouraged that we have made solid connections with new customers. I look forward to the future.

The Furukawa family’s pear delicacy has been passed down from generation to generation. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.

The post Kazuaki Furukawa, the fourth generation owner of Furukawa FARM, who delivers high-quality pears with young people who will lead the next generation / Kamagaya City, Chiba Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Kitagawa Chicken Farm’s “Plincesse Eggs,” a regular winner of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award, the highest award at the Chiba Prefecture Chicken Egg Quality Improvement and Promotion Fair, are also used at the famous sukiyaki restaurant Imahan in Asakusa, and are known as eggs that have the approval of food professionals. What is the secret of the chicken raising business of Mr. Takaki Kitagawa, the third generation of the family, who has persisted in his belief of “being a craftsman for craftsmen”?

Be a craftsman for craftsmen

Less than an hour away from central Tokyo via the Tokyo Bay Aqualine. On a hilltop in Sodegaura City, adjacent to Kisarazu City, is Kitagawa Chicken Farm, which produces eggs that are in constant demand from three-star restaurants in Tokyo and confectionary stores in various regions.

Kitagawa Chicken Farm was started by Takamoto Kitagawa’s grandfather in Yokohama in 1955 with 500 chickens, and moved to its current location in 1967, where it currently raises about 35,000 chickens. This is not a large number for a poultry farmer, but the strength of Kitagawa Chicken Farm is its ability to take advantage of its small scale to improve egg quality and actively expand sales channels to professional restaurants.

Plincesse Eggs,” which emphasize the strength of the egg white

Kitagawa Chicken Farm’s main breed of chicken is called Sonia. Some retailers have asked us to switch to a white egg breed because these reddish eggshells don’t stand out on the sales floor,” says Kitagawa, “but we have no intention of changing at all. This is because the strong elasticity of the egg white of Sonia’s eggs is very attractive.

In addition, Kitagawa Chicken Farm brands eggs laid by young hens, which have more elastic and firm egg whites, as “Plinth Eggs. Young hens lay more plump eggs, but as they get older, their eggs become runny. That is why we select eggs from young hens. The plump eggs do not fall apart when cracked and dropped onto a plate, but rather maintain their firm shape and glide across the plate.

When we think of eggs, we tend to focus on the color of the yolk, but why are we so particular about the strength of the egg white? This is the result of responding to the demands of professional restaurants and confectionery stores that are our customers. For example, when baking cakes, strong egg whites hold more air when meringue is made, making a clear difference in the puffiness of the sponge. A sushi restaurant wanted to produce a crispy sponge cake egg, so they decided to introduce the Plinth Egg.

Of course, Kitagawa Chicken Farm is striving to improve the flavor of egg yolks with its own feed formulated by a feed designer, but Mr. Kitagawa also makes no compromises in the quality of egg whites, which are demanded by food professionals. Behind this attitude is an experience he had when his business was in crisis.

Realization from a business crisis

Around 2000, when Mr. Kitagawa took over the family business, Kitagawa Chicken Farm lost a large client due to price competition. With the business in a slump, Mr. Kitagawa desperately tried to make inroads into the market. He repeatedly visited stores that seemed to treat eggs as foodstuffs, only to be turned away at the door, but he recalls his feelings at the time, “I didn’t want to just sell at a discount. The price of eggs is all set by the market price,” he said. But for us, we want to sell our eggs at a fair price that reflects the hard work we put in every day on the farm.

As he continued his business without giving up, a confectionery store finally decided to use Mr. Kitagawa’s eggs. The pastry chef at the store complimented me on the strong egg white and the fluffy, delicious sponge it produces. At that time, I realized the importance of egg whites. Since then, Mr. Kitagawa has deeply engraved “Be a craftsman for craftsmen” as his farming philosophy.

Healthier Chickens in the Aozora Chicken Coop

Kitagawa Chicken Farm’s chickens are raised on corn, soybeans, and rice-based feed and fed mineral-rich groundwater. There is one method of raising chickens that has been followed since the first generation in order to make them stronger and healthier. This is the “Aozora Chicken Coop.

