Tsurugi Life Improvement Promotion Council Ichiu group | The People Supporting Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System
Tsurugi Life Improvement Promotion Council Ichiu group（Tsurugi Town） “Sadanojo dango” is filled with mugwort and mashed sweet bean paste. This popular delicacy is produced by the Tsurugi Life Improvement Promotion Council Ichiu group. The term “Sadanojo” derives from Tani Sadanojo, a village headman of Ichiu who was executed for directly appealing to the villagers for help during the Edo period. The mugwort used for dango is harvested annually by group members in mid-April from the mountains of the Ichiu area. Thereafter, it is preserved through freezing and used for dango production from spring to fall. These dango are sold at the Shakunage Market, which operates exclusively on Sundays from March […]
Yoko Ando | The People Supporting Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System
Yoko Ando (Higashi-Miyoshi town / farmer, Anchan-chi guest house ) The Anchan-chi guest house is located in Kamoyama, Higashi-Miyoshi town. It is acquiring popularity in Nishi-Awa as a hotel where visitors can experience indigenous agriculture. Yoko Ando, a farmer, runs this hotel. In summer, tomatoes and melons are grown in greenhouses. In winter, she gets busy processing dried potatoes. Regarding the processing of dried potatoes, first, sweet potatoes harvested in the fall are stored in a specially built shed until January, when the sweetness increases. Thereafter, the sweet potatoes that became sweet enough are cooked over wood. She cherishes local traditional events and holds a biannual event called “Zuzukuri” in […]
Namika Inoshita | The People Supporting Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System
Namika Inoshita (Natan Winery in Miyoshi City) Since 2016, wine grapes have been cultivated on the slopes of the Asan Mountains, which run along the northern bank of the Yoshino River. Namika Inoshita, the pioneering founder of Tokushima's first winery, grows grapes for wine production. She leases fallow land and cultivates over 10 grape varieties across six fields in Miyoshi City, including Pinot Noir and Yama Sauvignon. Namika uses sustainable practices to maximize the grapes’ natural potential. For example, instead of using chemical fertilizers, she mows the grass in the vineyards and uses it as compost. The mountainous region of Miyoshi is ideal for grape cultivation because of its abundant […]
Yoshimasa Uchida | The People Supporting Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System
Yoshimasa Uchida（Miyoshi City/asobimotte） Asobimotte is a brand of honey reflecting the concept of "playing while working" (遊びもって= asobimotte). The name indicates that the honey is produced through collaboration among friends who enjoy their work. Yoshimasa Uchida keeps bees in Shinyama, Ikeda Town, Miyoshi City. In one corner of the field, rows of beehives house both Western honeybees and Japanese honeybees. The Japanese honeybee is particularly delicate and challenging to raise, and it produces only a small amount of honey. These bees collect nectar from a variety of flowers, giving their honey a rich yet mellow sweetness that truly embodies the flavors of the region’s lush natural environment. Originally, the honey […]
Nishi-Awa GIAHS Progress Meeting on March 20, 2024
The Nishi-Awa Steep Slope Land Agriculture System was designated as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) six years ago. We are to reflect on the initiatives and changes that have taken place thus far and consider what we should do to empower Nishi-Awa. Title: Nishi-Awa GIAHS Progress Meeting Date: March 20, 2024 10:00~15:25 Venue: Mima City Community Centre, Miraizu Participation fee: Free Free distribution of soba rice porridge and mixed-millet rice balls to the first 250 persons. Starting at 11:00am, the 'Nishi-Awa GIAHS Market' will be held simultaneously at the Mirai's West Plaza. 【Contact】Tokushima Tsurugisan Global Agricultural Heritage Promotion Council Secretariat. Program ＜morning session＞ 10:00 Opening remark 10:10 Keynote speech by […]
Tsutomu Kitaoka | The People Supporting Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System
Tsutomu Kitaoka (Farmer in Higashi Miyoshi) Mizunomaru, located in Higashi Miyoshi, is renowned for strawberry production because of its cool climate. This region is situated at an altitude of approximately 1,000 m. Chikara Kitaoka, a resident of Ofuji village in Mizunomaru, has been cultivating vegetables in Mizunomaru for approximately 40 years. Initially, he cultivated daikon radishes later than normal season and exported them as off-season vegetables during the summer. During that period, daikon radishes were rare in the summer, resulting in a high market value of 200–300 yen per daikon. Subsequently, he cultivated tomatoes and beans within the confines of greenhouses. Mr. Kitaoka says, "Mizunomaru has a high-cool climate with […]
