about OUR FARMERS
Yusando
NARA, JAPAN
Ryotaro Isozaki applies his background in eastern philosophy to his daily life in farming. He runs his farm in a century-old folk house nestled in the mountains of Nara where he strives to create every natural ingredient involved in tea ceremony. Whether it be the tea itself, rice for sake, food being served, or even the delicately grown trees for charcoal, his vision is endless.
At the core of Isozaki's tea business is a strong desire to "create tea that supports our health and is kind to the earth." He finds it crucial for the tea industry to return to methods that harness nature's inherent strength in order to carry on the culture of tea ceremony. His dream is to open a tea shop in Kyoto and share his passion for tea.
Kissyouen
Ujitawara, kyoto
Akira Nakamura began his agricultural journey two decades ago when he first started learning modern, large-scale farming. However, his discontent with using chemical pesticides and fertilizers moved him to apprentice at a local farm that specialized in fertilizer and pesticide-free natural farming.
Following his apprenticeship, he returned home to Kyoto and began independently producing vegetables using the methods he learned. To make ends meet he works night shifts at the rail yard and as a part-time tea harvester. “I was deeply moved by the beautiful scenery of tea harvesting and realized my deep love for the plant itself. With a desire to share this feeling with people around the world, I dedicate myself daily to perfecting our taste.”
Today his teas are enjoyed across Japan and by world renowned tea master, Tsuruko Hanzawa.
Coba Farm
Hyogo, JAPAN
Kazumasa Kobayashi began his journey as a high school teacher in health and physical education, stressing the importance of mental and physical health. However as the years went by, he became concerned about the state of lifestyle-related diseases amongst the Japanese youth.
In searching for a solution, he stumbled upon the idea of natural farming. “I had never considered becoming a farmer, but after hearing the natural farmer’s words, I felt compelled to apply these principles to my own family’s ancestral rice fields.”
With no prior experience, he dove head first into learning natural farming techniques and striving to create the best produce possible. He is now a beloved farmer in his community and is constantly evolving his farm through education programs as well as addressing issues of agricultural depopulation in his region by actively taking on abandoned farmland.
Natural Farm Morioka
Iwate, Japan
Yoshiteru Shimizu was introduced to the concept of natural farming in 1996. His interest led him to embark to the US to study the methods and philosophy of natural farming. By coming to the US, he was able to observe the American agriculture system up close and learn the challenges while also seeing what changes he could make. Upon returning to Japan, he started farming on a rented 30 acre field to implement his newly acquired knowledge.
Today he is the co-founder of his own farm. A central part of his operation is to nurture and educate the next generation of farmers both directly through hands-on teaching, and indirectly by facilitating seed storage.