Mr. Kitagawa explains that in a typical poultry farm, chickens are raised in an environment without light and air, as they are less subject to external stress and require relatively less feed. On the other hand, “This Aozora chicken coop is located outdoors, so it is a stressful environment for the chickens. We believe that this, on the contrary, will help raise strong and healthy chickens,” he says.

Separating chicken houses according to the number of growing days

The most distinctive feature of the breeding method is that the chicken coops are separated according to the number of days the chickens are kept alive. Generally, a farm of Kitagawa Chicken Farm’s size can be kept in a single coop, but Mr. Kitagawa dared to set up 12 coops.

It is relatively well known to consumers that egg quality is affected by freshness, but in fact, the degree of growth of the hens also has a significant impact on egg quality. The question is how to keep young hens’ eggs taut and elastic, rather than old hens’ watery eggs, so that they are always ready for shipment. The answer to this question was the multi-house method of raising chickens.

The answer to this question was the multi-house method of raising chickens. However, for example, a cake shop may prefer eggs laid by the youngest hens, and we are able to quickly and consistently deliver eggs that meet the needs of such a client. This is the reason why we have gained such a high level of trust from our customers.

We want to make this an industry where the next generation can dream.

Mr. Kitagawa is enthusiastic about his future plans to produce puddings and other products. I think it will be even more difficult to run a business just by shipping to the market,” he says. I want to make it an industry where we have the right to determine prices, and where the next generation will want to do the same. Kitagawa Chicken Farm, which has successfully recovered from the crisis of a quarter of a century ago, continues to take on challenges for the future.

The post Be a craftsman for craftsmen: Takamoto Kitagawa, the third generation of “Kitagawa Chicken Farm,” produces eggs / Sodegaura City, Chiba Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Mr. Kurita, who loves to cook, grows unique and flavorful vegetables that have won the praise of professional chefs. What is the source of the driving force that motivates Mr. Kurita?

Kyredo’s Way of Farming

Yotsukaido City, located to the north of Chiba City, the prefectural capital, is a typical bedroom community in an urban suburb, but it also has a history as a pioneer area after the end of the war and is still an area where plots of land have been cleared and farmland remains. Mr. Takashi Kurita of “kiredo” is farming in one of these areas. He started farming in earnest in 2012 in his hometown of Yotsukaido, hoping to convey the “delicious” and “interesting” aspects of vegetables and fields. Despite the mild climate of Chiba Prefecture, the inland location means that there are frosty days in winter. In such an environment where “vegetables that like the cold and vegetables that like the summer can both be grown,” he is currently growing about 150 kinds of vegetables and herbs.

A Look at the Life of Vegetables

Savoy cabbage becomes soft and sweet when cooked, so it is good for cabbage rolls. We grow five kinds of carrots, including purple carrots and island carrots native to Okinawa. Hitomi carrots are delicious raw. The red island okra over here can also be eaten raw,” he says. I was surprised by the sweet flavor of the freshly harvested okra, and at the same time, I was surprised to find that it did not have the spicy texture characteristic of okra, which overturned my image of okra.

For example, Takashi considers the possibility of using not only the leaves, stems, and seeds of the herb fennel, but also the roots. For zucchini, he actually tastes the vine, leaves, and flowers to see what they taste like, and uses them in his cooking. He says that it is interesting to explore unknown parts of vegetables by “looking at the whole life of a vegetable,” rather than focusing on it as an ingredient only for a time during harvest, and to let chefs and consumers with whom he has a relationship know about it.

Furthermore, Takashi’s curiosity is not limited to the life of a vegetable, but extends to how the vegetable is eaten and cultivated in its place of origin.

Vegetables Grown with Minerals

When Takashi tasted trevis, a vegetable similar in appearance to purple cabbage, in Italy, where it originated, he was so impressed by its sweetness and lack of bitterness that he went to talk to the grower. He found out that the water used in the local fields contained a large amount of minerals, and he immediately began feeding his own fields with shellfish-derived minerals. He immediately began feeding his own vineyards with shellfish-derived minerals, which immediately brought him closer to the taste he had been shocked by in Italy. He said, “How close you can make your crops to their environment of origin is connected to how healthy and tasty they grow. The experience in Italy made me realize this,” he says.

