Oshima’s Local Farmers Market

Oshima, located about 120 kilometers south of Tokyo, is the largest of the Izu Islands and renowned for its volcano-molded landscape. Lured by the exotic environment, adventurers flock to the island to explore unique sights such as the black sand of the Ura Sabaku desert and Mount Mihara’s massive caldera. Apart from the rugged scenery, Oshima’s past volcanic activity has blessed the island with mineral-rich soil—fostering a food culture built on fresh and seasonal produce. At Buratto House, a farmers market located on the northern end of the island, visitors can experience this fruitful food culture firsthand.

Established in 2019, Buratto House is a farmers market that specializes in selling the islanders’ produce. In the rustic wooden establishment, shoppers can peruse fresh produce, such as vegetables and flowers, as well as processed products, such as milk and butter. The market’s adjoining cafe sells lucious gelato and soft serve ice cream, made from Oshima milk and flavored with seasonal ingredients. Apart from its main duties, the shop also aims to revitalize Oshima’s agricultural industry by branding products, utilizing idle farmland, and supporting local farmers. As a hub where local farmers can sell their produce, Buratto House is a key element in the island’s sustainable cycle of local production and consumption. Here, residents’ spending fuels the farmers’ livelihoods, ensuring that farmers can continue to grow crops and residents can continue to enjoy that produce.

In tandem with revitalizing the island’s farming industry, the market also aims to preserve Oshima’s food culture by selling and introducing people to produce unique to the Izu islands. Some examples include ashitaba, a leafy green, and tsubaki oil, an oil extracted from Japan-native camellia seeds. Arguably, one of Oshima’s most recognizable food specialties is kusaya a fish that is soaked in a fermented brine called “kusaya-sui” and dried, which is produced exclusively on the Izu Islands and renowned for its pungent odor. When we asked Tsutomu Chiba, the director of Buratto House about his favorite Oshima food, we could not help but chuckle when he responded with kusaya. “I can’t explain why I like it, but there’s something special about it. Once I start, I can’t stop eating it,” he shared with a smile. Unfortunately, as with many traditional practices, the number of people who know how to make kusaya is declining, making Chiba afraid that it may not exist in the future. By promoting this and other Oshima specialties, Chiba hopes that the Buratto House can help preserve these traditional food techniques and cuisines so future generations can continue to enjoy them.

In order to introduce tourists to, and thus help sustain, Oshima’s farming community, the Buratto House has launched multiple initiatives to connect visitors with farmers. Aside from selling local produce, the market also hosts seasonal events, such as onion harvesting. The facility has even started adding stories about local farmers to its website to further connect people with the local agricultural industry.

Undoubtedly, the market’s most popular and influential event is the Buratto Marche, which occurs four times a year. During this event, the facility transforms into a flea-market type setting and sells a diverse range of produce, as well as rare agricultural products. This event highlights Oshima’s food culture and also serves as a place where farmers and young business people can exchange ideas—facilitating an environment of learning, innovation, and change. These connections, where older generations pass on the island’s legacy to younger generations, are crucial to the island’s long-term sustainability. By raising visitors’ interests in the local food culture, Chiba hopes to inspire them to visit the island again.

Thanks to Oshima’s rich agricultural history, the Buratto House is a great place for tourists to not only experience the sustainable elements of the island’s farming culture, but support it.

Sustainable Alcohol-Making on Aogashima

Aogashima, the southernmost inhabitedIzu Island, is located approximately 360 kilometers south of Tokyo and is home to only about 170 residents. Characterized by a huge central crater, the island itself resembles a giant volcano cloaked in greenery. Here, verdant cliffsides juxtaposed against blue skies and waters are the norm, making it a one-of-a-kind destination for hiking, stargazing, and cultural exploration. Aside from its scenic beauty, one of Aogashima’s greatest lures is its locally produced aochu — a sweet potato shochu made exclusively on the island at Aogashima Shuzo. Located at the island’s northern end, this brewery has been crafting this island specialty since 1984.

