OSAKA, Sept. 17 — As Harvest Moon, the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox, appeared on Sept. 17, production of tsukimi dango — rice dumplings that are traditionally displayed and eaten in Japan during the tsukimi moon-viewing festivals — is in full swing at Kouseido, a Japanese sweets shop in Osaka. During the moon-viewing festivals, which celebrate the rice harvesting season, the white, round dumplings are piled in a pyramid shape as an offering to the moon. The shop offers two types of dumplings — those shaped like rabbits and ones covered with anko sweet red bean paste, resembling a moon shrouded in clouds. In Japan, the dark outline visible … Continue reading →

SAITAMA/IBARAKI, Sept. 10 — How about “drinking” yakiimo baked sweet potatoes? Some restaurants and breweries have started offering the popular winter delicacy as drinks and liquors. Minamimachi Coffee, a café in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, a major sweet potato producing region, offers Yakiimo Latte, made by baking Japan-grown sticky-type sweet potatoes and mixing them with milk. Sweet potatoes grown in Kawagoe are also used between November and March. The 600-yen drink is proving popular among tourists visiting the city famous for the traditional warehouse-lined streets. Kotaro Bussan, a café and farm produce shop in Hokota, Ibaraki Prefecture, is a pioneer of sweet potato drinks, selling Nomu Yakiimo (“baked sweet potato that … Continue reading →

OSAKA, Sep. 10 – A self-serve sake vending machine at an antenna shop for Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui Prefectures in Japan’s Hokuriku region, is attracting attention. The shop, Hokuriku+ (Hokuriku plus), is located in KITTE Osaka, a large-scale commercial complex that opened in July near the west exit of JR Osaka Station to attract the attention of consumers to the three prefectures in the northwestern part of the main island of Japan. The self-serve sake dispensers make sake tasting a lot easier, costing only 300 yen per 40-milliliter cup. It is part of the campaign to increase the number of visitors to the area around the recently extended part of … Continue reading →

HOKKAIDO, Sept. 7 — Production of pelletized compost Shimizu Yuki is in full swing at a composting facility of JA Tokachi Shimizu, an agricultural cooperative in the town of Shimizu in Hokkaido. The pelletized compost is produced by mixing cattle and chicken manure collected in Shimizu, a major dairy farming region. The pellets are spread out on the ground in front of the composting facility to be sun-dried as part of the finishing process. Summer is the season best fit for pelletized compost production because the product can be manufactured at lower energy costs thanks to high temperatures that speed up fermentation and strong sunlight that helps drying. As production … Continue reading →

ISHIKAWA, Sep. 8 – In Shiroyone Senmaida rice terraces in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, approximately 100 rice paddy owners and high school students harvested rice on September 7 for the first time after the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Most of the 1004 rice terraces suffered damage, including cracks, from the earthquake on Jan. 1. Shiroyone Aiko Kai, the local group responsible for maintaining the terraces, restored approximately 120 before the plowing season. A group of locals volunteered to plant rice in May. Paddy owners chose Noto Hikari, an early season variety developed by the prefecture to secure longer time for restoration works after harvesting. The rice harvest began on September 3 … Continue reading →