Takashi has personally experienced and proven the deliciousness of vegetables grown in mineral-rich soil. On the other hand, “If you use more compost, you can increase the yield, but it also brings out the starch. The taste is also diminished.” He also mentions the risk of using too much compost. Aiming to produce vegetables without bitterness, Kuredo’s most basic cultivation method is to “use less compost and grow with minerals.

When visiting Kiledo’s fields, Takashi recommends one vegetable after another to “try them raw,” and each time you taste them, you are surprised by their unique and vital flavors. This “field tasting” is something he can do with confidence because the crops have no bitterness.

The food is at the top of the list.

Takashi is a good taster, but when he explains vegetables in the field, he always includes the “cooking method” in his talk. This is because “the dish is at the top of the idea.

Instead of looking at the ingredients and then thinking about what to cook, Takashi first has a dish in mind that he wants to eat, and then he grows the crops necessary for that dish. If it does not grow here, he grows a similar crop and cooks it himself to see if it is satisfactory. He then takes the cooking methods and ingredients back to the chefs he knows and asks them to make use of them. As a result of his efforts, he now grows as many as 150 different crops each year.

Takashi, who also loves to cook, established “kiredo VEGETABLE Atelier” in 2015. Located in a residential area in the suburbs of Chiba City, about 8 km south of the Yotsukaido farm, it is an actual store with a café, gallery, and direct sales function. At Vegetable Atelier, his wife Keiko runs the restaurant, which mainly serves lunch plates using Kuredo vegetables.

We opened the store as a place for local people to learn more about vegetables. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for people to try vegetables they didn’t know existed at all, and to make them think that Kuredo’s vegetables are a little different from the ordinary ones.

Meeting Ms. Yoshiyomi Nakano in Kanazawa

Takashi went from his hometown of Yotsukaido to a university in Kyushu and spent about 6 years as a software engineer in Kanazawa, Hokuriku. He has always loved good food, and while a student he was exposed to fine foodstuffs while working at the Blue Note, an upscale jazz live music club where French cuisine could be tasted. The chef of one of his favorite restaurants invited him to visit the farmers from whom the restaurant purchased its products. It was Ms. Kiyomi Nakano, who directly supplies vegetables to numerous chefs. The daikon radish I tasted in Ms. Nakano’s field tasted like a pear, which was shocking. I was shocked at how different the taste was depending on the farmer, even if it was the same variety. And Mr. Nakano was such a fun and charming person. My life changed from there.

Takashi started his vegetable garden “because I wanted a chance to talk to Mr. Nakano. Whenever he had a question, he would go to Mr. Nakano’s field and “he would spend a whole day teaching me how to grow various vegetables,” he recalls. He would go to the fields at 5:30 a.m. and work until 7:00 a.m. before coming to work, but he enjoyed it so much that he did not find it hard at all. After two years of vegetable gardening under Mr. Nakano’s tutelage, he could no longer resist the urge to make farming his main business, and he decided to return to Chiba.

Opening the door to Eco-Farm Asano

Like Mr. Nakano, there were people in Chiba who grew vegetables for professional chefs. Etsuo Asano of Chef’s Garden Eco Farm Asano is a charismatic figure who has been growing Western vegetables in small quantities and in many varieties for more than 20 years. Takashi studied under Mr. Asano for a year and a half when he first came to Eco-Farm Asano. However, Takashi’s doubts gradually grew.

Both Mr. Nakano and Mr. Asano only distribute to professional chefs, so the vegetables were not available to the general public. Delicious vegetables are easy to cook. That’s why they are suitable for ordinary households. But I really wondered why they were only passed on to chefs who cook elaborate dishes. Looking back on it now, I wonder if it was partly because the master was enjoying the serious competition with the chef. He continued to pose this question directly to Mr. Asano.

Six months after Takashi arrived at Eco Farm Asano, Mr. Asano drew a line across the field and declared, “From here on, you are free to use it. He opened the way for Takashi’s idea, saying, “If you insist so much, go ahead and do it yourself. Takashi is still grateful to Asano for the agricultural machinery and other services he provided. In 2011, he quickly created a website and opened “Kiredo,” a private vegetable delivery service within Eco-Farm Asano. He then opened a booth at the Niwanowa Arts & Crafts Fair Ciba, the largest craft fair in Chiba Prefecture, which led to an increase in customers in Chiba, and he began looking for a new place to set up shop in his hometown of Yotsukaido in late 2012.

