A town rich in food, enjoying the bounty of the sea and mountains

Located about 4 hours from Sapporo and about 1 hour from Hakodate, Morimachi is in an area rich in nature in southern Hokkaido, bordering Uchiura Bay andKomagatake Mountain on theWatashima Peninsula. The town was originally formed through the merger of two towns, Mori-machi and Sunahara-machi, and has been active in agriculture and fishing since ancient times. In the past, many fishermen from the surrounding areas came to the town to work in search of herring, one of the town’s fisheries resources. Today, oyster and scallop farming is also practiced, and along with the local delicacy “ika-meshi” (squid rice), is one of the town’s representative specialties.

Morimachi is also a treasure trove of delicious agricultural products. The town used to be known as a major producer of watermelons and melons, and has also produced rice, beans, and a variety of other agricultural products. The region is also known for its pumpkins, which are the best in the country, and Miyako Pumpkin (Miyako nankin) has earned the title of Japan’s best pumpkin production area. Miyayoi Farm grows “Kuririn,” a pumpkin with thick flesh as sweet as chestnuts. The farm’s acreage is as large as eight times the size of the Tokyo Dome.

Aiming for pesticide-free and organic cultivation from early on

The pumpkin grower at Miyoi Farm is the second generation, Mr. Seiji Akii. He inherited the farm from his father, who had grown watermelons and melons, when he was 20 years old. That was exactly 45 years ago. At that time, the term “organic farming” did not even exist, but he started growingvegetableswithout pesticides in order to “grow safe and secure vegetables that had never been grown before. That was also a history of battles against pests and diseases.

Using chemical fertilizers, which promote crop growth, makes growing vegetables easier, but it also makes them more susceptible to disease. Therefore, Mr. Akai took the plunge and began growing vegetables without chemical fertilizers. Although organic cultivation is now being used by many people due to growing interest in food, he says, “At the time, I could not find any farming methods that could be used as a reference, so I had no choice but to go forward by hand.

Continuing to focus on soil cultivation that makes the most of the ecosystem

So Mr. Akai flew out to any place where he heard of pesticide-free production. Everywhere he went, he heard the same thing: “Soil preparation” was important. He told me that the only way to produce pesticide-free vegetables was to use cattle manure or chicken manure. However, there was no one who could teach him how to make soil from scratch, and Mr. Akai’s doubts deepened. The town of Mori, where he lives, is rich in nature, even if it is not cultivated. Leaves scattered in the forest fall on the soil, are decomposed by microorganisms, become humus, are stored as nutrients, the trees absorb the nutrients again, and the dissolved minerals flow to the sea. I thought that since there is such a natural cycle in the ecosystem, we should be able to incorporate this cycle into the soil of our fields. Recalling his hometown, Uchiura Bay, also known as Eruption Bay, Mr. Akii thought that minerals were found in the sea, and he came up with the idea of using seaweed and barnacles that adhere to scallop shells when they are cultivated as minerals in the soil of his fields. Through further trial and error, he worked on composting the sea minerals.

Encounter with a new pumpkin “Kuririn

As mentioned earlier, Morimachi, a land of volcanic ash, was a popular area for growing watermelons and melons. However, there was competition from other production areas, and a new crop was needed to stand out from the crowd. The average annual temperature in Morimachi is 7-8℃, and even in February, the coldest month, it is -7℃. The temperature in Moricho is relatively mild, even for Hokkaido, where some places record -15°C in winter, but the temperature difference between day and night is large. The greater the temperature difference between day and night, thesweeter the pumpkins and potatoesbecome, as they quickly convert starch into sugar. Morimachi has always been a good place to grow sweet pumpkins.

Mr. Akii was just as particular about finding the right variety for his fields as he was about cultivating the soil. Miyako pumpkin,” a local specialty, is also a delicious variety, but it requires some ingenuity in cultivation, as the flower stalks change depending on weather conditions. While searching for a pumpkin with added value that could not be found elsewhere, they came across an experimental variety called “Kuririn. It had thick flesh, an appetizing dark yellow color, a hokuhokku taste, and surprising sweetness. Unlike any other variety he had ever seen, Mr. Akai thought, “I want to grow this pumpkin. Since then, in cooperation with a seed company, he has continued to experiment with “Kuririn,” and it now accounts for 100% of the pumpkins produced at his farm.

Ripening Achieves Guinness-Level High Sugar Content

In addition to its vast fields, Miyoshi Plantation also has a ripening and processing plant. In the ripening room, which consists of three plastic greenhouses, the temperature inside the greenhouses is raised up to 50°C to speed up the sugaring process of pumpkins harvested in August and September, creating a cold temperature difference.

The method of storing “overwintering cabbage” and “overwintering potatoes” in Hokkaido is well known as a unique storage method that utilizes the effect of low temperatures to increase the sugar content of the vegetables themselves to protect themselves from freezing. However, since the pumpkins at Miyoshi Farm are not subject to natural temperature differences during the harvest season, the farm has developed a method of ripening pumpkins by creating artificial temperature differences.

Of course, if the starch content of the pumpkin is not high, it will not be sweet, no matter how much it is ripened, so it is up to the growers to produce pumpkins with a high starch content.

Even if the minimum nighttime temperature is 25°C, we can increase the temperature difference by storing the pumpkins in a 50°C ripening room,” says Akii. Two weeks of storage in the ripening room quickly converts starch into sugar and removes moisture, further condensing the sweetness of the kuririn. At the processing plant, pumpkin paste is made after harvest.

According to Mr. Akai, “Kuririn” is not only sweet, but also free of acetic acid, or nitric acid, which causes an astringent taste. Therefore, the sweetness of the pumpkin itself can be enjoyed without the need for flavoring such as cinnamon, which is commonly used in pumpkin sweets. It is understandable why famous confectionery stores across the country all use “Kuririn” from Miyoshi Plantation.

Connecting Pesticide-Free and Organic Cultivation to New Leaders

Food” and “energy” are essential for human life, says Mr. Akii. He also says that abnormal weather conditions such as global droughts are no longer limited to agriculture. In Japan, which relies on imports for most of its food and has a low self-sufficiency rate, even corn, which is used to feed livestock, is currently obtained from overseas. The raw materials for chemical fertilizers also come from overseas,” he said. If this situation continues, it will not just be a matter of raising prices; we will run out of supplies and ‘food’ to eat,” he says, expressing a sense of crisis.

In this sense, Mr. Akai believes that Hokkaido, his hometown, has an important role to play. He is thankful for the natural life that exists in Hokkaido and will continue to struggle to maintain this environment. He also believes that his role is to pass on to future generations sustainable, recycling-oriented farming techniques, such as microbe-assisted soil cultivation, while preserving the natural cycle of nature.

In fact, farmers from all walks of life flock to Mr. Akai for advice. Many of them are thinking about the future of not only pumpkins but also lettuce and asparagus, and many of them are of the younger generation. Young people with no farming experience are especially enthusiastic about research. For example, Hiroki Hasegawa, who runs a pesticide-free, organic asparagus farm in Hiyama County, is a representative of Jet Farm, a farm specializing in asparagus. He has an upright attitude toward learning and a flexible way of thinking, so he quickly absorbs what I teach him. The result is evident in the asparagus he produces. Very tasty asparagus.”

Delivering farm products to the whole country that anyone can eat with peace of mind

The days of simply continuing to grow specialty crops are coming to an end.

The time is coming to an end when it is no longer enough to just continue to grow specialty crops, but to ensure “food safety and security” through organic cultivation and “quality” that is sweeter and tastier than any other variety. Mr. Akai realized the importance of these two points at an early stage, and it can be said that he was truly a man of great foresight.

After more than 30 years of struggling since we started pesticide-free cultivation, we have finally reached the ideal quality of pumpkin,” he says. Once a year, we have Kuririn analyzed by a specialized institution, and our pumpkins have almost no nitrate ions left in them, and their antioxidant power is outstandingly high,” he said.

Nitrate ions exist everywhere in nature and are essential for the growth of vegetables, but when taken into the human body, they change into sulfurous acid, which can cause poisoning symptoms, and it is recommended that infants and the elderly in particular avoid excessive intake. Antioxidant power, as you know, is the ability to inhibit and remove the effects of active oxygen, which can cause fatigue and aging. The data supports that “Kuririn” is not only delicious but also good for the human body.

Consumers’ demands for food safety and security continue to grow,” says Akai.

Organic agriculture that takes into consideration the environment and health will be one of the pillars supporting the future of food in Japan. Mr. Akei, who generously shares his techniques with younger farmers in the hope of providing many people with farm products that not only he but also their loved ones can eat with peace of mind, makes me feel as if I could see a bright future for agriculture in Japan.

The post Kuririn,” Japan’s sweetest organic pumpkin from Miyoshi-no-en, born from the soil and ripening of hometown blessings/Hokkaido Mori-machi first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Hokkaido raw milk meets Italian cheese

Fattoria Bio is a farm in southern Italy with an old history in cheese production. The artisan who was making cheese there had the goal of making “the best cheese” and was looking for the right milk to go with it. He came across high-quality milk produced by dairy cows raised in the rich land of Hokkaido. Fattoria Bio Hokkaido was formed when people from different countries joined forces in pursuit of the common goal of such delicious taste. Here, they are using raw milk produced in Hokkaido to make the best cheese possible. The cheese selection includes fresh ricotta cheese, caciocavallo, and mozzarella cheese, all of which are rare in Japan. At the factory, Nakata is very interested in the process of making cheese by hand. He even got to try scooping ricotta cheese. Nakata was impressed by the “freshness” of the cheese, which he said he could not taste even in Italy. The fresh taste of the ingredients is clearly something that cannot be produced in mass production. The shelf life is only about a week.

The artisan who makes the best cheese

The best cheese is handmade by cheese master Giovanni Graziano using traditional Italian methods. Originally from Calabria in southwestern Italy, he learned the secrets of cheese making handed down in his family from generation to generation while helping his father, a cheese maker, from the age of 5. 20 years old, he worked as a core member of the cheese making team at Fattoria Bio, a farm in southern Italy with a long history and tradition. Since coming to Japan, he has been making cheese every day with the desire to “import the best Italian cheese and its production methods to Japan and spread the culture of Italian fresh cheese in the Japanese archipelago.

