In this second installment of Domingo's month-long collaboration with towns in Hokkaido, we take a closer look at the town of Memuro!
For four weeks, we will provide you with information on how to enjoy the town and its specialties.

The town of Brimuro is a major producer of wheat, sugar beets, sugar beets, and beans, which are known as the "four crops of Tokachi".
About 41% of the total area of the town is arable land, and the food self-sufficiency rate is said to be as high as 1,200%.
The area of arable land per farmer is as large as 35.1 ha! This is an astonishing figure, which means that one farmer manages an area equivalent to about 7.5 times the size of the Tokyo Dome.

Image courtesy of Namara Tokachino

This week, the third week of the series, we focus on the people who are "working to shorten the distance between producers and eaters" in the town of Brimuro, the kitchen of Japan's food culture, in the first and second parts!
In this first part, we introduce "Namara Tokachino," a producer with a passionate desire to "deliver vegetables directly to customers.

Delivering delicious vegetables grown in the fertile Tokachi Plain to people all over Japan!

Namara Tokachino" is a group of farmers formed by 13 farmers in the vast Tokachi Plain, now organized by 18 farmers.
The name "Namara Tokachino" is a combination of "Namara," meaning "very" in the Hokkaido dialect, "Tokachi" for the Tokachi Plain, and "field" for vegetables, and it expresses their wish to "deliver very tasty vegetables grown in the fertile Tokachi Plain to everyone in Japan. The name "Namara Tokachino" is a combination of "Tokachi" for "Tokachi" and "No" for vegetable.

Image courtesy of Namara Tokachino

In addition to the "four field crops of Tokachi," such as wheat, sugar beet, potato, and beans, the farmers also try their hand at growing a variety of other vegetables, including lily root, bell peppers, tomatoes, yams, and garlic.
With "safety, security, and deliciousness" as our natural standards, our mission is to pass on to the next generation agriculture that will lead to the future, in other words, agriculture itself, which is our livelihood, and to create a good environment where good fields, good vegetables, and everyone involved can experiment.

18 growers with passion

Namara Tokachino is organized by 18 farmers who have a passionate desire to connect agriculture in Tokachi to the future and deliver delicious vegetables.

Image courtesy of Namara Tokachino

The vegetables they are proud of are: thick and large bell peppers, edamame (green soybeans) with rich flavor and richness, sweet and juicy sweet corn, lily bulb with gentle sweetness and a soft texture, medium-sized tomatoes with the best balance of sweet and sour, mildly spicy and elegantly fragrant mountain wasabi, burdocks with little scum that can be eaten raw, deep and sweet potatoes, and snow-molded winter potatoes with a deep and sweet flavor. We produce vegetables with a special attention to detail, such as potatoes that have been stored in snow chambers for overwintering, and once you try them, you will never forget their taste.

Image courtesy of Namara Tokachino

We interviewed Mr. Takamichi, a member of "Namara Tokachino.

Mr. Takamichi

Why "Namara Tokachino" was established?

Mr. Takamichi said, "Originally, I thought that the future of agriculture was very unstable, and I wondered how I could protect the farmland and farming that had been handed down from generation to generation. I want to make farming my livelihood and eat food for the rest of my life, so I wanted to connect directly with the people who eat our food by having them choose Namara Tokachino."

If participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) results in foreign products being sold at a lower price and the price of Japanese products becoming relatively higher, Tokachi agriculture will not be able to continue to be affected to a significant degree. Even under such circumstances, he says, he has thought of a way to connect the baton of agriculture that has been passed on to the next generation.

He says, "If we have people who choose to buy vegetables from 'Namara Tokachino' and say, 'I want vegetables from Namara Tokachino! we can continue farming as a livelihood for ourselves and future generations. In order to achieve such sustainable agriculture, we have organized "Namara Tokachino" as a joint-stock company and are working hard to increase sales options to deliver delicious vegetables to our customers.

For example, "Namara Tokachino Marche," in which vegetables are sold directly by the producers themselves at 7-Eleven stores in the town of Brimuro,

We also sell vegetables through the "Namara Tokachino" online store.

Namara Tokachino" online store

We are able to supply a stable supply even when shortages occur due to weather and other factors, because we work together with our colleagues, each of whom has their own growth conditions. Because we work as a company, we can ship in large lots, and it is easy to build a relationship of trust. says Mr. Takamichi.
Ito-Yokado Obihiro and MaxValu stores have "Namara Tokachino corners," and food delivery services such as Oisix also carry the product.