The word “Kiredo” was coined by combining the word “uraraka,” which means the sun shining peacefully, and the words “yosuji,” which means a place of refuge or clue. Takashi laughs shyly and says, “This is the only time Mr. Asano has ever given me a compliment about my business name.

Spreading the Appeal of Vegetables and Farms in the Community

I had the opportunity to experience Nakano-san’s fields,” Takashi said, “but if you lived in a normal life, you would never have the idea that the taste of the same variety of daikon varies from farmer to farmer. I think this is a great waste. I want to convey the idea that having a relationship with a farmer you like will lead to a good diet. In order to be chosen as a favorite farmer for consumers, Kuredo places importance on “the two pillars of ‘delicious’ and ‘interesting. One is the “taste” of the crops we have seen so far, and the other is the “attractiveness of the field as a place.

A field where vegetables are growing can also be a place where people can appreciate the beauty of plants, play with them like in a park, or talk with them if there is a bench and a table. In order to have visitors actually experience the charm of these fields, Kiledo offers monthly field tours and cooking classes at the “Field Rental Studio,” a renovated old house located beside the fields. The Vegetable Atelier, where visitors can enjoy Keiko’s homemade lunches, serves as an antenna store for the fields, where they can interact with Kakedo on a more daily basis.

As the deliciousness and fun of the food is passed on, the farm will become an integral part of the residential area. If they become valuable to the community, I don’t think the fields will disappear,” Takashi stresses.

I want to continue to shine a bright light on food and the fields.

If we were to do it alone, we would only be able to feed about 100 households. If we do it on our own, we will only be able to feed about 100 households. If we do it individually, we will not be able to create a big trend. First, he will focus on the production of processed products, and he also has a plan to turn an empty house next to his farm into an inn so that farmers can stay overnight and experience farming.

Kireido is gradually expanding the circle of “delicious” and “interesting. As the name implies, we can hardly wait to see what the future holds for the inn, which is sure to become a beautiful place for people from all walks of life.

The post Takashi Kurita of “kiredo,” a farmer who continues to convey the “deliciousness and fun” of vegetables and fields / Yotsukaido City, Chiba Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Tomoko Takahashi has established her own unique gold and silver painting technique, in which thick foil called “uwazumi” is burned onto white porcelain. The beauty of her work is always imbued with respect for the indigenous culture she has come into contact with and a warm attitude toward the local people.

Aiming for Harmony of Gold and Silver Colors and White Porcelain

Tomoko Takahashi is a ceramic artist known for her “gold and silver painting” technique, in which gold or silver, which is thicker than foil, is pasted on top of overglaze painting on the surface of white porcelain and fired. The glitter of gold and silver on the delicate geometric patterns is like moonlight with a hint of dimness and somewhat exoticism.

Takahashi’s workshop is located in Yachimata City, famous for peanut production, in the center of Chiba Prefecture.

Using a wide variety of supernatants and metal foils

Takahashi’s gold and silver overglaze painting is done by adding colors with overglaze pigments on top of white porcelain (porcelain with a transparent glaze on a white base) formed by roiro (roiro) molding and then applying gold or silver overglaze. The most characteristic material in this technique is called kamiicho.

For example, gold is 10 to 13 times thicker than gold leaf. Gold foil will burn away during the firing process, but there is no need to worry about this with jochin. However, even though it is thicker than gold leaf, it is only about 0.001 mm. It is still difficult to handle. The process of cutting out, gluing, and attaching each piece of jasumi is a tedious and time-consuming process.

There are many variations of hosho, each with its own unique color tone and vibrancy. In addition to using different types of jochi, Takahashi sometimes incorporates metal foils other than gold and silver into his work. Copper foil, for example, “is interesting because it sometimes turns black or slightly greenish due to the reaction with the glaze,” he says. The abundance of techniques he has developed is the basis for the variety of his works.

Firing warm white porcelain that harmonizes with gold and silver

Once the overglaze enameling is finished, the porcelain is fired at 700 to 800 degrees Celsius, which is lower than the firing temperature for overglaze enameling.

