Soybeans have long been one of the essential ingredients in the Japanese diet. Miso (soybean paste), soy sauce, tofu, natto (fermented soybeans), and many other diverse ways of eating soybeans exist in Japan, and it can be said that soybeans play a fundamental role in the Japanese diet. However, Japan's self-sufficiency rate for soybeans is only about 6% (MAFF: 大豆をめぐる事情). Japan is largely dependent on North America, with more than half of its soybean imports coming from the U.S., followed by Canada. Low self-sufficiency is a problem for many crops in Japan, but it is especially important to be able to produce and procure crops such as rice and soybeans, which have been the basis of the Japanese diet for a long time, in one's own country, and is one of the reasons why I am now strongly interested in agriculture.

One of the reasons for my interest in agriculture is my visit to Rome, Italy. In this article, I will introduce the agricultural situation in Italy, which differs from that in Japan in many aspects, interweaving my actual visit with my experience, and attempt to provide readers with an opportunity to think about Japanese agriculture from a different perspective.

Staying with WWOOFers for a week in a nature reserve outside of Rome

In June 2023, I found an unusual and intriguing lodging in Rome and stayed there for a week.

June 2023, photo by the author.

This place, called ALTRA TERRA, is located in the suburb of “Riserva Naturale della Marcigliana” (Natural Reserve of Marcigliana), just north of Rome. This is not just an inn, but a place to practice and explore a healthier and better way of life in harmony with nature. For example, they have a vegetable garden in their backyard to explore the possibility of using various farming methods in the area. Other activities include DIY projects for daily necessities through woodworking, and exchange events where people with common interests are invited to walk in nature and share a meal together.

ALTRA TERRA is both a base of operations and a living space for the two founders, one of whom studied environmental science at university and wanted to create a place to put it into practice, and the other, who has worked in the legal profession, started ALTRA TERRA with a single passion to explore a better way of life, away from professionalism. They live upstairs with their dogs. They lived upstairs with their dogs and I stayed on the first floor, where two WWOOFers were also staying: one was attending a university in Rome and the other was working as a yoga teacher while participating in ALTRA TERRA's activities.

WWOOF means “World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms,” in which farmers from all over the world and visitors who want to learn about organic farming live together, and the farmers get help and inspiration from the visitors. The farmers get help and inspiration from the visitors, and the visitors get to learn a lot through hands-on experience, especially organic farming, in addition to food and shelter. Visitors who participate in this activity are called WWOOFers.

June 2023, photo by the author.

I had the opportunity to observe the two founders of ALTRA TERRA and two WWOOFers in action under the same roof for a short period of one week, in a place that is simply a vast expanse of nature outside the house.

What they have in mind at ALTRA TERRA

Their activities always had harmony with nature in mind, and on top of that, they had a heart to explore how better living practices should be, and a desire to communicate this to people.

One WWOOFer told me that he had to become a vegetarian as a result of learning about the realities of animal husbandry. During my year-long solo trip around Europe and the United States, many people I met said they could not eat certain kinds of meat, mostly for religious reasons, and she may be the only vegetarian without religious reasons that actually existed.

Regarding farming methods, she introduced us to the concept of biodynamic farming, which is gaining attention as a method that is even more in harmony with nature than the natural farming methods advocated by the Japanese and the organic farming methods. She also showed us the actual cultivation using these methods in her backyard.

June 2023, photo by the author. A variety of plant species are grown next to each other in whorled rows, creating a synergistic effect among the plants and a good environment for the soil.

They grow various species of plants next to each other in whorled rows, creating a synergistic effect between plants and a good environment for the soil.

It was interesting to note that their activities are centered on a better way of life in harmony with nature, which has led them to explore nature and agriculture. In conversation with them, it was also pointed out that the nature of agriculture differs completely from region to region and that know-how must be cultivated in each region.

The idea of better living naturally leads to the search for agriculture, and if agricultural know-how differs from region to region, I, as a Japanese, have come to believe that it is necessary to learn and explore the know-how that has been cultivated in Japan's agriculture.

Considering Japanese agriculture and lifestyle through WWOOF trip

Recognizing the challenges of “fast food” in reducing awareness of food ingredients and diminishing the food culture of each region, Italy advocated “slow food” as the opposite concept. The delicious taste of authentic Italian cuisine, such as margherita pizza and carbonara, has been maintained through this concept and the creation of mechanisms to promote it. It is also interesting to note that the number of young Italians entering the farming industry has been increasing in recent years. It seems that there are still many things we can learn from Italian agriculture and other perspectives on Japanese agriculture.

On the other hand, when considering Japanese agriculture and lifestyle, the first important thing is to learn about the local farmers' farming and lifestyle that is suited to the local area. As a way to do so, WWOOF, which is also practiced in Japan, is recognized as an effective means. WWOOF in Japan is operated by WWOOF JAPAN on an annual membership fee basis, which allows you to approach farmers who are accepting farmers all over Japan. There is no limit to the length of stay, from a few days to over a month, and it is possible to visit many farmers for a week at a time. I would like to utilize the ecosystem like WWOOF established by our predecessors to further deepen my understanding of Japanese agriculture and lifestyle, and to think about how I can contribute to it.