Elegant cheese made by Italian technology

Fresh Italian cheese is very popular in restaurants, since frozen cheese loses its juicy flavor. Ricotta cheese is especially popular with chefs and is used in appetizers and salads. Nakata also exclaims, “It would surely be interesting to use sakekasu to make a cheese that goes well with sake. The sticky burrata, made by wrapping torn mozzarella and cream in mozzarella base, has “an elegant taste. Nakata said, “It has an elegant flavor, and the amount of salt gives it a different look. Many people buy caciocavallo, which is also delicious baked, for home use. The combination of high-quality Japanese raw milk and traditional Italian techniques produces a cheese that, once tasted, is unforgettable.

The post Elegant cheese made by Italy and Hokkaido joining forces Fattoria Bio Hokkaido/Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Maruhira Kawamura Suisan, located in Hakodate, Hokkaido, with the Tsugaru Straits stretching out before its eyes, is a seafood company that
handles everything from the careful selection of fresh fish to processing, allowances, and transportation.
With its professional eye for quality, the quality of its condition-based fish processing, and the speedy and flexible delivery using both air and bullet trains,
it has earned the complete trust of top chefs across the country.

Hakodate has an exotic cityscape, a beautiful night view of Mt. Hakodate, and an abundance of fishing grounds where warm and cold currents intersect. Top chefs from all over Japan rely on Maruhira Kawamura Suisan for the best selection of fish that Hakodate has to offer. In response to customer demand, the company’s second generation owner, Junya Kawamura, has also begun shipping fish by Shinkansen bullet train. What is Mr. Kawamura’s secret desire to deliver high quality, fresh fish from Hakodate to every corner of Japan?

From squid grown in the rapids to hairy crabs and yellowtail

Located at the southern tip of Hokkaido, Hakodate is a port town blessed by the Tsugaru Straits, the Pacific Ocean, and Eruption Bay (Uchiura Bay). It is known for its history as a port of call for the Kitamae Ship in the old days, and as a trading port that opened its doors after Perry’s arrival. The Tsugaru Straits, with the Tsushima Current (warm current) and the Oyashio Current (cold current) flowing into and colliding with each other, form a complicated coastline reminiscent of the shape of Tomoe. This is why Hakodate attracts a wide variety of fish species from season to season.

One of Hakodate’s specialties is surume-ika (Japanese common squid), known as “mai-ika” in Hokkaido. The Tsushima Current from Kyushu, the Black Current from the Pacific Ocean, and the Kurushima Current from the north collide in the Tsugaru Strait, creating a torrent of water. It is said to be one of the roughest waves on earth. Squid are fed on the high quality plankton nurtured in the rapids, and are rubbed by the currents. Squid that has been rubbed by the torrent is very sweet, has a great texture, and is delicious.”

Junya Kawamura of Maruhira Kawamura Suisan gave us a rundown of the delicious squid, a local Hakodate specialty. Kawamura is the second generation owner of Maruhira Kawamura Suisan, a fresh fish store that has been in business for over 50 years, located right next to the Hakodate Municipal Marine Products Local Wholesale Market. The store, which started as a fish shop in the town, now delivers fresh seafood from Hakodate to restaurants and other food service establishments nationwide, mainly through wholesale sales.

Because of its location in the relatively southern part of Hokkaido, Hakodate offers a wide variety of fish, from those that live in cold waters to those from warmer areas, Kawamura says.

We can catch all kinds of fish,” he says, “including crustaceans and shellfish such ashairy crabs,button lobsters, and abalone. Herring, which used to be caught only in cold regions, are also being caught. Since the beginning of autumn about 18 years ago, when news of rising sea temperatures began to spread, yellowtail and other fish have been chasing the squid,” says Kawamura.

He says that many chefs, from kappo restaurants to French restaurants in Kyoto, have been inquiring about the yellowtail caught in Hokkaido during the autumn season, not cold yellowtail.

The yellowtail is not the rich, full-bodied fatty yellowtail of cold yellowtail, but rather a lighter yellowtail with a lingering umami flavor,” says Kawamura. Once they have used it once, they ask for it again. However, there are individual differences among the yellowtail, so we look at them with our own eyes to determine what they are.

Yellowtail just caught in Hakodate are in a state before rigor mortis. When the yellowtail is allowed to rest for a little while after rigor mortis, its body secretes flavorful ingredients. This is a flavor that cannot be tasted when the fish is fresh. The time when this flavor can be best felt and the balance of the crunchiness vary from fish to fish. Kawamura Suisan arranges the transportation time in anticipation of the best time for the fish.

For example, if the fish is auctioned off at the Hakodate market and transported to the Toyosu market, where the chefs buy it from the brokers, it would take a long time. That’s why we transport morning fish by Shinkansen bullet train directly to chefs in the Tokyo metropolitan area and other areas on the same day.

Using the Shinkansen in conjunction with air transportation, fish caught in Hakodate in the morning can be enjoyed for dinner at restaurants in Tokyo. It is sure to be the happiest meal ever for restaurant visitors.

Fishmonger to French Embassy as “Connoisseur

Mr. Kawamura’s freshly selected “Hakodate seafood” is highly acclaimed by food professionals, and he is trusted by them. He often receives requests directly from chefs at three-star restaurants and other famous restaurants.

Many of our customers are from the Japanese and French cuisines, but we serve a wide range of genres,” he says. We also receive orders from Italian and Chinese chefs. For hotels, we take orders based on a month’s menu, and sometimes we call customers when we have good fish. Sometimes we will send the fish after it has been cut, and other times we will deliver the fish as is so that the young chefs can practice their skills. We tailor the delivery to the customer’s needs.”

Kawamura Suisan delivers fish to some of Japan’s leading chefs, but the company was originally a “fish shop in town” that sold fish for household consumption.

He says, “My family ran a traditional fish shop with a small frontage. As time went by, we were pushed out by supermarkets selling reasonably priced fish…” He actively traveled to culinary fairs in search of customers who demanded better quality. Gradually, he succeeded in gaining the trust of chefs at restaurants.

Kawamura Suisan then had a major encounter that would change the future of the company. He was invited by the French Embassy and had the opportunity to meet chefs whose names are known throughout the world.

This encounter led to an increase in media attention as a connoisseur. This encounter led to Mr. Kawamura’s reputation as a connoisseur, which in turn led to his meeting with a number of famous restaurants.

Seafood praised by chefs who demand the finest ingredients

Through Mr. Kawamura’s “selective eye for fish,” the potential of the fish from the port city of Hakodate has become known throughout Japan. Inquiries from restaurants in Tokyo have increased dramatically,” says Kawamura. The number of inquiries from restaurants in Tokyo has increased dramatically,” says Mr. Kawamura, “including two-star restaurants in Ginza and famous hotels. We also receive orders from other areas and genres, such as a two-star French restaurant in Osaka and an Italian restaurant in Hokkaido.

Chefs at famous restaurants are naturally very busy. Mr. Kawamura says that he makes it a point to make suggestions about menus and other items ahead of time so as not to overburden his busy clientele. He is constantly honing his skills in order to offer even better suggestions than what his customers are looking for.

I am not a professional chef, but I have honed my skills in selecting the best ingredients and processing methods to make the fish I catch delicious,” he says. So, I always have an image of the customer in mind when I talk to them in advance about how to serve the fish, what the ingredients are, and how to process them. For example, for flash-frozen fish, it is best to defrost it in the refrigerator at ice temperature. Not everyone knows about this, so we try to inform them. Everyone is a professional who uses a variety of products from all over the world and understands their value, so we put a lot of effort into it,” says Kawamura.

Kawamura says that many chefs were initially reluctant to try the aforementioned “autumn yellowtail.

At first, they all said, ‘Oh, no,’ but I recommended that they use it, thinking they had been tricked. (Laughs.) Then, everyone liked it. I feel grateful for Hakodate’s geographical advantage.

He also rests his fish in an aquarium before sending them to his customers in order to keep them in the best condition. The water temperature is about 14 degrees Celsius at the moment, and about 9 degrees Celsius at the bottom,” he said. The water temperature in tanks at the market is often high, so once the fish are auctioned off, we bring them back to the same temperature as in the ocean and let them rest here. In the winter, we lower the water temperature and increase the amount of oxygen so as not to stress the fish.

Passing on the philosophy of sustainable seafood to future generations

Mr. Kawamura says that he has come to understand the importance of understanding what the “real thing” is when he started working with chefs at many famous restaurants. He says that he has realized anew how wonderful the seafood he has cherished is.

He says, “Chefs at proper restaurants really examine the ingredients and use them carefully. Unfortunately, in the general distribution world, the price is the first thing that comes to mind, and I feel that many people don’t realize the value and quality of such wonderful seafood. Of course, this is partly due to a lack of awareness on our part.”

He suggests that the philosophy of “sustainable seafood” should be shared by all Japanese people in order to convey the benefits of fish to the future and to ensure that we can continue to eat seafood for a long time to come.

My idea of sustainable seafood is that everyone should be aware of the problem. I think we need to rethink how we should add value to fish because there are fewer and fewer fish in the world. Instead of selling everything in large quantities at mass merchandisers, we need to buy fish in a valuable form, using proper fishing methods, and pass it on to people who understand its value.

We want to systematize the concept of sustainable seafood and work with NPOs and other organizations that share this philosophy,

He would like to systematize the concept of sustainable seafood and work with NPOs that share the same philosophy to pass on the culture and culture of the future to the children of the future.

It is my dream to play a part in bringing more people together who know and understand the value of real fish.

I want to convey the value of authenticity through fish in my own territory,” he says. As a connoisseur, Mr. Kawamura heads to the market again this morning in order to connect the future of fish.

Based on the trust and track record we have built up over the years, we are repeatedly requested by top chefs each season. We have exceeded the expectations of a wide variety of people, from kaiseki restaurants and restaurants to overseas buyers involved in the food business. We invite you to experience for yourself the top quality of our products, which have been trained by the world’s top chefs!