The firing of porcelain is roughly classified into two types: reduction firing, in which the oxygen supply to the kiln is limited, and oxidation firing, in which oxygen is supplied to the kiln. He says, “Reduction firing produces a white with a hard texture and bluish tint, but in the atmosphere of white porcelain, I think the presence of gold and silver would blend better with the softer tints. It is only through such harmony between white porcelain and jochin that the gold and silver shine with dignity and depth.

How Takahashi’s unique gold and silver coloring is created

Takahashi’s gold and silver paintings are lined with neat geometric patterns. Having seen many cultures of different lands, I feel a sense of mystery and happiness in geometric patterns that convey religious thoughts and beliefs through abstract expressions rather than figurative ones,” says Takahashi. We would like to trace the background of Takahashi’s craftsmanship up to the present.

Finding the beauty of foil in indigenous culture

Takahashi became seriously involved in ceramics after entering the Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts. He recalls that his interest in ceramics became stronger when he was able to “experience the primitive process of pottery making” in a class at the university, which began with digging out the earth to make earthenware.

Rather than originally being interested in ceramics, Takahashi’s motivation for going to Okinawa was that he was “interested in the Okinawan culture itself. It was this focus on indigenous culture that has influenced Takahashi’s style to this day, but a particularly significant turning point came during a visit to Myanmar when he was a university student.

One of the most significant turning points for him came when he was a university student in Myanmar, where local people were praying to a statue of Buddha enshrined in a temple by attaching certain objects to it one after another. The thing they were attaching was a piece of foil. I was very moved by the way these people, who may not be economically rich, went out of their way to buy the foil and pray. I was very moved by the sight of these people. It wasn’t that the foil was beautiful or anything like that, but the sight was so beautiful that I was irresistibly drawn to it. I took home a bunch of small gold leaf, which at the time cost less than 1,000 yen, and treasured it.

Encounter with Fujio Kitade

During his university years, Takahashi had another major encounter. This was Mr. Fujio Kitade, who came to Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts as a part-time lecturer. At the time, he was the president of Kanazawa College of Art.

The encounter with Mr. Kitade not only taught him the basics of overglaze painting, but also gave him many opportunities that led him to his current work, including an introduction to an employee of the Kutani Yaki Technical Research Institute who taught him the principles of underglaze gold painting and a foil shop where he could purchase overglaze (thick) foil. It was the moment when the important mental images painted in Myanmar and the technique of “foil” were connected as one.

Continuing on the path he believed in

In 2001, Takahashi set up a studio in Yachimachi City, where he was related to his relatives, and continued to work on glazed underglaze gold leaf while working as an elementary school teacher. He held solo exhibitions and entered public competitions, but he fell into a slump, saying, “I felt that it was impossible to master something in this field when there were already great artists.

Eventually, he began to change his mind, gradually shifting to a unique approach, saying, “Let’s eliminate the glaze over the foil and compete with the beauty of the gold and silver in the front and of the white porcelain itself. The Great East Japan Earthquake triggered a gradual change in his mindset, and he decided to quit all of his jobs and focus solely on ceramics.

For about five years, I was desperate to do anything I could do, whether it was opening a stall at craft fairs or selling my work by hand,” recalls Takahashi. As a result of his almost self-taught efforts to master his unique gold and silver painting techniques, he gradually began to win more and more prizes at traditional Japanese crafts exhibitions, including the Encouragement Prize at the 8th Kikuchi Biennale and the TOKI Oribe Excellence Prize at the Modern Tea Ceramic Exhibition several times. Some of his works have become part of the public collections of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo and the Ceramic Museum of Ibaraki, and in 2024 he also received the 2nd “Japan Crafts Association Member Award Asuka Cruise Prize.

In 2024, he will also receive the 2nd “Japan Kogei Membership Award Asuka Cruise Prize. It is really a great encouragement for me,” said Takahashi. For the next Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Takahashi said, “The foil shop I work for handles about 10 different types of gold leaf, each with different saturation and delicacy of expression, and their individuality is very interesting. I believe that each of these materials has infinite possibilities for expression, and I would like to continue to take on this challenge. We can’t wait to see what kind of beautiful worldview he will bring to his pottery in the future.

