CHIBA, Sept. 24 — THE FARM, a farm resort in Katori, Chiba Prefecture, which offers services including vegetable harvesting activities, hot springs and glamping, has set on a second home business. The firm plans to provide benefits for owners of the second homes, such as free vegetable harvest at the farm resort, so that they can experience farming lives. By attracting more people from outside the region, the firm hopes to revitalize idle land and vacant houses. The farm resort was established by Wago, a firm that processes and sells farm produce, in the city’s Nishitabe district in 2012 and has been operated by its affiliated company since 2016. It … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Sept. 18 — The Japan Gibier Promotion Association and major Japanese wine maker Mercian Corporation announced that they have launched a joint project to promote Japan’s wild game cuisine and wine made from domestically-grown grapes. The tastes of wine change according to terroir — the combination of natural factors like soil and climate — and the same is true for game meat, whose taste is significantly affected by the environment where the animals grow up. They plan to focus on the impact of terroir on their flavor to boost consumption of Japanese gibier and wine. According to the agriculture ministry, the number of deer and wild boars captured in … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Sep. 18 – Is that mushroom safe to eat? Every autumn, there is no end to people suffering from food poisoning from eating wild mushrooms. Mushroom poisoning typically peaks from September to November. Seeing one fatal case last year, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) is calling attention to it. According to the MHLW, Japan counted 595 mushroom-borne poisoning patients over the ten years until 2024. Among them, 566 cases were reported in September, October, and November, accounting for more than 90% of all cases. Over the past decade, up to 2024, the most common cause of mushroom poisoning in Japan was Omphalotus japonicus, commonly known as … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Sep. 13 – Aomori and Nagano Prefectures have appointed the members of Japan’s popular music band, Mrs. Green Apple, as Green Apple Ambassadors who promote the two leading apple-producing prefectures in Japan. The prefectures will start selling green apples in boxes exclusively designed with the band members nationwide and implement several other promotional activities. Prefectural Governors handed the letters of appointment to them at a ceremony held in Tokyo, where Motoki Omori, a singer and guitarist, told the press that he has an allergy to apples. “Though I cannot eat apples, I will do my best to promote consumption. I want to send messages to people all over Japan,” … Continue reading →

OSAKA, Sept. 11 ­­— A tasting event to enjoy animal-free ramen was held at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. The ramen dish uses noodles made from soybeans developed by Toyota Motor Corp., which is working on expanding consumption of domestically-grown soybeans, coupled with plant-based dashi soup created by Fuji Oil Co. The firms hope to contribute to boosting exports of Japanese food and consumption of domestic farm produce through providing products that meet the needs of people with diverse dietary habits such as vegetarians. Only 20 percent of the total amount of soybeans consumed by the people in Japan are produced domestically. Toyota has been cooperating with food manufacturers, … Continue reading →