In 2021, I did my first interview with Go Nakano, CEO and founding member of the peanut butter company Happy Nuts Day. He talked about creating products that reflected his values and hoped to encourage the birth of new regional ventures in Japan. In Spring 2022, Happy Nuts Day announced that they were about to…
Driving in Japan: Thoughts and Tips
Japan is famous for its comprehensive, efficient, and punctual (for the most part) public transportation system. However, when it comes to reaching more remote areas or experiencing some of the country’s unrivaled scenic locales, you’re going to need a car. Before you get behind the wheel, check out our roundtable discussion for three unique international…
Top 5 Sustainable Hotels and Lodgings Throughout Japan
The concept of sustainability is having a remarkable renaissance in Japan. Visitors and locals alike are increasingly interested in ecotourism, agrotourism, and promoting traditional Japanese culture. Here are five recommendations for sustainable stays beyond Tokyo and other major urban areas with uniquely Japanese twists. Enjoy yourself and also help the community by lodging here! Stay…
Get Away from the Crowded Cities: Take These 3 Trips in Japan This Fall (Autumn)
Japan is arguably the best to visit in the fall. The muggy rainy (and typhoon) season is over, so the weather is not too hot but not too cold. And more importantly, the leaves changing color in Japan are stunning! This year, you’re in luck. The Japanese government removed its most stringent Covid-era travel restrictions,…
How Ikkyu Built Trust with Kyushu Tea Producers
Aldo and Joëlle arrived in Japan more than ten years ago. Attached to good terroir, they wanted to import Italian products. However, unpredictable events made them move to Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu. There, they fell in love with the local green tea and, with some friends, they ended up founding Ikkyu, an online…
Cooking Vegetables from Higa Farm
Last summer, we asked our readers to vote for which vegetables to grow on our lot at Higa Farm. Some of the respondents, provided they currently lived in Japan, could get a chance to win some of the vegetables grown on the farm. Melanie is one of the winners and received her vegetables last winter….
Saving the Cats of Amami Oshima Island
Amami Oshima cats live on an island between Kyushu and Okinawa, blessed with hot weather, white beaches, beautiful sea, corals, and a tropical forest with unique fauna and flora. In 2021, it became a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, it is lesser known for its “feral cat management plan,” a euphemism for culling cats that…
The Truth about Eshima Ohashi
You may have seen pictures of the Eshima Ohashi Grand Bridge online without knowing where it was, or if it was fake. Here is a short summary of facts and the truth about this mysterious-looking bridge. What is the Eshima Ohashi Grand Bridge? The Eshima Ohashi Grand Bridge is a bridge in Japan built over…
Buying an Akiya or Vacant House in Japan
Akiya, or vacant houses in Japan, have become a hot topic on international news websites. Articles about Japan giving away countryside houses for free or for 500 US dollars have fueled the dreams of people desiring to come and live in the Japanese countryside. Reality is much more complex—although rural real estate in Japan can…
The Importance of Good Soil
Here is the end-of-the-year report from the Kokoro Media field. Last time, Masamichi, the organic farmer, showed us how to select the most vigorous plants just by looking at the buds. This time, he shows us how the plants have grown, and tells us about the importance of making good soil for organic farming. More…