The post Tomoko Takahashi, who creates beautiful images of culture in gold and silver on vessels / Yachimachi City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.

While running his organic dried fruit import and sales business “AMBESSA,” he is self-sufficient in food through natural cultivation, uses solar power for energy, and builds his own store. Mr. Kimishima continues to acquire the “zest for life” in Minami-Boso that he learned on his travels around the world, and is quietly questioning how he should live and work in the future.

Visit “Abyssinia,” AMBESSA’s directly managed grocery in Minami-Boso

The southern part of Boso Peninsula is one of the warmest areas in Chiba Prefecture, where citrus fruits and flowers are cultivated. In this area of southern Boso facing the Pacific Ocean, Mr. Kimishima lives with his wife, Aguri, and their two children. Although it is less than a 10-minute walk to the ocean, the gently rolling mountains of the Boso Hills approach the coast, with lush green satoyama mountains in the background. Standing as if blending in with the scenery of Minami-Boso is AMBESSA’s directly managed store, “Organic Grocery Abyssinia,” located on the grounds of the main building.

Incidentally, these store names are derived from the Rasta philosophy, which has greatly influenced Mr. Kimishima’s philosophy. The lion used as a symbol in various parts of Ethiopia, the starting point of this philosophy, is called AMBESSA in the ancient local language, and Ethiopia is called Abyssinia.

Building a “store that goes back to the soil.”

Abyssinia, which opened in 2018, was designed and built by Kimishima himself under the guidance of the architectural firm Koufurin in Isumi City, located in the central Boso Peninsula, using natural materials found in our daily lives, such as mountain clay, ocean sand, thinned wood, and rice husks.

It took about three and a half years and a lot of hard work to get it into shape, but I was able to maintain it myself and make it functional. For example, the thatch in the walls helps to insulate the building. He looks back on how his own experience of building with natural materials made him rediscover the qualities of Japanese traditional houses.

The “Back to the Soil” store sells organic dried fruits, nuts, spices, and herbs, as well as breads and baked goods made by Akuri.

Giving Value to Substandard Foods

Kimishima-san recommended Abyssinia, a dried fruit made from apples grown naturally in Aomori Prefecture without pesticides or fertilizers, which is one of AMBESSA’s staple products. It is characterized by its delicate, sweet flavor and the rich nourishing taste that comes out with each munching.

The dried apples used for this product are originally small and flawed, and are considered out of standard in general distribution. Even though they are out of standard, the taste is certain. We buy such fruits and vegetables that cannot be distributed in the market and dry them to increase their value. Processing them into dried products is also a part of our efforts in this regard.

Dry processing of selected ingredients

In 2010, AMBESSA began importing dried fruits and other agricultural products from overseas and distributing them to natural food stores and restaurants in Japan. In principle, products are grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and are limited to those without additives or preservatives.

In recent years, in addition to tangerines, blueberries, raisins, prunes, and other fruits grown by the Kimishima family, the company has been increasingly using fruits from farms connected through acquaintances. These domestically grown fruits are dried in a dryer in his atelier.

The best moisture content is around 15%, but if the fruit is too dry, it will dry out and almost disappear, and if it is not dry enough, it will become moldy,” explains Kimishima. But if it is too dry, it will dry out and almost disappear, and if it is not dry enough, it will get moldy.

AMBESSA’s essential dried fruit is the date (jujube palm). In fact, it was a date that Mr. Kimishima encountered on a trip to North Africa that inspired him to start importing and selling dried fruits.

Bringing Dried Fruits to Japan

Mr. Kimishima was born in Fukagawa, Tokyo in 1977. When he was in his 20s, he worked part-time and whenever he had enough money saved up, he traveled around the world as a backpacker.

During his travels, he tasted dried dates from Tunisia and was surprised at how delicious they tasted. “At the time, there were no high quality organic dried fruits in Japan,” he said, and seeing the potential for business, he decided to start importing them. At the same time, however, Mr. Kimishima was not interested in dried fruit solely from a business standpoint. At the time, Mr. Kimishima was eating a vegetarian diet, and his interest in dried fruits was growing.

