Keiji Mikasa
(Wakimachi in Mima City / Chairman of the Civil Science group for the Cultivation, Production, and Consumption of Jerusalem Artichoke)

In summer, yellow Jerusalem artichoke flowers are in the Higashi Matamyou area fields, located between the mountains of Wakimachi in Mima city.

The cultivation of Jerusalem artichoke in this region began around 2013. The wife of Mr. Keiji Mikasa, the chairman of the Civil science group for the Cultivation, Production, and Consumption of Jerusalem artichoke, began growing it when she found it growing wild in her neighborhood.

About 20 farmers in the neighborhood formed a civil science group for the Cultivation, Production, and Consumption of Jerusalem artichoke to increase cultivation by using fallow lands.

This group sells fresh Jerusalem artichoke at local farmers' markets and makes and sells dried chips and powdered products.

The Jerusalem artichoke contains inulin, a natural insulin, and is said to be effective for metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Mr. Mikasa's Jerusalem artichoke has been introduced on TV and is so popular that orders come in from all over Japan and overseas.

Our bodies should eat dried rather than fresh ones because of the condensed ingredients. Mr. Mikasa said, "I would like to develop even more various products."