Category Archives: Photos

【News】 Kale, the superfood, no longer bitter and awful vegetable People eat kale in soup or law in salad for beauty benefits (Apr. 25, 2016)

Kale is no longer just an ingredient of bitter unpleasant aojiru green juice. Today, it’s cool to eat kale salad or kale soup for its super high nutrition value above all. It’s 50 times richer in beta-carotene than cabbage (Beta-carotene helps maintain healthy skin.) The popularity of kale is as a superfood is growing in Japan mainly among young beauty-conscious women, following the endorsement of models and celebrities at home and abroad.

Posted in Photos | Comments Off on 【News】 Kale, the superfood, no longer bitter and awful vegetable People eat kale in soup or law in salad for beauty benefits (Apr. 25, 2016)

【News】 Beautiful cherry blossoms mirrored on rice field in Uda-shi, Nara Prefecture(Apr. 13, 2016)

A tree of full-blown cherry blossom is standing right next to a rice paddy, mirrored on the water and providing a magnificent view to both locals and tourists in Haibaramorokino, Uda-shi, Nara Prefecture. The tree of approximately 80 years old is also known as “Mirror Cherry Blossoms” as its reflection on the still water is so beautiful. The rice field belongs to a 78-year-old rice grower, Manji Sasaoka. On April 12, 2016, he was busy preparing for rice planting under the cherry blossoms in full bloom. “The blossoms and the water are in perfect harmony. Farmers here are getting older with many giving up their rice fields. But I want … Continue reading

Posted in Photos | Comments Off on 【News】 Beautiful cherry blossoms mirrored on rice field in Uda-shi, Nara Prefecture(Apr. 13, 2016)

【News】 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake keeping farmers away from home, damages on agriculture growing (Apr. 16, 2016)

The earthquake destroyed houses, downed hydro poles and pushed up manholes. It attacked farmers and their villages in the central part of Kyushu island while they were preparing for the coming busy season. Scores have been killed or injured by the strongest earthquake to hit Kyushu with a magnitude 7 in Mashiki-cho, Kumamoto Prefecture that knocked down houses and destroyed roads. These photos were taken on April 15, 2016, one day after the first major earthquake to reveal the earthquake’s devastating damages on the agricultural industry in the quake-hit area.

Posted in Photos | Comments Off on 【News】 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake keeping farmers away from home, damages on agriculture growing (Apr. 16, 2016)

【News】 Citizens’ groups protest against heavily redacted TPP documents (Apr. 14, 2016)

As deliberations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement are expected to resume in the Diet, citizens’ groups gathered in Tokyo’s Nagatacho district on Wednesday, April 13, urging the government to disclose the details of the TPP negotiations. Citizens and farmers, angered by the government which presented heavily redacted documents concerning the negotiations, stood outside the Diet building, calling for thorough debate on the issue. As many as 200 people participated in the rally hastily planned by citizens’ groups including Stop TPP!!, although the notice was released as late as Tuesday evening. They put up copies of the redacted documents along with signs and banners criticizing the government for hiding information. … Continue reading

Posted in Photos, Trade Talks | Comments Off on 【News】 Citizens’ groups protest against heavily redacted TPP documents (Apr. 14, 2016)

【Series】Noh no IKEBANA Let’s exhibit respective characters of each material (1) Arranging root vegetables respecting strength of earth (Apr. 1, 2016)

“Noh no Ikebana” is a type of Japanese flower arrangements in which farmers arrange agricultural products using agricultural implements and other familiar instruments as containers. In this series of articles, experts of “Noh no Ikebana” from all over Japan will demonstrate how you can best arrange the materials and containers you choose. Keiko Kowata, 79, Iwate Prefecture, has 40 years of experience in Noh no Ikebana. Root vegetables are suitable for the arrangement to be displayed for a long period of time, as they often require no water. In autumn, you can use fresh vegetables with leaves in order to celebrate harvest season. In winter, it will be interesting to … Continue reading

Posted in Noh no Ikebana, Photos | Comments Off on 【Series】Noh no IKEBANA Let’s exhibit respective characters of each material (1) Arranging root vegetables respecting strength of earth (Apr. 1, 2016)