The post Delivering Deliciousness from Hakodate to the Nation. Maruhira Kawamura Suisan continues to be dedicated to this goal/Hakodate, Hokkaido first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Ishikawa Farm has an 80-year history of rice cultivation in Akaigawa Village, which has a population of less than 1,200 and is mainly engaged in agriculture and tourism. There is a third generation of rice farmers who love both growing and eating rice. We visited Mr. Hayato Ishikawa, who struggles with the beauty and harshness of nature.

A Beautiful Village Blessed with Nature Interwoven with Mountains

Akaigawa Village is located in the southwestern part of Hokkaido, about 40 km southwest of Otaru City, and has been attracting attention as a tourist spot in recent years as an area within a 30-40 minute drive from Otaru. It is known as a basin with a caldera-like topography with mountains surrounding the village from east to west, north to south, and south to north. It has an inland climate unique to basins with large temperature differences between day and night, summer and winter, and is also one of the areas with the heaviest snowfall. The village boasts abundant tourist resources that attract many visitors , such as the spectacular view of “Cloud Lake,” where fog flows into the basin and accumulates on clear autumn mornings, and “Kiroro Resort,” a ski slope blessed with powder snow.

The village also grows many agricultural products. The village grows a wide variety of products, including rice, pumpkins, broccoli, mini-tomatoes, melons, and watermelons, all of which are popular for their sweetness due to the difference in temperature between day and night.

Mr. Ishikawa’s delicious rice, which he produces in a straight line for rice

Ishikawa Farm is located in the Kyokugawa district of the scenic village of Akaigawa, where he grows paddy rice. Mr. Hayato Ishikawa, the third generation of rice farmers who started rice farming in 2004, loves rice.

He says, “Going to the rice fields on a sunny day and observing the different faces of the rice each day, and then eating the delicious rice after polishing are both essential to my work. Both are essential for me, and rice is my ‘hobby.

I eat three cups of rice at one meal,” he adds happily.

After graduating from junior high school, Ishikawa stayed in Otaru for high school and then worked as an office worker in Sapporo. Even though he was away from his hometown, the rice paddies started by the first generation of farmers who moved to the village from Shikoku were always somewhere in his mind. Even though I was working at other jobs, I always wanted to return to my hometown someday to grow rice,” he said.

The typhoon made him decide to return to his hometown with his wife, which he says was a very natural decision.

Clear water, temperature difference, soil, and sun determine the taste.

Ishikawa Farm produces three varieties of rice : Yumepirika, Nanatsuboshi, and Yukisayaka, which are representative of Hokkaido’s brand-name rice.

All of these varieties are the pride of Hokkaido. Yumepirika” in particular is a rice with characteristics similar to glutinous rice. It has a soft, glutinous texture and a sweet, rich flavor with a hint of a special aroma,” says Ishikawa.

Mr. Ishikawa’s rice grows well in the favorable conditions provided by the melted snow nurtured by the mountains including Mt.

Mr. Ishikawa’s rice grows well and quickly. “Because the village of Red River is surrounded by mountains, even if a cloud rolls in, it will be blown away by the mountains. This is why the sun shines down on the rice, especially in the summer. The rice exposed to the sun performs photosynthesis and stores a lot of starch. Furthermore, because of the temperature difference between day and night, the rice’s metabolism is suppressed at night, and the starch is packed tightly into each grain of rice. This makes the rice firm, sticky, and sweet.

Another advantage of Mr. Ishikawa’s rice paddies is that they are surrounded by mountains and are not exposed to strong winds. The rice is less likely to be buffeted by strong winds, so there is no extra stress on the rice.

The rice absorbs the minerals of the mountains from the clear water, resulting in large, glossy, delicious rice.

Ishikawa’s “Yumepirika” rice has often won prizes in the annual “Rice-1” Grand Prix held in the town of Rankoshi, Isoya County, with the aim of promoting delicious rice throughout Japan, and finally won the runner-up prize in 2021.

Mr. Ishikawa named his rice “Shemeshi,” which is printed prominently on the rice bag.

Shemesh” means the sun (morning sun) in Hebrew. He told us with a smile that he named the rice “Shemesh” because the presence of the sun (morning sun) is important to the rice he grows, and because it was a nice word.

Attention to water content makes the rice a favorite of chefs.

The temperature difference between day and night, the clear mineral-rich stream, and the high-quality soil… Akaigawa Village has all the favorable conditions for growing rice.

Mr. Ishikawa emphasizes that he wants people to eat rice with the optimum amount of moisture depending on when and under what circumstances they eat the rice.

The taste of rice is greatly affected by the amount of moisture contained in the grains. The ideal moisture content is 15-14%, but the moisture content varies depending on the weather and time of harvest.

Ishikawa says that in order to dry the rice evenly, he uses a large far-infrared dryer. He also says that the rice is not dried all at once, but is dried slowly over a long period of time because of his commitment to the taste of the rice.

We use a two-stage drying method. The first drying is stopped when the moisture content is 16.5%, and the rice is left to dry for about three days. When the rice is sealed, the water content of the chaff goes back and forth. When the rice is sealed, the water content of the chaff goes back and forth, with the higher water content giving way to the lower water content in an attempt to equalize.

Mr. Ishikawa has also succeeded in maintaining the quality of the rice by introducing a machine to sort out black rice, which has a slightly inferior taste, known as spotted rice. Every year, he repeats a trial-and-error process to find the best farming method for Hokkaido’s changing climate.

He has come to believe that the most important thing is to keep the roots firmly planted. If rice with healthy roots grows, it will produce large grains of rice. To achieve this, rice straw harvested in the fall is plowed in while the temperature is still high and mixed with the soil in the field. Then, “rice straw corrosion accelerator” is sprinkled to firmly promote fermentation and decomposition of the soil so that there will be no un-decomposed rice straw left in the soil when the temperature rises the next year. If this process is inadequate, gas will be generated from the soil when the temperature rises. When gas is produced, the roots of the rice plants are killed and subsequent growth is poor.

Ishikawa stresses that soil preparation after rice harvest is essential to create good roots for the next year.

Once the rice plants start to grow, I think I look only at the roots rather than the rice itself (laughs).

Mr. Ishikawa enjoys eating rice not only as a producer but also as a consumer. Many chefs fall in love with his rice. Tomonori Oikawa of Nihonbashi OIKAWA is one of them.

Tomo⾂ Oikawa of Naimonbashi OIKAWA is one of them. “I think ‘This rice must be delicious’ from the moment I open the lid of the pot,” he says. It’s just so sweet. Sweetness is umami. The sweetness is the flavor, the simplicity of the taste,” says Oikawa.

The customers who come to the restaurant are delighted by the taste of the soy sauce itself, he says.

Good food is simple. If you use bad food, you have to add all kinds of things.

Conveying the Appeal of Agriculture to the Next Generation of Farmers

Mr. Ishikawa says he feels a sense of crisis in the fact that the bearers of agriculture are aging and young people are not attracted to the industry. The seven rice farmers in the area have joined together to form the “Red-Igawa Village Seiryukai” because they want to protect the rice paddies and rice in the Akaigawa area.

I love the village of Akaigawa. Even though we use different farming methods and sell our rice to different customers, we are all colleagues who use the same irrigation water to grow rice. I struggle every day to find ways to protect the delicious rice here,” he says.

He continues to work energetically, going to schools for on-site classes and working on online classes.

Eating healthy rice makes everyone feel better,” he says. I want to promote the appeal of rice to the younger generation. We are also putting a lot of effort into developing various events to stop the decline in farming.

In a closet, Mr. Ishikawa found a poem he wrote in the fourth grade of elementary school titled “Rice.

It’s beautiful.

It’s beautiful.

The rice shines in a golden brown.

The rice flutters softly.

Fluttering gently like ocean waves.

Delicious.

The rice is shiny and glossy.

The rice is very tasty.

It tastes as good as a small bird’s egg.

He says he wrote this poem when he was a child because he was so impressed by the taste of rice. I want to increase the number of children and the younger generation like me. With this thought in mind, Mr. Ishikawa will continue to take on the challenge of growing rice.

The post Ishikawa Farm’s “Shemeshi” bathed in the morning sun of Akaigawa. Sweet and tasty rice to cheer everyone up/ Akaigawa Village, Hokkaido first appeared on NIHONMONO.

This rare Zaida rice is grown in the land nurtured by the mountains, the sea, and the beautiful nature known as “Toyako Blue. This brand of rice won the Grand Prix at the “Rice-1” competition held by the town of Rankoshi in Hokkaido to determine the best taste of rice in Japan, and was also awarded the title of best rice in Japan. The rice is a popular product with its chewy and sweet taste. We visited Mr. Tetsuzo Sasaki, the 5th generation owner of “Miyauchi Noen,” the producer of Zaida Rice.

Rice grown in a mild climate, clear water, and rich soil

Toyako Town is located in the southwestern part of Hokkaido, surrounded by lakes, Mount Usu (Usuzan), and Uchiura Bay (Eruption Bay). The town is known for its relatively mild climate, even in the cold climate of Hokkaido, and has a thriving agriculture and livestock industry that produces root vegetables, leafy greens, fruits, and other crops. Lake Toya, with its beautiful blue surface, is one of the town’s most famous scenic spots. Lake Toya was created by a massive eruption about 110,000 years ago and is known as the third largest caldera lake in Japan.

In addition to its magnificent nature, the town is conveniently located only 2 hours from Sapporo by car and 1 hour and 30 minutes from New Chitose Airport, attracting as many as 2.5 million visitors throughout the year.

Toyako Town produces a wide variety of agricultural products, but only a limited amount of rice is grown in the town. It is called “Takarada-mai” rice, produced in the Takarada area, which was pioneered by settlers from Saida Village in Mino County, Kagawa Prefecture .

The area planted with Takarada rice, including Takarada and the surrounding Kawahigashi area, is small at about 42 hectares (about nine times the size of the Tokyo Dome), and the yield is limited. Because of its scarcity, it is sometimes referred to as “maboroshi no omai.

In Asahikawa, one farmer grows 50 hectares of rice. In Asahikawa, one farmer produces 50 hectares of rice, which is one of the lowest yields in Hokkaido. However, we are confident in the quality of our rice,” says Tetsuzo Sasaki of Miyauchi Farm, a 130-year-old rice farmer in the Zaida area.