Living in Harmony with Nature in Central America

This was before his encounter with dates. During his trip to Central America, Mr. Kimishima stayed in a Rastafarian commune (a religious movement that emerged in the 1930s in Jamaica, mainly among the working class and peasants), which influenced reggae music and vegetarianism, and the experience of living in harmony with nature there greatly influenced his own philosophy. This experience greatly influenced his philosophy.

I felt that a way of life with nature, as in the Rastafarian commune, could provide hints for gradually solving various problems that society faces. I had a vague idea at the time that I might be able to convey this through products such as dried fruits. I also wanted to acquire the power to live like the people who helped me at the commune,” he said.

On a subsequent trip to Ethiopia, the starting point of the Rasta way of thinking, Mr. Kimishima positioned Ethiopia as the starting point of his own way of life.

Practicing a Self-Sufficient Lifestyle

After returning from his trip, Mr. Kimishima started a new life in Minami-Boso, as Mr. Akuri’s parents lived in Chiba Prefecture. He renovated an 80-year-old traditional Japanese house, generating his own electricity with solar power and practicing natural farming without using any pesticides or fertilizers in the rice paddies and fields. He makes a living and earns his living with his own hands.

He grows rice such as Sally Queen, a variety that goes well with curry and paella. Rye is used to make the bread and Stollen that Mr. Akuri makes. Vegetables and fruit trees for self-sufficiency grow in the field behind the store, and after harvesting, he also picks seeds. She says, “We should increase what we can do for our own survival, rather than entrusting it to someone else through money. If we do this, I think our current society, which is difficult to live in, will become a little more enjoyable and in harmony with the earth.

Bringing the Joy of Living to the Next Generation

Mr. Kimishima also enjoys “fun” to the fullest. He even renovated a warehouse on his property and built a disco.

He says, “We use electricity generated by solar power to make sound, spin a mirror ball, and have dinner while drinking craft beer brewed by a friend of mine from our fruit. I play like that with my friends,” Kimishima says with a laugh. While trying to get people interested in AMBESSA’s efforts through its products, Kimishima hopes to “convert this into something fun and open up opportunities to directly communicate our thoughts and ideas.

In the future, Kimishima’s vision is to promote community-supported agriculture, or CSA, in which producers and consumers in the same community work together to reduce food loss and purchase and support produce. What we are doing is also for the sake of future generations. It’s not a pretty word, but we have to leave a rich natural environment for our children. I would like to work together with others who share this vision.

Living in Minami-Boso, Kimishima’s daily life makes him realize that he is alive today. Through delicious food, Mr. Kimishima and his colleagues provide us with an opportunity to think about what is the fundamental joy and pleasure of being human.

The post Yuya Kimishima of “AMBESSA & CO” puts his passion for the power of life into organic dried fruits / Minami-Boso City, Chiba Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

With a history of approximately 300 years as a traditional sake brewery, the 16th-generation head of the family, Kazuyoshi Iinuma, has rebranded the flagship brand “Kinoene Masamune” to refresh its image.By combining the production of light-bodied sake with the creation of a welcoming space that leverages the traditional architecture and lush greenery of the premises, the brewery has successfully expanded its fan base to include younger generations and families who were previously unfamiliar with Japanese sake. This article delves into the charm of Iinuma Honke.

Iinuma Honke’s sake brewing

Located south of Narita City, which is home to an international airport, Shisui Town is a place with a long history of sake production, with its name said to originate from a legend of wells where sake flows. While sake does not actually flow from the wells as the legend suggests, there is a well on the premises of Iinuma Honke, and the soft underground water from this well is used as brewing water to produce many types of sake with a smooth taste.

Sake production that combines machinery and craftsmanship

“The most important thing in sake brewing is raw material processing,” says Kazuki Iinuma, the 16th generation head of Iinuma Honke. Iinuma Honke is one of the few sake breweries in the prefecture that owns its own rice milling plant, and it uses a method called “flat milling” to efficiently remove proteins that cause off-flavors. Although this milling method takes more time than conventional milling, it produces sake with a clearer flavor.

In the brewing process, the company has actively introduced mechanization. The paddle-stirring process is controlled by computer to automatically mix the mash, and the temperature inside the fermentation tanks can be managed in 0.1-degree increments. By achieving the “fusion of machinery and skill,” the company is able to consistently produce high-quality sake. Additionally, the ice-temperature refrigerators used to store products have become indispensable equipment in the warm climate of Chiba Prefecture.

