Taro Wakayama is the owner of Wakayama Farm, an exceptional place in Utsunomiya. This city can be reached in one hour by Shinkansen from Tokyo. Despite the name having the word “farm,” this is the last carefully tended bamboo forest in Japan. A few years ago, it started welcoming visitors on its ground. Mr. Wakayama tells us about the rich history of this forest, what makes bamboo so unique, why it is linked to societal problems, and why he wants people to know and love bamboo. A Long Familial History What kind of place is Wakayama Farm? Wakayama Farm is located in Kunimoto, a place in the northern…
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