This is a fan-shaped area where fine sediment has accumulated as a result of the constant flow of water from the mountains to the northeast. It drains well and gets good sunlight. In addition, nature adjusts the necessary nutrients just right, so we have all the conditions necessary to produce delicious rice.
The water that flows from the mountains slowly flows to the gently sloping plains, and when the large-grained sediment stays in place, it forms a well-drained fan-shaped area. The fertile alluvial soil lies 30 meters below the ground in Zaida, which was originally a riverbed. This soil is the source of the rice’s delicious taste, and the mild climate surrounded by mountains and the clear Sobetsu River…the blessings of nature are poured into the rice in a calculated manner.

The rice won the top prize at the “Rice-1 Grand Prix” in Japan.

The Takarada area meets the three requirements for rice cultivation: soil, water, and climate. However, according to Mr. Sasaki, one of the advantages of the area is its “good drainage,” which makes water management difficult. The sandy soil and the fact that the rocks are underneath make water drainage easier,” he said. If you put water in, it will all run out in two days. So you have to keep running water all the time.

If the water is always cold, the rice will not grow. Instead of drawing water directly from the river like most rice paddies, we create a time lag by passing water from one paddy field to another, warming it up, and then passing it back down to the fields below, which is a method unique to Zaida,” said Sasaki. From a distance, the rice fields look like terraced rice paddies.

In addition, “good drainage,” which is highly beneficial to the taste of the rice, also contributes to the difficulty of creating the rice paddies themselves.

The water level in each rice paddy is completely different, depending on the location. Some rice fields hold water well, while others lose a lot of water. We have to change the amount of fertilizer according to the amount of water in order to grow good rice.

The soil created by nature does not always follow the theory. Mr. Sasaki says that after adjusting the fertilizer mixture and pulling out the weeds that grow day by day, he is finally able to produce rice paddies that he is satisfied with. It is often said that the weather is 20% of your skill and 80% of your work,” he says. There is no way to compete with the weather.

In order to produce rare and valuable rice, Mr. Sasaki works hard every day to find the best solution for the topography, soil, and climate of his rice paddies. The taste of Mr. Sasaki’s rice, which is made with such passion, has been well received, winning the Grand Prix at the 8th “Rice-1 Grand Prix” in 2018 (Heisei 30), as well as the Excellent Gold Award at the 13th “You Choose the Best Rice in Japan” in 2019 (Heisei 31), sponsored by Shonai-cho, Yamagata Prefecture, known as one of the best rice producers in the country. The “Zaida Rice” has achieved increased visibility by winning the Gold Award for Excellence in the “Your Choice Japan’s Most Delicious Rice Contest.

Hokkaido rice was changed! Yumepirika, Nanatsuboshi, and Hukkunko

Mr. Sasaki emphasizes the significance of the nationwide recognition of Hokkaido rice as “delicious. This is because Hokkaido rice has long enjoyed the dishonorable status of “yakkaido-rice,” he says. It has been said that the rice produced in Hokkaido is not tasty,” he says. There were not enough varieties of rice to go around.

Hokkaido, known as a treasure trove of foodstuffs, is one of the largest producers of marine, agricultural, and livestock products, and has a vast, wide-open land. The weather conditions vary from region to region, not to mention the severe cold. It took a long time to produce good quality rice of consistent and uniform quality.

I think it is fair to say that the history of rice in Hokkaido lies in the improvement of rice varieties. The people at the Agricultural Experiment Station took the time to take Hokkaido’s climate into account and find rice that could withstand low water temperatures in the spring and grow even at low temperatures in the summer. They have worked hard over time to create a rice variety that is also very tasty. I feel that this has made it possible for us to produce delicious rice in Hokkaido.

As Mr. Sasaki says, the Kamikawa Agricultural Experiment Station in Hokkaido patiently continued to analyze components such as starchy amylose and protein, which are related to the balance between stickiness and hardness of rice, and developed “Kirara 397,” which was a turning point in changing the image of rice in Hokkaido. I think things changed after ‘Kirara 397’ came out. And then, “Nanatsuboshi,” followed by “Fukkunko,” a variety from the southern part of Hokkaido that is not widely distributed, and “Yumepirika,” which became famous through commercials, probably changed the image of rice in Hokkaido. This may not be a good sign for the earth, but I feel that it also has something to do with the fact that global warming has made it easier to grow rice in Hokkaido.

In the Zaita area, many farmers grow Yumepirika, Nanatsuboshi, and Hukkunko varieties in equal proportions. Mr. Sasaki finds Yumepirika to be the most delicious.

I am confident that all of the Zaida rice varieties are delicious, but it is the “Yumepirika” variety that is outstandingly chewy and has low amylose, a starch molecule. It is light in color, beautiful to look at, and tastes good even when cold. It is also popular when made into onigiri (rice balls).

Hukkurinko, a variety grown only in the Hakodate area of southern Hokkaido, is also sweet, sticky, and has large grains, and Mr. Sasaki says he would like to try this variety in the future to increase yields.

My father, who is now 86 years old, says that rice cultivation is a one-year job; he has been doing it for 80 years, but there has never been a year when the same method works,” says Sasaki.

Every day is a learning experience, and even though it has been 10 years, no two years are ever the same. There are many times when I harvest the rice thinking it will be good this year, but it turns out to be different. That’s what makes it interesting, and I think that’s what you learn firsthand by facing the rice paddies every day.”

It’s not just rice. Corn “Megumi Gold” is highly praised by famous restaurants.

In addition to rice, Miyauchi Farm also produces corn. The variety is “Megumi Gold,” which is the main variety grown around Lake Toya. The bright yellow kernel skin does not wrinkle easily when boiled and looks beautiful.

Miyauchi Farm’s corn has a reputation for being of particularly high quality, and is served at various famous restaurants in the Kansai region, including The Windsor Hotel Toya, known as the venue for the 2008 G8 Toyako Summit, Kyoto Arashiyama Kitcho, a first-class ryotei restaurant, and Michelin-starred restaurants.

Corn’s sugar content increases due to the difference in temperature. In summer, the temperature rises to about 30°C during the day, but it drops dramatically to 15°C at night. That’s how the sugar content increases. I feel that this may be true for rice as well. I think that once the rice is cooled after harvest, the sugar content rises and the taste is enhanced, making the rice tastier.

More than 130 years of pioneering history from Kagawa to Lake Toya

Mr. Sasaki is the fifth generation of Miyauchi Farm, which has a long history. Mr. Sasaki’s ancestors, the first generation, emigrated from the former Marugame domain in Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku, in 1887, and began cultivating land in the form of the Toya Settlement, he says. This year marks 137 years since we first settled here. We are now the only settlers who have been involved in farming since that time,” he says.

It has been 10 years since Mr. Sasaki took over as the fifth generation farmer, and he used to work as an office worker. The life as a salaried worker was comfortable, and he continues in a calm tone of voice, “I thought I would be able to stay here until retirement.

But as I got older, I started to see what was coming next. I wanted to be more excited. Farming is an unknown world, and I felt something exciting in my heart. In fact, this is my wife’s family, and we were also looking for an heir. I felt that it would be a shame to let it go out of business after this generation, so I thought I would give it another try.

However, his wife, who grew up on a farm, told him not to do it because it was impossible,” he recalls. She knew from watching her family since she was a child that farming was tough and difficult. Now, however, she is grateful for her husband’s choice.

I was really happy when customers who bought our rice said it tasted good,” she says.

Mr. Sasaki agrees. I am also really encouraged by what our customers say.

Passing on the appeal of the Zaida brand to the next generation

Mr. Sasaki, who works hard to grow delicious rice while facing the land, climate, and nature of Zaida, is concerned that the Japanese people have stopped eating rice.

If imports from overseas are stopped, I feel that Japan will run out of food. Think about it, rice can be grown in the same place the next year. Unlike wheat, you don’t have to change the location. I think this is because it is a crop suited to Japan. I want to produce more and more delicious rice so that we don’t have to depend on imported foods. I want everyone to eat more rice. We want to preserve Zaida rice for future generations.

The 14 farmers have started to work together to promote the wonderfulness of Zaida rice both in Hokkaido and abroad through the establishment of the “Zaida Rice Brand Council.

For example, we make stickers and pamphlets and actively participate in events. We hope that young people who see or hear about these efforts will become interested in solder rice. And if possible, we would be more than happy if they would want to become rice farmers.

In order to increase the number of new farmers, there are many issues that need to be resolved, such as initial costs. Mr. Sasaki speaks strongly about his desire to share his wisdom on issues related to farming and do his utmost to ensure that the landscape and solida landscapes that nurture the rice in Zaida will be preserved for a long time to come. He will continue to focus his efforts on passing on the “treasure” of Zaida to the future of Japan, which was inherited from his ancestors who came all the way from Kagawa.

The post Miyauchi Farm” which continues to preserve Zaida rice, a treasure of the earth slowly grown in a fan-shaped area / Toyako Town, Hokkaido, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.

The taste is like nothing I’ve ever tasted anywhere else,” said Yoshihiro Hattori, president of LaLaLaFarm. Yoshihiro Hattori, president of LaLaLaFarm, was attracted by the nature of Niseko, which he learned about through his hobby of outdoor activities, and ventured into farming on his own, something he had never done before. After struggling with hardships, he came across “fermentation” and the philosophy behind vegetable farming.

Vegetables are sweeter in Niseko because of the large difference in temperature.

From summer activities to winter sports in winter, Niseko Town in Hokkaido has many tourism resources. As a resort town, Niseko has been attracting people from all over Japan and abroad. Yotei National Park to the east, Niseko Annupuri National Park to the north, and Mount Kombu to the southwest, Niseko is a hilly basin with a mild and comfortable climate from spring to summer, but in winter, snowfall can reach 2 meters due to the monsoon.

In winter, snowfall can reach 2 meters due to the monsoon. The town is fed by numerous clear streams, including the Shiribetsu River, which crosses the town from east to west. Niseko’s diverse climate and rich natural environment have also led to a thriving agricultural industry.

