insights from frontier Japan

On May 5, backcountry skiers visited Mt. Oputateshike (2,013 m), at the northern end of the Tokachi Volcanic Group, and skied down the abundant snow that remains on the steep slope from the summit, amid the sunshine.

At Lake Kuttari in the town of Shintoku located in the Eastern Hokkaido Tokachi region, holes have been cut in the frozen lake to replicate the "avanto" practice of bathing in cold river water after enjoying a sauna, in place of a cold-water bath. A staff member from the Embassy of Finland, the birthplace of the avanto custom, visited on February 7. The staff member bathed in the Lake Kuttari avanto and expressed awe at, "the sensation of free openness that feels like you are becoming one with nature."

Two cheeses – ‘Sakura-no-Affine’ produced by the Kyodo Gakusha Shintoku Farm (Shintoku), and ‘Raclette’ produced by NEEDS (Makubetsu) – have won the Gold Award at the World Cheese Awards 2021, one of the world’s most influential international cheese shows. Including these two products, a total of four products from three cheese factories in the Tokachi region received high-ranking prizes.

To escape the midsummer heat, I climbed up to the base of the approximately one thousand-meter tall Mt. Tokachidake. There, along the steep scree slope with small and large rocks piled atop each other, I heard a high pitched "Eeep! Eeep!" cry and saw the approximately 15 centimeter long body of a pika.

Harvesting of local Shintoku town soba (buckwheat) began on August 19 at the Fukuyama farming area of the Shintoku Bussan Sahoro Farm.

"Yuumu Farm" located in the Kamisahoro area of the town of Shintoku successfully grew hydroponic melons using surplus heat from livestock manure biogas energy generation. Now they are trying their hand at cultivating bananas, a tropical fruit, under the desire to, "Dare to dream of growing an awe-inspiring fruit."

Livestock farmers are exercising ingenuity to protect cows from heat as summer grows hotter.