Chiba pear is the best in Japan
Most think of Tottori or Yamanashi when it comes to pears, Chiba prefecture has the highest production, cultivation area and shipping volume in Japan.
This is a fact that even Nakata whose favorite fruit is pears, was not aware of.
Hence the catch phrase, ”Great taste, Chiba pear”.
In Chiba prefecture, there is a long established farm ”Yozaemon”, who have been in the business for more than 200 years. They began making pears about 60 years ago.
In the ”Best Tasting Chiba Pear Contest” in 2010, they won the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Prize (first place).
”Kosui”, ”Hosui”, ”Akizuki”, ”Shinko”, ”Kaori”, ”Oshu” and so on. They make all most all of the varieties.
Developed from determination
”Unlike the other pear orchards, we use a special method that’s different.” says the 8th family head Sokichi Tanaka.
With the conventional method, only experienced people could prune or train the trees, but with the ”H type four main branch” method, even a part-timer can do the work, he told us.
”Our residence is in Ichikawa, and it takes 3 hours round trip to come here and go back. So, in order to make better pear, we shortened the time required to do the tasks. ”
”Ichikawa is famous for pears, isn’t it? Why do it here and not Ichikawa?” ”Pear cultivation originated in Ichikawa more than 200 years ago, so it’s a historical town, but on the other hand, it is close to the city center, and has many residences. The most important thing in agriculture is creating soil, but we can not make compost in Ichikawa. Odor, dust or the sound of machines would be a nuisance to the neighbors. So we ventured here to this location to set up our farm.”
Starting with the predecessor, they spent 20 years improving the soil at Tomisato farm, and they were finally able to make delicious pears.
During our visit to the farm in Tomisato, we picked ”Hosui” pears which Tanaka has picked out for us, and ate without peeling the skin.
”Delicious!”
The more you chew, the juicier it got. The juice overflowed and dripped on the ground.v
They say that Hosui is relatively acidic, but this pear was not too sour, and the fruit was soft and juicy.
Nakata also raved ”This is something I never tasted before.”
To have the trade name ”Yozaemon”
”Since you have an established tradition in your family, was it an easy decision for you to succeed your family business?”
”Actually, I still can’t touch bugs. (laughs) I hated farming, so when I was little, I hardly stepped into a field.” Tanaka said laughing.
He did not want to help out, so he always avoided the farm, he told us.
”Then I had an opportunity to work for a pesticide manufacturer, and there, I went around the farmers to talk to them and started to help them out, which I hadn’t done at all at my own house. I gradually started to think ”I like farming.” Then I looked back on my family business and realized I didn’t know anything about my own family. I hadn’t even looked at the kind of work my father and mother were actually doing.”
Then he thought long and hard and decided he was going to succeed the family business.
After that, he revived the trade name ”Yozaemon” as the name of his farm, started to spread information about it, and poured his heart and soul into establishing the brand ”Yozaemon pear”.