The difference in temperature between day and night, which is unique to the basin climate, brings sweetness to the vegetables. Mr. Hattori, head of LaLaLa Farm, grows extremely sweet tomatoes that take advantage of this climate under organic cultivation (natural cycle cultivation ). In addition to tomatoes, he also grows carrots, potatoes, onions, soybeans, and many other crops.

Producing the one and only “high-sugar” large tomatoes

LaLaLa Farm produces eight varieties of tomatoes, including large, original Aloito tomatoes, medium-sized tomatoes, and even miniature varieties. The tomato juice blended with the large tomatoes and other varieties is a gem loved by many for its “just sweetness. The juice is made from fruit tomatoes with a sugar content of 8 to 11 degrees. The sugar content of ordinary tomatoes is 3 to 4 degrees, so it is three times sweeter,” says Hattori.

One known method of producing sweet tomatoes is to reduce water and otherwise stress the tomatoes with water to reduce the inflow of water into the fruit. One such method is to add salt to the soil to make it difficult to absorb water due to osmotic pressure. However, the higher the sugar content, the smaller the fruit itself. This is why most “sweet” fruit tomatoes are medium-sized or miniature varieties.

That is why Representative Hattori insists on “large and sweet” tomatoes. It is a given that miniature tomatoes are sweeter and tastier. I wanted to produce tomatoes that only I could make.”

So he decided to take on the challenge of producing “sweet” tomatoes while keeping the fruit large and without losing any moisture. The key to this was the microorganisms in the soil. I realized that I could increase the number of microorganisms in the soil that were compatible with tomatoes.

When growing tomatoes, it is common practice to replace soil that has been grown once. This means that the microorganisms that had been living in the soil with the tomatoes are all gone. However, the same types of microorganisms are essentially circulating through the soil, feeding on each other. Mr. Hattori said that he felt uncomfortable replacing the soil when good tomatoes were produced.

He therefore turned his attention to the mechanism of “fermentation ” to speed up the soil decomposition cycle, which takes a long time. For tomatoes, we chop up the best tomatoes, leaves, fruits, and roots, dry them, mix them with soil, and ferment them. What would take nature three years to decompose takes only three weeks.”

It turns out that if you increase the number of quality “tomato microorganisms” and put them back in the same place, you can have a continuous crop. They discovered that they could produce large, sweet tomatoes without reducing the amount of water, which was also a prerequisite for producing sweet tomatoes.

Fermentation” is an essential part of LaLaLaFarm’s sweet tomato production that nurtures the rich soil. Mr. Hattori first encountered “fermentation” during his many hard-fought years as a farmer in Hokkaido.

From Nagoya to Niseko to become a farmer by himself

After graduating from university, Mr. Hattori entered the construction industry, the family business. Just before turning 30, he began to feel that he wanted to work in a way that was healthier, more like himself, and more respectful of nature. I wanted to work in a way that was healthier, more true to myself, and more respectful of nature.

The idea came to him from his travels by bicycle and motorcycle in the beautiful and vast landscapes of Hokkaido, and he thought, “Let’s go there first. He began to look for a place where he could study while working, thinking, “Let’s go there first, see and feel it. Niseko is a well-known tourist destination, with many hotels and restaurants, and a good sales channel. Niseko is also easily accessible, being only a two-hour drive from Sapporo and New Chitose Airport. I had visited Niseko in the winter for snowboarding, which I love, and I thought that I could work at the ski slopes and shovel snow from the facilities during the winter when farming is not available.

In fact, after two years of agricultural training in Niseko, Mr. Hattori decided that small-scale facility (plastic greenhouse) farming was a realistic option. He decided to focus mainly on tomatoes, which are widely eaten, and decided to study in Yoichi, where tomato cultivation is thriving. After returning to Niseko, he named his farm “LaLaLa Farm” in the hope of producing vegetables that he would enjoy and that would make the people who eat them say “LaLaLa” unintentionally. He also decided to grow vegetables in an organic way to make everyone happy and to be kind to nature and the environment, which he could not cherish in his previous job.

His interest in organic farming was further deepened when he met Akinori Kimura, who had come to Niseko to teach him before he started farming. Mr. Kimura is known for his “miracle apple” cultivation, which is completely pesticide-free and fertilizer-free, and is a charismatic figure admired by anyone interested in natural farming. Mr. Kimura’s teachings are strict, and I learned firsthand that farming is not so easy that the same methods can be applied to everyone.

However, his words carry weight, and the representative says he has been greatly influenced by them. Mr. Kimura’s words still remain in my mind: ‘The natural world is living in this way even without fertilizers and without cultivation.

Learning Fermentation at a Sake Brewery

From then on, the road to success was difficult. The harvest did not increase, and for about seven years, they had to continue trial and error. At one point, he was forced to work as a snowboard instructor because it was difficult to make a living as a farmer alone.

He had always been interested in the mechanisms of compost and fermentation, and during the winter season when farming was difficult, he began training as a brewer at the Niseko Brewery in Kutchan Town.

The brewery is located at the foot of Mt. Yotei, and in the winter, the heavy snowfall creates a snow screen that allows for slow, low-temperature fermentation. At the Niseko Brewery, I gained a deep insight into “speed brewing,” in which lactic acid is added to the sake to promote alcoholic fermentation. I was also sent to the Terada Brewery in Chiba, which is known for its natural sake brewing using pesticide- and chemical-free rice such as “Gojin Musume,” and was shown the traditional Kimoto brewing process.

After gaining experience as a brewer, Mr. Hattori began to wonder if he could utilize indigenous or local bacteria in his own farming. For example, miso has its own indigenous bacteria in it and cultivates its own bacteria outside of its own body. We used fermentation to do this in the soil of the fields and tried to reproduce natural conditions,” he says. This will live on greatly in terms of increasing the aforementioned high-quality “tomato microorganisms.

After two or three years of chopping and drying tomatoes at their best, both leaves, fruits, and roots, and mixing them with soil and fermenting them, he finally succeeded in increasing the yield and creating a condition where the sugar content of the tomatoes kept increasing. After 11 years of farming in Hokkaido, this was the moment when Mr. Hattori’s soil preparation finally bore fruit.

Trying to make wine using fermentation technology

In addition to tomatoes and related products, LaLaLa Farm also ships unique vegetables such asedible hozuki,micro cucumbers, and shallots. Another specialty, “fermented ginger,” is candied ginger that is fermented. Its unique flavor and aroma, which is not found in ordinary ginger ale that is not fermented, is gaining popularity for its “deep flavor. Utilizing the fermentation technology they have cultivated, they also sell miso and amazake made with koji, which are sold at roadside stations, restaurants in Hokkaido and Tokyo, and through mail order. His unique products, such as raayu made with koji, also shine.

Fascinated by the fermentation system, Hattori’s next interest turned to grapes. I was never much of a drinker,” he smiles, “but my desire to ferment grapes led me to drink wine every day. He says he wants to make original wines suited to Niseko’s climate and soil.

I think sparkling wines are best suited to Niseko,” he says. We are growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties, and this is the third year we are harvesting. We have only planted 1,000 vines, but we would like to try our hand at the volcanic ash soil and see if the tomato method lives up to the challenge.”

Making Everyone Happy with Nature’s Bounty

It has been 17 years since he started farming in Niseko, and he now has a family. What is important to him is to make everyone happy and smile with the connections he has made through farming and the products he produces. I would like to make wine from grapes and then open a winery. Eventually, I would like to set up an inn where customers and others can gather and learn about the wonders of fermentation.

What I feel through farming is that nature is a cycle, and fermentation is one of them. Fermentation is one of them. Niseko’s abundant nature is both harsh and gentle. In winter, the snow protects the soil, and we can prepare bacon and dry vegetables and fish to make preserved foods. Not to mention, food tastes great in the summer.”

The next stage for LaLaLaFarm, which makes use of nature’s blessing of fermentation to create unique vegetables, is wine making. Mr. Hattori’s new challenge has just begun.

The post We want to deliver vegetables that make you smile and hum “LaLaLa” without even realizing it. LaLaLaFarm, Yoshihiro Hattori, Niseko Town, Hokkaido first appeared on NIHONMONO.

In the town of Atsusawabe, richly endowed with forests and water sources,
a farmer specializing in asparagus who practices farming methods that maximize the power of the land.
They continue to produce delicious crops so that everyone can enjoy a healthy and happy life.

Jet Farm’ s asparagus is sought after by everyone from Michelin-starred restaurants to ordinary diners. Mr. Hiroki Hasegawa, the representative of Jet Farm, is earnest in his commitment to healthy and delicious food for everyone, and spares no effort in drawing out the power of the soil in Atsusawabe. How was the asparagus, nicknamed “hasepara,” cultivated?

A Town Where Many Vegetables Grow, Including Potatoes

Located on the Oshima Peninsula in southwestern Hokkaido, the town of Asusabu is a town rich in nature with a thriving agricultural and forestry industry. The tourist city of Hakodate, located in the southeast of the peninsula, is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes away by car.

While temperatures in Atsusawaabe-cho vary between day and night, the town is relatively mild and the snow melts quickly. A wide variety of crops are grown in the town, including “Asabu make-in,” a specialty crop that begins to be cultivated in early spring, soybeans, and asparagus. Asparagus, which is highly praised by chefs from all over Japan, is grown here in the town of Atsusawabe. Jet Farm, a farm specializing in asparagus, is responsible for this. Harvesting is from spring to summer.

Spring asparagus has a low sugar content, but its flavor is concentrated. The sweetness increases further through the summer.

Asparagus grown without pesticides is highly praised by top chefs.

Jet Farm, a farm specializing in asparagus, started in 2012 with the wish to “make people feel better by eating delicious asparagus. The farm ‘s stance is to use no chemical fertilizers and no pesticides. They do not use pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides, and grow asparagus in compost fermented mainly from plant materials.

As a producer, I am simply helping to draw out the natural power of the land,” says company representative Hiroki Hasegawa. From Italian to French, Japanese, Chinese, and even Spanish cuisine, Jet Farm’s asparagus is loved by chefs of all genres, and chefs at famous restaurants speak highly of the asparagus. Hasegawa’s asparagus, which has won the hearts of numerous chefs, has been delivered to 120 restaurants in Tokyo alone and some 200 nationwide, and there have been inquiries from abroad as well.