Toshiharu Nishimura | The People Supporting Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System
Nishimura Farm is situated in Koyadaira, Mima City at the base of Mt. Tsurugi. This farm appears to be situated in a celestial or ethereal location. An indigenous chili pepper variety is cultivated using kaya straw as organic fertilizer. After harvesting, the chili peppers are dried and processed into powder form. The product “Yama-no-Tongarashi” is available for purchase at both roadside stations and online stores. The chili pepper is aromatic and offers a unique combination of sweet and umami flavors with strong spiciness. The taste is so invigorating that many people repeatedly buy this product, saying, “We want to keep it on our tables.” They also cultivate Zuiki, the taro […]
Yumiko Adachi | The People Supporting Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System
Yumiko Adachi(Farmer in Mima City) In Tsurugi town, a yuzu (Citrus junos) field has been abandoned because of the aging of its owners. Yumiko Adachi and Masatsugu Adachi, who moved from Kyoto to Mima City in 2015, took over the farm and carefully cultivated yuzu. The Adachi family harvests yuzu. Their daughter Uta helped them avoid the large thorns of the trees. Fragrant yuzu is grown without pesticides or fertilizers in areas certified as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Sites. They produce several types of yuzu kosho (citrus chili paste). Making it with homemade malted rice gives it a gentle flavor and makes our bodies healthier. In addition, the product was […]
Susumu Kawahara | The People Supporting Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System 2023
Susumu Kawahara(Farmer in Higashi-miyoshi town) Susumu Kawahara, a 91-year-old farmer, has been cultivating crops in Mizu-no-maru for nearly 50 years. Mizu-no-maru is situated at an altitude of approximately 1,000 m. At the age of 15, he left his home in Higashi-Miyoshi town to work as a farmer in Okayama Prefecture to cultivate rice, wheat, and grapes. In 1952, he joined the Japan Police Reserve Corps, which later became the Self-Defense Force. He then returned to his hometown in 1957 and worked in the timber transportation industry. However, in 1974, he acquired land in Mizumaru as part of a government project aimed at transforming the area into farmland. Subsequently, he commenced […]
Daiki Magari | The People Supporting Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System
Daiki Magari (Farmer in Miyoshi City) Oboke in Miyoshi City is the birthplace of royal fern cultivation. The cultivation of royal ferns started in the Taisho era (1912-1926), and at its peak, dozens of households were cultivating them. Mr. Daiki Magari, a tea farmer in Kamimyo, Yamashiro-town, was busy harvesting royal ferns in April. Royal fern farms are in steep areas; therefore, they carefully pick royal ferns on farms steeper than the tea fields. The royal ferns were covered with fluffy hair. They became thicker. Steep slopes are well-drained and suitable for growing royal ferns. Once harvested, the ferns were boiled in a cauldron on the same day. The boiled […]
Wataru Okada | The People Supporting Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System
Wararu Okada (Farmer in Miyoshi City) Mr. Okada has been growing tea for generations in Yamashiro-town, Miyoshi City, famous for tea production. Yamashiro-town is known for its sencha (green tea) production, and he produces lactic acid-fermented tea called "Awa Bancha.” This type of tea product is only found in a few places in Japan, mainly in the Shikoku Mountains. First, Awa Bancha is characterized by its picking time. Normally, tea sprouts are picked around April; however, for Awa Bancha, tea leaves remain until the end of July. Tea leaves contain more nutrients than sprouts and are more susceptible to lactic acid fermentation. The tea leaves were boiled immediately in a […]
Yoriko Takeoka | The People Supporting Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System
Yoriko Takeoka(Farmer in Tsurugi town) At Shirataki Kobo in Handa, Tsurugi town, you can get products made from local agricultural products traditionally. Yoriko Takeoka, who runs the shop, was born and raised in Tsurugi town, Tokushima Prefecture. After living in Aichi Prefecture for many years, she returned to her hometown in 2019 to take care of her mother. She began growing vegetables in the fields around her house. With her experience working in a restaurant, she makes prepared food and sells it at farmers’ markets. One of her most popular products is "Yuzu miso," which her mother taught her how to make. Yuzu miso is made from the peel of […]