Mikan (Japanese tangerines) were first grown in Wakayama and now grow in Shizuoka, Kumamoto, Nagasaki and Ehime as well as other locations in Japan.
The mikan grown in Ehime are, I believe, of the highest quality and the best to be found in Japan.
It is thought that mikan grow best where there is sunshine, sea breezes and where they get reflected light and warmth from surrounding rocks. This creates the warm dry soil that the mikan enjoy.




The farmer's work on Mikan farm throughout a year.
In January each year the trees are sprayed to protect them against insects and disease. This spraying is repeated at various times until just before the mikan are harvested in September. Old trees are cut down and removed to clear and tidy the orchard.
In June some of the mikan are picked and the trees are pruned to improve the size and quality of the remaining crop. The grass in the orchard is cut throughout the year to keep it tidy.
I have been working at my friends farm, where mikan are grown, for three years and would like to tell you about my time there.
A day in the life of a farmer’s wife during the harvest season:
5:00 am Get up and prepare food boxes for father-in-law’s breakfast and lunch.
6:30am Drive to the farm.
7:00-7:30am Start work on the farm.
10.00am Serve tea to the other farm workers.
4:00pm Finish work on the farm.
She then returns to the house to prepare dinner.
After this she will go to the warehouse where she will sort and pack the mikan.
9:00pm She will have dinner and a bath before washing clothes and any other housework.
1:00-2:00am She will be doing the accounts.
For the two months of the harvest season the farmer’s wife will only have three or four hours of sleep per night.



The farmer knows how hard farm work is and thinks about their son being a farmer as he wouldn’t like to be a farmer again in his next life.
Mikan farms are now reducing in numbers and are going to waste. They are vulnerable to damage by wild boars and other animals as well as severe weather. This year much damage was caused by a typhoon.
I think any country in which farmers can’t make a reasonable living or are not supported by government to protect agriculture is not good and has no future. After all food is the source of human life.

The Autumn Festival in my village, Shionashi, is held every year on the second weekend of October. Saturday is Festival Eve and Sunday is Festival Day.
On Saturday morning the Itsushika dance (5 deer dance) and the Karashishi (lion dance) are performed at the local shrine. This is followed by the dancers performing at each of the houses in the village one by one. It is similar to the scenes seen in the film “Fu-ten no Tora san” produced by Yoji Yamada.
When I was a child the Itsushika dancers were boys from the junior high school whilst Karashishi dance would be performed by men. Elementary school boys would dance the Taiko dance.
Now, due to depopulation, the dances have to be performed by both men and boys of all ages.

Typical Homemade Miso making

When I was a child, living on the Sadamisaki peninsula, the main crops grown around my village were wheat and sweet potatoes. The land here, used for the growing of crops, is mostly terraced and therefore is not suitable for growing rice.
In addition to farming wheat and sweet potatoes, farm women would also make Miso for their families.
Once, most farming families here would make miso at their house. However it takes a long time to prepare and make and therefore now fewer families go to the trouble of making their own. Instead they buy it ready made from the supermarket as it is easier and takes less time.
There are however 4 women here who still make their own miso at home using the same recipe that was used by their mothers. They want to pass on the method of making miso they use to the next generation to ensure the knowledge will not be lost.
During the summer they come to Ogata san’s house to make miso together. The miso they make is a little sweeter than other miso and is characteristic of miso made in this area.

This is how it is made:

Ingredients
Wheat (Barley)
Rice (non-glutinous rice)
Rice mould (koji)
Soya Beans
Salt


The Method

On the First Day, wash the wheat and the non-glutinous rice then pour them into a colander to drain.
Then pour them into a steamer and cover with a cloth. Steam for about 10-15 minutes.
Next take off the heat and empty onto a straw mat. Mix by hand and allow to cool.
Add the rice mould and stir well. Cover the mixture with paper and place under a futon for warmth and fermentation.


On the Second Day, after the mix has fermented for 24 hours stir again and leave to ferment for another day.
Put the beans into soak ready to use on day 3.


On the Third Day, cook the beans until they become soft, then mince them into a paste.
Mix the beans, fermented wheat and rice in a container. Crush them well to make sure there is no air trapped inside the mixture. Then place the mixture in a preservative type container. Cover the mixture with salt to protect it from deteriorating and to keep its colour and then seal the lid.
After a few weeks it will be ready to use.
In conclusion, the 3 days I spent with these ladies making miso was very enjoyable, as well as being educational. It was so nice to work together just as families and neighbours did in the past.


Typical “Village Food” using Miso.

Method:

1. Grill the fish and separate the meat and the bones.
2. Put the meat, Miso and some peanuts into a brender and brend well.
3. Make soup with the fish bones and add to the mixture.
4. Pour the soup mixture onto rice and garnish with chopped leek and sesame.