Good soil” made by earthworms

The town of Atsusawabe is a basin surrounded by mountains on three sides, and 80% of the town is forested. A river flows around Jet Farm’s fields, carrying nutrients nurtured by the hardwood trees in the mountains upstream. As you can see from the soil, it is clayey and hardens where people walk on it,” he explains. When the hardened soil is dug up, it crumbles like a cookie. What emerged from the crumbled soil were earthworms.

In fact, Hasegawa continues, the holes in the soil that look like tunnels are actually the remains of earthworms.

Earthworms defecate after passing through the holes,” Hasegawa said. When the tunnel holes are filled with feces, water, air, and plant roots can pass through, and the soil is in very good condition.

Microorganisms living in the soil break down organic matter in the soil, and the reduced protein is converted into amino acids, which are then converted into nitric acid and ammonia. This is the material cycle, and once the amino acids are converted, the plants can already absorb them.

However, in the case of chemical fertilizer cultivation, nitric acid and ammonia are not decomposed and increase in number, upsetting the balance. In order to maintain the balance of the material cycle, Jet Farm uses a fertilizer made from a mixture of fish waste, bran, dead asparagus stalks, and weeds collected from their own field soil.

I’d like to complete the process on my own, but we only grow asparagus, so the balance is lost. The weeds, which are plants other than asparagus, play a major role. So weeding is hard work, but I consider it a valuable resource.”

If these are piled up for a long time, they ferment and turn black. About three days before spraying, Hasegawa mixes the bran with crushed crab shells, which are rich in chitin, and kelp meal, and leaves the mixture on the ground. Around here, we often find fossilized whale bones, and about 200 million years ago, there was a sea.

The reason for adding marine materials to the soil is to make it more compatible with the original soil.

We started with manure and now we also use chicken manure. Although manure makes asparagus very sweet, I felt that it was not suitable for this field because it makes the asparagus look overworked.

Mr. Hasegawa searched for something that matched his field and would adjust the nutrients in the soil without destroying its individuality or asserting itself, and he came up with sea manure. I wondered what I could do to make the asparagus taste natural, not overly sweet, as if it had been coated with sugar. When I was looking for a natural flavor, I found that it blends well with the plant matter and minerals of the sea, and I settled on the way we do it now.”

Aspiring to become a farmer to help alleviate food shortages

Mr. Hasegawa, a native of Hakodate, started farming 12 years ago at the age of 26.

It all started when he read a newspaper article in the dormitory of the chemical company where he worked.

The article said that there would not be enough food in the not-too-distant future as a result of the world’s population increase. I decided that if someone else had to take on the responsibility, I would do it myself.

Although his desire to become a farmer grew, Mr. Hasegawa was actually a complete beginner. He chose the town of Atsusawabe because his wife’s family lived nearby, and he received training in potato cultivation, a specialty of the town. Around that time, he met an elderly couple growing asparagus and spinach in a greenhouse. When asked, they said, “My back is hurting and I would like to hand over farming to someone else soon. They told us that they were able to inherit the greenhouses, farm equipment, and barns as they were.

It is said that 90% of asparagus is water, and the quality of asparagus is greatly affected by the quality of water used.

The water supply in Atsusawabe-cho uses subsoil water from Mt. Because of the high quality of the water, we began to focus on asparagus production,” says Hasegawa.

I had experience growing potatoes, pumpkins, and beans during my training. But asparagus was new to me. He learned to grow asparagus from an elderly couple who took over the business. In his second year of farming, he began to feel a positive response.

However,” Mr. Hasegawa recalls.

I think there are parts of farming that you can’t get into unless you understand the principles,” Hasegawa said. But at the time, I just looked up what I didn’t understand on the Internet and gathered what I could.

He was so intent on following the theory that he used pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers without even thinking about it.

For some reason, he began to feel ill more and more often.

He said, “When I sprayed pesticides, I would get sick. I felt that this was somehow not good. I made a drastic decision and stopped using pesticides.

This turned out to be a bad move, and all the above-ground stalks of asparagus died.

After quitting pesticides, the harvest plummeted, and then he met his mentor.

He later learned that if he was going to stop using pesticides, ” the theory was to stop using chemical fertilizers as well, and to use organic fertilizers to improve the soil environment before starting pesticides. However, at that time, Mr. Hasegawa had no way of knowing what the theory was. His personal problems, such as the hospitalization of his child, also took their toll on him, and he became mentally and physically exhausted. As the harvest volume plummeted, he was burdened with expenses and fixed costs. There were times when I relied on my wife’s parents, who live nearby,” he says.

In his third year of farming, it was also a trying time for his asparagus production.

Mr. Hasegawa, troubled by the situation, met someone through an introduction. Mr . Seiji Akii, the representative of “Miyoi Noen” who organically grows “Kuririn” pumpkins with high sugar content in the neighboring town of Mori.

He says, “My mind and body were in shambles at the time, and it was like fate had brought us together. My mentor was also a man who had been experimenting with soil cultivation. He told me to start by understanding what soil is.

He taught me that it is important to understand the soil and to maintain the existing and original environment of the field.

Mr. Hasegawa says that his mentor’s words resonated with him.

He said, “If you use chemical fertilizers, the plants will certainly grow well, but you destroy the balance of the soil. I learned from my mentor that it is not good to do that. He told me that I should care about maintaining the original environment of the soil.”

Soil is composed of mineral dust, water, and air. In addition, microorganisms live and eat organic matter. Microorganisms gather, excrete, and another microorganism eats their bodies and is eaten by another microorganism…the soil is formed through this cycle. Plants live by sucking in nutrients from the excrement and dead microorganisms decomposed by the surrounding microorganisms. He learned that soil is made up of the workings of nature, and he continued to struggle to put this into practice.

He says that by following his master’s teachings and knowing and cultivating his own fields, he was able to create fertile and strong soil.

The asparagus no longer get sick,” he says. The yield also made a V-shaped recovery. I remember feeling relieved at the time that we had somehow managed to get our peelings back on the same page.

Fate continued to bring him opportunities to share the taste of the asparagus he had poured his heart and soul into.

One of my acquaintances who tasted the asparagus I harvested said, ‘Delicious! I was so happy to hear that. He introduced me to the chefs at two restaurants in Meguro Ward : “Ri Carica” in Gakugei Daigaku and “mondo” in Niyugaoka.

The two restaurants liked Mr. Hasegawa’s asparagus and introduced it to their menus. The reputation of “Mr. Hasegawa’s asparagus” spread among Italian chefs, and now there are inquiries from popular restaurants regardless of genre.

To deliver delicious asparagus in its best condition

As a grower, Mr. Hasegawa has always been searching for ways to produce delicious asparagus. He says that in the past, he used to take a forward-looking stance, saying, “I’m going to produce delicious asparagus︕. He says that his forward-looking stance has changed over the years.

Now I want to think about how to draw out the power of the field and how to reflect the power of the soil in the asparagus, and continue to grow asparagus that is “unique to our field.

Mr. Hasegawa is going back to the basics of agriculture, which is “subtractive” farming, where unnecessary things are eliminated rather than adding something new. I want to not only produce delicious products, but also make sure that people eat them in their best condition. He says that he would like to think about storage and distribution as well.

Asparagus that are picked in the morning are immediately put in the refrigerator and chilled for two hours before being cut and packed in bags. After cutting, the asparagus is kept in the refrigerator again until the delivery company arrives to keep it fresh. Unlike potatoes and other vegetables, which become sweeter when the temperature rises, asparagus lose sugar when the temperature rises. The secret to keeping asparagus tasty is not to leave it at room temperature, but to keep it in a state of suspended animation at a temperature close to 0°C, so that as much sugar as possible is not consumed. The asparagus is also delivered “standing up” to keep it fresh.

We want our asparagus to be in its best condition for both three-star restaurants and the average homeowner,” he says.

Jet Farm is celebrating its 10th anniversary. They will continue to weave the workings of the earth, sparing no effort to produce delicious asparagus that will bring enjoyable meals and happy times.

Jet Farm’s asparagus, nurtured by the subsoil water from Mt. With just the right amount of sugar, moisture, flavor, and soft skin, our asparagus can be boiled, grilled, or fried. Please enjoy them as much as you like! Spring asparagus, with its low sugar content, can be used in all kinds of cooking methods and menus, while summer asparagus can be grilled for a deeper flavor. We will do our best to make your mealtime more enjoyable!

The post Asparagus at “Jet Farm,” where subtractive agriculture brings out the individuality of the fields / Atsusawabe Town, Hokkaido first appeared on NIHONMONO.

One and Only in YOICHI”. These words on the official website express everything about Camel Farm Winery, which continues to produce one and only wines with its sights set on the world. We interviewed the winery about its history from its founding to the present and its future wine production.

The one and only wine produced in Yoichi: “We can aim for the world in this place.

Yoichi is located at the base of the Shakotan Peninsula in western Hokkaido. The town has long been active in the cultivation of fruit trees, taking advantage of its mild climate, temperature differences between day and night, minerals from the ocean, and well-drained soil. Camel Farm Winery, established in 2014, is one such winery. With approximately 13 hectares of vineyards and a 1,400-square-meter winery, the winery is engaged in wine production using the terroir of Yoichi and traditional Italian methods.

A vineyard in Yoichi that a famous Italian winemaker fell in love with at first sight

Camel Farm Winery was established in 2014 as an agricultural corporation of the Camel Coffee Group with the hope of bringing Japan’s natural bounty to the world and revitalizing the region. The winery’s establishment was inspired by an encounter with Italian brewer Riccardo Cotarella.

Mr. Cotarella is a world-renowned brewer who has served as president of the Italian Oenologist Association and the International Enologue Federation.

Camel Coffee Group brings foods and food culture from all over the world to Japanese tables, and we met Riccardo Cotarella through the “San Patrignano” project in Italy, which Camel Coffee Group supports through the sale of its wines.

If wines made in Japan’s climate become known to the world, it would be a way of communicating Japan’s wonderful nature and agriculture to the rest of the world. With the cooperation of Mr. Cotarella, who shared this belief, they started their winemaking activities.

