Akaigawa Village
Kazuhiko Takimoto

It was more than 100 years ago that a head of the Takimoto family two generations ago got moved into Niseko, Hokkaido from Kamiyama, Tokushima. Takimoto produces delicious asparagus by organic farming in the land of Akaigawa-mura.

A leading expert in the field of organic asparagus production on a fertile ground

“Because part-time workers who have been moving around throughout Japan while being engaged in kelp fishing, salmon processing, harvesting of satsuma mandarin, sugarcane, communicate with each other and gather here, there is no shortage of manpower and it is helpful for me,” says Takimoto.
His agricultural career is 50 years. In this area, he produces organic asparagus, garlic, blueberry, and others. “Farmers should not to do the same things as everyone else. It is better not ordinary person and a little bit strange. Even if I say to accept new farmers, they will not come to me first. “because I myself am 'a weird person,’” he laughs.
Originally it was soil characteristics with few insect pests and delicious crops grew without using pesticides. One day, when he read the newspaper, he noticed that what he is doing is organic farming, and obtained organic JAS certification. He is a leading expert of organic asparagus production in Hokkaido. Besides, he has kept producing garlic for 40 years and processing black garlic, too.
“The grain is small as compared to Aomori-grown but it is characterized by strong taste and aroma. It has a sweet taste like pollen. It's not hard to produce because the composition of poultry manure is also decided, unless you are concerned about grains and size.”
Although it is not limited to Asparagus, it is difficult if a person without experience tries to make something by organic, but using seedlings is not too difficult. “I am not particular about fertilizers and I want to lower the hurdle of making asparagus even a little. My philosophy of agriculture?” I think ‘I work in summer and I don’t work in winter’”
“The goodness here is the splendor of the environment, the beautiful water flows from the upstream riverside where people do not live, the fireflies fly in the early summer. The living comfort will be the best.”

Interviewed in April, 2017
Writer : Hideko Takahashi / Photographer : Hiroyuki Tamura