While incorporating the latest equipment, the brewery remains committed to its philosophy: “We must adapt to the rice of each year, so every year is like starting from scratch. We feel the challenges of sake brewing anew with each batch.” This sincere dedication to sake brewing remains unchanged.

Iinuma Honke’s signature sake

The standard offering from the Iinuma Honke family is “Kōshi Junmai Ginjo Hanayaka Takumi no Kaori,” which won the Platinum Award at the “Kura Master 2025” competition held in France. It is characterized by its fruity aroma, refreshing acidity, and a subtle sweetness that lingers on the palate.

On the other hand, “Koushi Junmai Yawaraka Chi no Megumi,” made from Gohyakumangoku rice grown under contract in the Saji area, is a staple sake from Chiba. Its smooth texture, which highlights the rice’s natural umami, was highly praised, earning it the Grand Gold Award at the “Wine Glass-Friendly Sake Award 2023.”

Additionally, “Koushi Junmai Umakara Maki Hachi-gari,” with a rice polishing ratio of 80%, is a daily favorite among locals. It is slowly fermented at low temperatures to bring out a robust umami flavor. Its crisp acidity pairs well with Japanese cuisine as well as meat dishes, and it is also excellent when served warm.

Highlighting the natural flavor while achieving a light finish.

Among the diverse range of sake he has been producing, Iinuma’s current focus is on “how to make light sake.” “I strongly feel that there is a demand for sake with a light mouthfeel right now. However, this lightness should not be achieved by diluting the sake with water or lowering the alcohol content, but rather by bringing out the sake’s natural characteristics while maintaining its lightness,” Iinuma emphasizes.

For example, by introducing a pasteurizer—a machine that allows post-bottling heat treatment—he has achieved a sake that retains the freshness of unpasteurized sake and the carbonation from fermentation, despite being pasteurized. The aforementioned “Hanayaka” is a sake made using this method.

Additionally, he has developed innovative summer-limited sakes that emphasize lightness. The representative sake is “Junmai Ginjo Nama Sake Kinoene Apple.”By utilizing yeast that produces a high amount of malic acid, commonly found in white wine, the brewery has deliberately emphasized the acidity that is often avoided in the sake industry. When chilled, this sake offers a refreshing aftertaste and a light, crisp finish, making it a popular summer sake among younger sake beginners.

Expanding the base of sake enthusiasts

In recent years, the representative brand of the Iinuma family, “Kōshi Masamune,” has been renamed “Kōshi -Kinoene-” and the bottle design has been refreshed as part of a rebranding effort. The addition of lighter-tasting sake has increased opportunities for women and younger generations to try the product. These efforts to expand the base of “new sake fans and sake brewery fans” have also extended to “creating spaces.”

Creating spaces that utilize historic land

The Iinuma Main House offers a variety of experiences as a tourist attraction. The grounds feature a traditional Japanese house called “Sakei Magariya,” which houses a sake brewery, a shop, and a gallery; a campground where visitors can enjoy sake around a bonfire; a blueberry farm where families can pick berries; and a restaurant called “Kinoene Omoya.”

Omoya is the main house of the Iinuma Honke family, which has been passed down through generations for approximately 300 years. It is designated as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property. After a four-year renovation, it opened as a restaurant in 2022. Here, you can enjoy the marriage of Iinuma Honke’s sake and dishes themed around the 24 solar terms.

Aiming for a more open sake and sake brewery.

In the future, Mr. Iinuma says he wants to “challenge himself to create sake that will be accepted by people overseas.” He has named the entire field surrounding the sake brewery “Kinoenomaki no Mori” (Forest of the Six Elements) and is determined to make it a hub that embodies the Iinuma family’s philosophy of “creating delicious sake and enjoyable places,” aiming to become a sake brewery that is open to the community.

The term “Kōshi” symbolizes the beginning of a 60-year cycle in the Japanese calendar. Iinuma Honke will undoubtedly continue to serve as the starting point for new sake experiences for people from all walks of life.

The post Expanding the fan base through sake brewing and community building: “Iinuma Honke” Ikinari Iinuma / Sakei Town, Chiba Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.