So, where do they actually make wine? In their search for the ideal winemaking environment, they found it in the town of Yoichi in Hokkaido.

We came across a story that Takeshi Fujimoto, who at the time was a pioneer in wine grape production in Yoichi Town, was considering the future of his 11-hectare vineyard. From the perspective of an experienced winemaker like Mr. Fujimoto, it was a very attractive vineyard.”

Ai Ito, who has served as winery manager since 2014, is one of those who received direct instruction on wine grape production from Mr. Fujimoto. Fujimoto-san’s vineyard, which has been in existence for 40 years, is so large and so carefully managed; at 11 hectares, it is more than the size of two Tokyo Domes. The winds from the sea and the mountains blow through here, so it is resistant to disease, and I think Mr. Cotarella immediately recognized at first glance that this is a blessed land for winemaking.

Learning from Mr. Fujimoto about grape cultivation that makes the most of Yoichi’s climate and from Mr. Cotarella about traditional Italian wine-making methods and the latest technology, Camel Farm Winery’s completely new winemaking process has begun.

Efforts to Deliver the Ideas of the “Producer” of Wine to the “Drinker

There are currently 10 varieties grown, including Kerner, Bacchus, Chardonnay, Zweigelt, and Pinot Noir. Over the past three years, they have taken over Mr. Fujimoto’s conventional farming methods (a general cultivation method that uses legally approved pesticides and fertilizers within the limits of the standards) and gradually shifted to less pesticide use while expanding their vineyards. He then expanded the fields and gradually shifted to a less pesticide-intensive cultivation method. It is very difficult with a field of this size, but we want to grow as close to nature as possible, using as little pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers as possible,” says Ito.

Seven staff members manage the cultivation at all times, and during the harvest season, the staff of the Camel Coffee Group gathers in Yoichi. Each bunch is harvested by hand.

We believe that having Kaldi Coffee Farm and group staff involved in the winemaking process will not only help them acquire product knowledge, but will also give them a chance to understand how difficult it is to harvest grapes by hand, and through this hands-on experience, learn about the thoughts and feelings of the producers, which they hope to convey to their customers as well. We believe that this will be an opportunity for us to share our thoughts and feelings with our customers. (Mr. Ito)

Aiming for the world with the latest equipment and superior brewing technology

For three years after taking over the vineyard in 2014, the winery focused on viticulture, and the harvested grapes were used for wine production on consignment.

Finally, in 2017, a state-of-the-art winery was completed. The winemaking team is led by Angelo Totaro, a disciple of Mr. Cotarella.

Totaro is a top-class oenologist who has worked in Champagne and Emilia Romagna.

More than half of the wine produced here today is sparkling wine. There are 45 state-of-the-art stainless steel tanks with temperature control, including six Charmat tanks. The maximum production capacity is 150,000 bottles.

Located at 43 degrees north latitude, Yoichi is in Region 1 of the “Amerin & Winkler Climate Chart” (the climate classification of wine-growing regions by Maynard Amerin and Adam Winkler), the same as the Champagne region in France. When we first saw this vineyard, we all decided, ‘Let’s go global with sparkling wine! We decided to go global with our sparkling wine,” says Totaro.

Region” refers to the classification of grapes based on the total temperature from April to October during the growing season. Region 1 is the coldest and Region 5 is the warmest. Total temperature is the total temperature required for grape ripening, and is used as a guide for the best time to harvest the grapes.

Sparkling wine is produced using either the Champagne method, in which still wine (wine that has not been sparkled) is bottled and fermented in the bottle, or the Charmat method, in which wine is fermented in Charmat tanks. The Charmat method involves fermentation in a tank for a short period of time without exposing the wine to air, resulting in a light and fresh finish. The Champagne method, on the other hand, involves a second fermentation in the bottle one by one and a long aging process, resulting in a honey-like, full-bodied finish.

The sugar content, acidity, pH, etc. of the grapes are meticulously measured. The data is shared with Mr. Cotarella in Italy, and the timing of harvest and the brewing process are discussed with him.

Mr. Tortaro’s wealth of experience and knowledge is also demonstrated in the barrel aging process.

Even if the plots are planted only 2 meters apart, the harvested grapes will taste and smell different. It is due to small differences in sunlight, wind direction, soil composition, and other factors, but when each plot is prepared in different barrels, the same grape variety tastes completely different. This is the interesting part of winemaking. New barrels are used when we want to give a strong aroma, and old barrels are used when we don’t want to give so much aroma.

Mozart’s music echoes quietly in the cellar. This is called “musical aging,” which is also used in Italian wineries. It has been scientifically proven that sound vibration has a positive effect on aging.

Winning a gold medal at an international wine contest was a big step forward.

In 2021, the wines produced in this way became known around the world. Pinot Noir Private Reserve 2019 won first place at the Decanter World Wine Awards, an international wine competition sponsored by the British wine magazine Decanter. It was the only Japanese Pinot Noir to win this award. In 2022, “Blaufränkisch Private Reserve 2020” won first place and was also named BEST WINE OF THE YEAR by the top judges.

Blaufränkisch is Austria’s representative grape variety in Europe, but we, a Japanese winery, were chosen instead of an Austrian winery,” said a delighted Mr. Totaro, when we asked him about his future wine-making goals.

Our goal is to make good wine that can only be made in Yoichi. The oldest vines in the vineyard are 40 years old, and we want to produce a flavor that speaks of the long history of these 40 years. Many people in Japan say that they want to make wines that are like somewhere else in the world, but it is important to pursue wines that can only be made in this place. It is better to buy wine from Italy than to aim for Italian wine. We want to make our own wine, not a copy.”

What kind of unique wine will be produced here in Yoichi next? The challenge of Camel Farm Winery will continue in the future.

The post Putting the splendor of Japan’s climate into wine. Camel Farm Winery / Yoichi, Hokkaido first appeared on NIHONMONO.

In Hakodate City, Hokkaido, blessed with rich fishing grounds,
Minami-Kayabe Fishery Cooperative Association continues to preserve the taste of “Tenka Kombu”, which has been loved since time immemorial.
To pass on the kelp that supports Japan’s food culture to the next generation, we stick to traditional production methods and
deliver high-quality, delicious kelp.

Kombu dashi is an essential part of Japanese cuisine, with its beautifully clear golden color and fragrant aroma. Its finest product is located in Hakodate, Hokkaido. The high-quality kelp, named “Hakodate Makombu,” was once presented to the Imperial Court and shoguns as a gift kelp. We asked the “Minami-Kayabe Fishery Cooperative Association” about the past and future of kelp fishing.

Hakodate Makonbu, the highest quality kelp grown in the rich sea

Dashi” is an indispensable part of Japanese cuisine. Kombu dashi has a particularly long history, appearing frequently as a seasoning in practical cookbooks from the early Edo period (1603-1868). To learn more about kombu, which has long supported Japanese food culture, we visited Minamikayabe, Hakodate, Hokkaido.

Minami-Kayabe’s kelp fishery boasts Japan’s largest production volume

The Minami-Kayabe region is located in the eastern part of Hakodate City, Hokkaido, facing the Pacific Ocean’s Eruption Bay. Nutrient-rich river water flows in from the forests, and offshore, the warm currents of the Tsugaru Straits intersect with the nutrient-rich cold Oyashio Current. A rich fishing ground has been formed and the area has developed as a fishing village since ancient times. Various seafood such as squid, salmon, and yellowtail are landed here, and the area boasts the largest production of kelp in Japan.

In Hokkaido, a major kelp-producing region, kelp is landed in Rishiri, Hidaka, Rausu, and many other areas. Hakodate Makonbu, harvested in Minami-Kayabe, is especially thick and wide, and is called the finest kelp for its clarity and elegant flavor in soup stock. In the Edo Shogunate’s survey report on Ezo Island, “Ezo Shima Kikan,” it was described as “k elp under heaven” and “the finest kelp ” and was once presented to the Imperial Court and shogunate.

Why does Minami-Kayabe produce such high quality kelp? We asked Mr. Hidefumi Sakai, counselor of the Minami-Kayabe Fishery Cooperative Association, about the reason.

The broadleaf trees and volcanic rocks in the forest have a positive effect on kelp.

Geographically, it is a very blessed place,” he said. Silicon is essential for the growth of kelp, and this coastal area is made of rhyolite, a volcanic rock that contains a large amount of silicon. In addition, the confluence of the Oyashio and Tsugaru Warm Currents maintains a water temperature suitable for kelp growth. The forests that surround the sea are rich in broadleaf trees, and the water that flows from the rivers into the sea is rich in minerals and nutrients, which also has a positive effect on the kelp.

In addition to harvesting natural kelp, the company began cultivating kelp in the 1960s, and has been able to maintain a stable production.

From “catching” to “raising. Invention of an epoch-making cultivation method

The beginning of kelp cultivation brought about a major change in the local fishing industry.

In the beginning, kelp was thought of as a supplement to the stable production of natural kelp, but after 10 years of cultivation, the situation was reversed, and kelp cultivation became a major industry in the region.

The shift from “fishing to catch” to “fishing to grow” has made cultured kelp the top producer of kelp in the region, and it has finally become the “top producer of kelp in Japan.

If aquaculture technology had not been developed,” Sakai says, “the number of fishermen in the region would have been much smaller and the local economy would have been devastated.

Cultured kelp is cultivated at seedling production facilities after the mother algae (bosou) is harvested from natural kelp. Once the seedling threads (kelp seeds attached to the threads) are ready, they are sent to an offshore aquaculture facility. The seedling threads are tied to ropes called training nets and allowed to grow in the sea. Normally, it takes two years for both natural and cultured kelp to grow, but in Minami-Kayabe, the harvesting period has been successfully shortened through early seedling collection and the provision of sufficient nutrients.

This method is called “accelerated kelp cultivation,” and it takes about 10 months to harvest the kelp. Minami-Kayabe also produces some kelp that is cultivated for two years, but the main focus is on the accelerated cultivation method. The ability to harvest kelp without waiting two years is a big advantage in aiming for a stable supply.

What is the difference between natural and cultured kelp?

What is the difference between natural and cultured kelp?

