TokudAw Inc.’s Charity Rice Planting Project
Why did we create this Charity Rice Planting Project?
As a non-Japanese living in Japan for the past 13 years and counting, I have encountered my fair share of challenges and difficult moments. Fortunately, I am very lucky to have the support of family, friends and colleagues to either sit by me through the hard times, or offer me a helping hand to support me to where I am today.
This is why that after I created my company, I wanted to have an initiative to help other non-Japanese living in Japan who are in need. I also wanted to produce a tour that allowed non-Japanese have an opportunity to interact with the local Japanese for mutual cultural exchange and also enjoy a tour that has some Japanese element and learn something new. (yes, I admit that I am ambitious and want to achieve many things at all the same time)
What is the Charity Rice Planting Project?
This rice planting trip is a charity trip where 5kg of newly harvested organic rice from each tour participant would be donated to non-Japanese in economically difficult situations in Japan via official charitable organizations.
We meet up three times a year (Spring, Autumn and Winter) to carry out this rice planting trip. Feel free to join us all three times or any time that you are available.
Note: The rice donated is purchased from the rice field that you have worked on during your rice planting tour.
TokudAw Inc.’s Charity Rice Planting Project is part of the Field of Dreams Project. Left: At Expat Expo Tokyo 2021 presenting about the Field of Dreams. TokudAw exhibited information about our Charity Rice Planting Tour. From left to right: Mr. Keijiro Sorimachi (Director of Field of Dreams Project), Mr. Kazuhisa Tokuda and Wanping Aw (Managing directors of TokudAw Inc.) Right: 50kg of rice donated to refugees in Japan as part of the Field of Dreams Project. (Image credit: TokudAw Inc.)
Where is the Charity Rice Planting Project held?
The Charity Rice Planting Project is held at Tomi City, Nagano Prefecture, where everything related to rice takes place at Namonai-nouka Farmer with no name) where the rice farmers Mr and Mrs Hirota, affectionately called kā-san and tō-san by the locals, will treat you like part of their family for a day. Namonai-nouka practices organic and sustainable farming where no single part of the rice harvesting goes to waste. All the food served is harvested from their own farm and grown organically by the Hirota family. All the food is also lovingly handmade.
Main gate of Namonai-nouka at Tomi City, Nagano Prefecture (Image credit: TokudAw Inc.)
Why did we choose to partner with Namonai-nouka?
Firstly, we have never met rice farmers who loved and respected their crops so much. Even before they cook the rice, the rice is washed gently without rubbing the rice grains together. They also practice sustainable farming where nothing from the rice goes to waste. Rice bran is used as organic fertilizer for the fields and straw from the rice stalks are used to make household goods like coasters and brooms. They have also been organic farmers for the past 18 years and do not use any chemicals and pesticides. As such, their field is so safe that you can go in barefoot, even if you have sensitive skin.
Koshi-hikari and Ise-hikari are one of the few rice varieties planted at Namonai-nouka. Some of these newly harvested rice would be donated to non-Japanese in financially difficult situations in Japan. (Image credit: TokudAw Inc., Photograph taken and conceptualized by Masa Tanahashi)
What can you experience during the Charity Rice Planting Project?
In the winter version of the rice tour that was held in Feb 2022, we used newly harvested rice to make gohei-mochi, a local dish available in mountainous areas such as Aichi, Nagano, and Gifu. The rice used in our gohei-mochi was threshed and winnowed the night before to ensure maximum freshness of the rice used! We spread walnut miso as walnuts are a specialty in Tomi City and miso fermented with rice koji from Namonai-nouka. The freshly winnowed rice, cooked in clean Nagano water on a traditional kama fueled by the locally sourced bamboo was so heavenly!! Namonai-nouka has such a nice living room that toasts up very nicely in the 1pm sun. We were so satisfied and sleepy after lunch that all we wanted to do was to be cats and curl up in their living room for an afternoon nap. After lazing around for awhile and relaxing, we moved on to our straw craft lesson and learnt how to make our mini-brooms.
Roasting the gohei mochi over fire before we spread walnut miso. Very pleased with the mini-brooms we have made. Mrs Hirota, ka-san in the middle. (Image credit: TokudAw Inc.)
There are just so many things to experience in this Charity Rice Planting Project and it is a wonderful opportunity to learn about sustainable organic rice farming, have fun and also help other non-Japanese at the same time.
You can find out more about this project on our website or #charityriceplantingproject and #tokudawinc on Instagram, Facebook or Youtube.
