Blog

My Very First Miso Making!

Feb 28 2022

In October, I participated in a miso making workshop at the temple of Showzen-san, who also serves as an advisor to this site.How can miso not be delicious when it is made with the best ingredients and in the best environment?   Normally and recently, miso is made in plastic vats, but this time we made it in a traditional wooden vat made of Yoshino cedar, made by one of the last craftspersons in Japan.First, loosen the koji* and salt and mix them well so that they are evenly distributed.*Koji is used in the production of fermented foods such as sake,...

The Challenge of a Local Man (1)

Jan 15 2022

Every end of the year, I volunteer to help harvest organic Mandarin oranges in Odawara City.  Since I take orders in my own hometown, many people around me think that the representative of the business, Mr. Yamato Oyamada, is a "Mandarin farmer," so I always explain to them that he is not just a farmer, but it is difficult to explain that.   It was after the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear power plant accident in 2011 that Mr. Oyamada, now 41, started his non-profit.   He felt strongly that we needed to shift energy and create local communities....