Natural kelp has its roots in the ground and grows upward. Cultured kelp, on the other hand, takes root in a rope and grows downward. Natural kelp is slightly thicker than cultured kelp, but some two-year cultured kelp is wider and more splendid than natural kelp,” Sakai told us.

When laid out in their dried state, there is no significant difference in appearance, and it is difficult to tell them apart. However, when you take the broth, there is a clear difference. The natural fish is a light golden color with a sense of transparency, while the cultured fish is a little less transparent and darker in color. Also, even with cultivated kelp, the color of the broth is closer to that of natural kelp when the kelp is two years old rather than when it is matured.

As for the difference in taste, while the dashi from the promoted kelp has an immediate umami taste in the mouth, the natural kelp is lighter in the mouth, but the umami taste can be felt gradually in the back of the tongue and throat. On the other hand, when eating the kelp itself, cultured kelp is softer and less sticky than natural kelp, making it easier to eat.

Natural kelp is used for Japanese soup stock, while cultured one-year kelp is softer than natural kelp, so it is recommended for use in soup stock and in dishes where kelp is eaten as is, such as kombu maki (kelp rolls). Cultured 2-year-old fish is relatively similar to wild caught fish, so it may be better to use it for making dashi broth,” says Sakai.

It is not a matter of which is better, natural or cultured, but rather, it is a matter of choosing the right one for the right purpose. In recent years, however, natural kelp has become extremely rare and the market price is more than three times that of cultured kelp.

The sea in Hakodate has changed. Natural Kelp Continues to Decline in Landings

After peaking in 2014 with a good harvest, the amount of landings of natural kelp has been drastically decreasing every year. The catch, which used to be 700-900 tons, was only about 5 tons last year (2021) due to various factors such as typhoons, bombing storms, and abnormal breeding of sea urchins that prey on kelp caused by rising sea water temperatures.

Sea urchins are cultivated by taking seeds from natural kelp, so if the natural kelp disappears, the sea urchins can no longer be cultivated. Divers are taking measures such as weed control in the fishing grounds and the formation of seaweed beds, but they have not been able to increase production.

Twenty years ago, if you looked at the ocean, you could find kelp everywhere. But in the last few years, natural kelp has not grown at all. In fact, we don’t know exactly what the cause is. Is it global warming or are there other factors? But we do know that the sea is different from what it used to be,” Sakai frowns.

Protecting kelp means protecting Japan’s food culture

Sakai and his colleagues at the Minami-Kayabe Fisheries Cooperative Association are continuing their battle against the natural environment to increase the production of natural kelp, while also focusing on strengthening the brand power of Hakodate Makonbu.

While other Hokkaido kelp, such as Rishiri kelp, Hidaka kelp, and Rausu kelp, are named after places, makonbu has not had a regional name for a long time. Therefore, several years ago, the name of the local kelp was unified as “Hakodate Makonbu. The company is also actively engaged in PR activities to connect the production area with consumers, such as exhibiting at product fairs and giving lectures.

Natural kelp production has been declining due to changes in the natural environment. However, not many people are aware of this. Mr. Sakai believes that it is important to appeal to consumers with a sense of crisis.

Mr. Sakai and his colleagues will continue their efforts to keep the history of Minami-Kayabe, which has been developed together with kelp, alive and well, and to continue to support Japan’s food culture.

Makonbu (Japanese kelp) has long supported and been a part of Japan’s food culture. It is an excellent ingredient in its own right, and is a finished product. We feel that our mission is to bring out the best of the original taste of Makonbu without any unnecessary modification.

The post Hakodate Makombu, the highest quality kelp, was called “Tenka Kelp” by the Edo Shogunate/Hakodate City, Hokkaido first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Farmer with 120 years of history grows new vegetables

Makari Village in Hokkaido is located at the southern foot of Mt. Yotei , ” and surrounded by the mountains of the Niseko mountain range, the village is blessed with natural conditions such as temperature differences between day and night, fertile volcanic soil, and the mineral-rich subsoil water of Mt. Specialty products include lily bulb, the largest producer in Japan, potatoes, carrots, onions, sweet corn, and asparagus. In this village, where almost all of Hokkaido’s agricultural crops are harvested, there is only one person who grows completely different vegetables. He is Mr. Shinji Mino, the fifth generation owner of Mino Farm, which has been in existence for about 120 years.

Western vegetables indispensable for French and Italian food

Mino Farm grows about 30 varieties of Western vegetables, including leeks, Belgian shallots, pecoros, Savoy cabbage, romanesco, fennel, and other unfamiliar varieties, colorful beets and carrots, and purple cauliflower. All of these vegetables are rare and rarely seen in supermarkets.

Leeks, also called “poirot,” look thicker than Japanese leeks. The more it is stewed, the sweeter it becomes, making it an indispensable ingredient in French cuisine. Unlike Japanese cabbage, savoy cabbage, which Mr. Mino says is his “favorite,” is mainly used for cooking. Because it is chewy and soaks up the broth, she uses Savoy cabbage instead of Chinese cabbage in nabe dishes at her home.

It all started with a suggestion from the chef at the Maccarina Auberge.

Why did he start growing Western vegetables instead of local specialties? It all started in 1997, when the Auberge “Maccarina ” was established in Makari Village.

When my father’s generation was still in the village, the chef at the Maccarina asked the village office if he could try growing Western vegetables for use in French cuisine, as he wanted to use local ingredients instead of imported ones,” recalls Mr. Mino.

They were brave enough to start, but it didn’t go well, and most of the farmers quit. Only Mino Farm persevered, and after five to six years, the harvest finally began to stabilize. At that time, they were also growing other crops such as potatoes and carrots, which they had grown in the past, and shipping them to the agricultural cooperative.

It was not until 14 to 15 years ago, when Mr. Mino took over the farm, that he began to seriously deal with Western vegetables. Thinking that if he could grow leeks, he could grow other Western vegetables, he began to expand his lineup. However, it is no mean feat to produce vegetables that none of the surrounding farmers produce. While learning cultivation methods on his own, he planted vegetables that he thought could be grown in Makari’s climate.

The first and second years after planting,” he said, “they always failed. Then the next year, I would try shifting the planting season, or dividing one crop into several fields and planting at different times of the year. Through repeated trial and error, we finally arrived at a method that allowed us to harvest vegetables in a stable manner.

Turning the Rudder to Growing Vegetables for Restaurants

Mr. Mino had his reasons for insisting on growing Western vegetables. One reason is the high level of consumer interest. Every time he opened a booth at a produce market or event, he attracted a lot of attention and media coverage increased rapidly. Another reason is the challenge of farming that is not affected by fluctuations in market prices. While conventional farming with agricultural cooperatives requires less labor because large quantities can be harvested and shipped at once, it also makes it difficult to earn an income when market prices fall. Therefore, Mr. Mino narrowed down his target to restaurants and decided to sell directly at a certain price.

We priced our products manually by researching wholesalers and gathering information,” he said. Shipping from Hokkaido inevitably increases the cost of shipping, so we had to take that into consideration as well. But it is very rewarding to have people who want to buy the vegetables I price myself buy them.”

Direct transactions with “Maccarina,” the company that inspired him to produce Western vegetables, have also begun, and Mino Farm’s reputation has spread throughout Japan by word of mouth. Today, dishes using vegetables from Mino Farm are served at famous restaurants throughout Japan, including the long-established French restaurant “Tokyo Court d’Or” andthe Kyoto ryotei “Kikunoi”.

Because of the direct connection with the chef

With the increase in the number of restaurants he does business with and the number of items he grows, Mr. Mino’s vegetable production has become increasingly difficult. He had to carefully calculate which vegetables to plant, how much to plant, and how much to harvest.

We have to make sure that we have a stable supply of vegetables during the time they are used on the restaurant menu. We don’t want to have a situation where we run out of vegetables even though we have gone to the trouble of putting them on the menu. But inevitably, there are times when we can harvest a lot, and other times when the harvest is reduced. Only when the harvest is low do we get a rush of orders. That balance is the most difficult thing to achieve.

Cultivating fields to prevent “out of stock” on restaurant menus

In order to prevent continuous cropping (poor growth of the same crop in the same field), the farmers rotate the planting locations by introducing leafy greens after root vegetables, which grow in the soil. If the fields are forced to work too hard, the quality and yield of the vegetables will surely decline. In order to harvest the required amount of produce in a limited area, Mr. Mino also makes sure to prepare the soil using natural organic materials, microorganisms, and compost.

The chef’s words give him hints and energy for vegetable growing.

Even after the harvest is complete, the work at Mino Farm is far from over. The entire staff is working at full capacity, taking orders, sorting, packing, and shipping. He started direct sales of western vegetables to secure an income from farming, but now, more than anything, he feels a strong desire to live up to the trust and expectations of his customers, which he says is very rewarding. He actively communicates with chefs, asking them how the vegetables are doing and what they want.

The farmers around me say, ‘It looks like a lot of work. We have to harvest while being pressed for orders, and we have to ship in time. I think it is difficult if you look at it from the perspective of conventional farming. But I decided to do this.

Mr. Mino’s tone of voice is calm, but his words convey a strong sense of determination and conviction.

I want to increase the number of products that can only be made here.

The reason we have been able to continue farming here since our ancestors settled this land 120 years ago is because it is a good place to grow vegetables,” says Mr. Mino.

As evidence of this, while many farming communities are facing a shortage of successors, in Makari there are relatively many people who have succeeded their parents as farmers, and there is no farmland available at all in the village. According to Mr. Mino, “When farmland becomes available, everyone wants it.

You can continue to farm the land you inherited from your parents, or you can take on a new challenge like Mr. Mino. The efforts of Mr. Mino’s farm, which has opened up a new market for western vegetables for restaurants, reminds us that agriculture is full of possibilities.

Mr. Mino’s new goal is to increase the amount of local produce in the area.

If we grow crops that are only available here, there is great potential to increase our income,” he says. It would be interesting if our company becomes a catalyst for more and more farmers to want to grow Western vegetables in this area, and if Makari Village’s specialty products increase.

In the not-too-distant future, Makari Village may be the site of many new specialty products.

The post In response to a chef’s request to use domestically grown western vegetables. The challenge of “Mino Farm” / Makari Village, Hokkaido first appeared on NIHONMONO.