In addition, the "Memuro Vegetable Nouveau" program is underway, in which seasonal vegetables from Memuro are delivered to restaurants in the town every 24th day of the month and offered to customers. The most delicious seasonal vegetables are arranged by culinary professionals. This is the kind of luxury you can enjoy in Memuro Town.

Through repeated practice and research, we are able to produce vegetables that we can confidently say are "insanely delicious! I can say with confidence that our vegetables are "insanely delicious!

I grow and sell vegetables with the belief that "Namara Tokachino's vegetables are extremely tasty! That's why we grow and sell them.

One of Takamichi Farm's prized vegetables is the tomato. They produce medium-sized tomatoes with a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, as well as the Aiko variety, which is sweeter and has an elongated shape.

I have been growing tomatoes for a long time, and I have an ideal flavor. I have an ideal taste for tomatoes. I'm trying to achieve the same taste I once achieved, but sometimes I think, 'Oh, I haven't reached that level this year. Why is that? How can I get closer to that flavor? Every year, I research and make it.

When they don't reach their ideal, they don't just say, "That's good enough," but instead continue to research and practice in pursuit of the best taste. The result of such tireless efforts is the delicious vegetables of "Namara Tokachino.
The vegetables grown at Takamichi Farm are wheat, potatoes, azuki beans, and other beans, which are among the four field crops of Tokachi. They also grow many other vegetables such as edamame, string beans, tomatoes, yams, pumpkins, garlic, cabbage, and sweet corn.
At the time of the interview (early July), garlic was in season. They harvested "fresh garlic," which is fresh and fragrant before it is dried, and is only available during this season.

On the day of the interview, the garlic was just about ready to be harvested. They are very magnificent!

Freshly harvested garlic is larger and more beautifully colored than what you usually see at the supermarket, and has a very strong aroma.
It was a very tasty garlic that could be enjoyed not only as an aromatic vegetable but also as a vegetable.

Mr. Takamichi especially recommends the "Namara Tokachino" vegetable, "Super-ripe Kitaakari.

These potatoes have been ripened for two years after harvesting. During the ripening process, the "starch" in the potato is converted into "sugar," resulting in a very sweet and moist potato.

The Domingo editorial staff ordered 10 kg of the potatoes immediately after the interview and has been using them in various dishes such as stews, baked potatoes, meat and potatoes, miso soup, etc. The potatoes are so sweet that one wonders if they are really potatoes! The potatoes are so sweet, moist, and delicious. They are also perfect for stewed dishes as they do not fall apart easily.
We hope you will give them a try!
Namara Tokachino" Online Shop

Mr. Takamichi's thoughts on his job as a farmer

I am the third generation of a farmer, and since I was a child, I naturally liked farming and wanted to do it. I enjoyed and liked helping my father, and I also loved vehicles. My father used to give me rides from the time I was little. We used to have livestock, so at first he would let me use the shovel to scoop up the straw for the cattle, and when I got older, he would let me ride on the tractor!

When I got older, they let me ride on the tractor!" His daily routine was to help out at work as soon as he got home from school. Mr. Takamichi, who loved cars, enjoyed being able to operate a real vehicle, not a miniature one. The more effort he put into helping out, the more relaxed he felt about some parts of his work. ......

He said, "I enjoyed helping out so much that I did nothing but help, and I didn't really study. One day, when I left my school bag behind after school and walked behind my father, he was furious with me and said, 'You should study! I was told, "You should study! I remember being surprised and thinking, "I'm not allowed to help him today? I remember being surprised (laughs).

Mr. Takamichi has always valued his relationships with people. I was very impressed by the fact that he said it is an asset to be invited to various things, including Namara Tokachino, and to be approached by people.
In starting, moving, and giving shape to things, it is essential to make connections that are filled with feelings rather than just being able to study.
I was impressed by your story, which made me think, "I want to do something with you, Mr. Takamichi! He had a passionate heart and a wonderful smile that made us think, "I want to do something with Mr. Takamichi!

Conclusion

What did you think?
We learned that the vegetables grown in the vast land of Tokachi are the result of repeated efforts of research and practice, and a passionate desire to sustain the rich agricultural heritage of Tokachi that has been passed down from generation to generation.
After hearing their story, Domingo's editorial staff changed the way they look at vegetables, buying vegetables from "Namara Tokachino" online and purchasing Hokkaido vegetables at supermarkets as well.

In the next article, we will introduce a person who is working on "efforts to shorten the distance between producers and eaters" from a different angle!
Also, next week, we will introduce a "new specialty product" from the town of Brimuro and a gift campaign!
We will update it every week, so don't forget to check back.