2017-03-15

Japanese walnuts products from Iwate: March 15, 2017




Six years have passed after the Great East Japan Earthquake. People in the quake-hit areas -- Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures -- continue to struggle to recover from the damages. Many efforts are being made by NPOs, companies, local communities and individuals.

One of these efforts is Japanese walnuts (wagurumi) project carried out by Save Iwate, a NPO in Iwate Prefecture. I attended an event held in Mejiro, Tokyo, to promote the project.

The project started just after the quake in 2011. There are many Japanese walnuts trees in Iwate Prefecture and people can easily pick up the nuts even if they do not have special tools and skills. It was possible six years ago for those who were severely hit by the quake and tsunami disasters to collects the nuts.

Save Iwate organized a network to buy the walnuts from them.

The question was (is) how to sell the nuts. Japanese walnut has good taste and is believed to be healthier (than western walnuts). However, it is smaller and tougher. It is harder than western walnuts to crack the shell, which leads to be more costly.

One possibility to overcome the problem is to develop more attractive products from the nuts. Save Iwate has developed various products. They include:

Walnuts sweets, Walnuts soft cream,

Walnut liqueur (kurumi no osake)

and many others. The NPO is trying to develop more.







A lunch was served at the event. Japanese walnuts were used in all dishes. (see also the top photo)

Attendants to the event include specialists of the foods, those who are active in the activities to reactivate the local communities, consultants, media persons, and activist in Tohoku reconstruction activities. (see als the second photo from the top)





Please also visit
Six yeras after the quake (March 11, 2017)
Save Iwate @ Morioka, Sanriku Coast
3 years after the quake @ Iwate
Four and half years after the quake (Oct. 31- Nov.1, 2015)
Autumn scenes @ Iwate (Oct.31-Nov.1, 2015) 

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