Series
Vol. 26: Yakihata Turnips
Swidden agriculture, known in Japanese as yakihata ("burned field") farming, has been conducted in Japan for several centuries. In contrast to the destructive slash-and-burn farming seen in some parts of the world, it is a sustainable practice in harmony with the forest ecosystem. Moreover, turnips grown in swiddens are highly nutritious, brightly colored, and, above all, delicious.
Read More …Vol. 24: Pan-Fired Tea (2)
Japanese tea owes its green color to the lack of fermentation. While steamed teas are far more common, there is another kind of unfermented tea that has a stronger aroma: pan-fired tea, or kamairicha . The second installation of a two-part series, this article discusses the tea varieties grown in Japan and takes readers to another small village where residents privately produce kamairicha.
Read More …Vol. 24: Pan-Fired Tea (1)
Japanese tea owes its green color to the lack of fermentation. While steamed teas are far more common, there is another kind of unfermented tea that has a stronger aroma: pan-fired tea, or kamairicha . The first installation of a two-part series, this article explores the history of this aromatic tea and visits producers in Kumamoto Prefecture.
Read More …Vol. 23: Japanese Shorthorn Cattle
Lean and flavorful, Japanese Shorthorn beef is popular with many connoisseurs of good food. It was approved as a native breed of Japan in 1957. But production has plummeted with the liberalization of beef imports in 1991, and today Japanese Shorthorns make up less than one percent of the total beef cattle population in Japan.
Read More …Vol. 22: Japanese Honeybee
Japanese honeybees are a subspecies of the Asian honeybee native to Japan. But although honey is a kitchen staple in Japan as in many other countries, most of the honey is imported, and even the domestic honey is largely produced using European honeybees. The island of Tsushima retains a thriving population of Japanese honeybees and is home to a growing honey industry.
Read More …