Despite its relatively young age, the brewery’s traditional techniques extend far beyond its nearly 40-year history. Before the establishment of breweries on the island, it was customary for each family to brew their own aochu. Akira Okuyama, a toji or master brewer at Aogashima Shuzo, learned alcohol-making from his mother. This generational knowledge of shochu-making originated during the Edo period and today remains deeply intertwined with Aogashima’s food culture. Each brewer at Aogashima Shuzo learned alcohol-making techniques from their own family, making the brewery a hub where locals can come together to preserve the culture. “No one lives to make shochu,” Okuyama shared, “Everyone has a main job and then works as a brewer on the side to preserve the techniques. I’m an office worker!”

Despite today’s modernizations, Aogashima Shuzo still produces aochu following traditional methods. “Even though this method of shochu-making isn’t well known, it is important to preserve it as it represents centuries of heritage,” Okuyama said passionately. However, he is afraid that this method of alcohol-making will vanish. Today, mostly older people carry on these traditions as younger residents are less interested in the tough labor that goes into aochu-making. Through tourism, Aogashima Shuzo is looking to close this generational gap.

In keeping with its traditional practices, the brewery only uses locally grown potatoes for its aochu, which it grows itself and purchases from resident farmers. One of the brewery’s most important cultural events is its potato picking event, which generally occurs between October and November. During this event, participants help pick up potatoes after a machine digs them up. “Everyone on the island helps,” Okuyama shared. This event has even become popular among tourists, with some returning several years to participate. “It’s important to hold events like this one because they maintain connections between villagers and help bring tourists to Aogashima where they can support aochu,” Okuyama shared. The brewery also offers factory tours and sake tastings to introduce tourists to aochu culture.

To further connect with people on the mainland, Aogashima Shuzo attends events in central Tokyo about three times a year. During these events the brewery sells a variety of their handcrafted alcohol and offers guests opportunities to taste them. By exposing younger generations and people from different parts of the world to aochu, Aogashima Shuzo brings awareness to this niche island custom and demonstrates its commitment to cultural sustainability by carrying on the island’s legacy.

Since aochu’s brewing method originated during the Edo period when Aogashima received little imports, it is an excellent example of how sustainability, by necessity, was interwoven into the island’s food culture. As mentioned before, true aochu is only produced using locally grown ingredients. Interestingly, Okuyama also has a cattle business, which he integrates into the aochu making process. Their potato fields use cow manure as fertilizer, with any unusable potatoes recycled as food for the cows. This beneficial cycle wonderfully illustrates the island’s mindset of using resources efficiently. Residents on Aogashima even use the island’s geothermal heat vents to warm and cook food. This natural cooking process is a unique characteristic of Aogashima and a popular activity among tourists.

Needless to say, Aogashima’s commitment to past practices and current initiatives to maintain them for the future, make it an ideal place for tourists to practice sustainable tourism.

Hachijojima’s Famous Izakaya

Thanks to its subtropical environment, natural beauty, and refreshing onsens, Hachijojima is a nature-lover’s paradise. This small island, situated approximately 287 kilometers south of Tokyo, is home to the tallest peak of Tokyo’s islands—Mount Hachijo-Fuji—and offers a wealth of hiking opportunities. From the summit, which is accessible via a 1,280-step pathway, hikers can explore the circumference of the mountain’s caldera and admire breathtaking panoramas of Hachijojima against the sea. For centuries, this isolated, yet fruitful environment has nurtured a sustainable food culture built on fresh seafood and locally sourced produce. Today, visitors can experience this delectable cuisine at Ryozanpaku—one of the island’s most popular restaurants.

Ryozanpaku, located near the island’s eastern coast, is an over 30-year old izakaya (Japanese bar) that prides itself on serving Hachijojima’s cuisine. The establishment’s owner, a Hachijojima native, spent years perfecting the menu and today, offers an extensive selection of island specialities and innovative dishes. With a focus on seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, Ryozanpaku is not only representative of the Hachijojima’s food culture, but also exemplifies sustainability.

Without a doubt, one of the izakaya’s most popular dishes is its shima sushi, or island sushi. This colorful platter features a variety of island-caught fish and differs daily depending on the catches of the day. Given the dish’s popularity and limited quantities, guests are required to reserve it in advance. This respectful relationship between the restaurant’s needs and the ocean’s available resources wonderfully illustrates the island’s sustainable mindset. By limiting the amount of fish it sells per day, Ryozanpaku avoids overfishing, ensuring that it can fish off Hachijojima’s coast for years to come.

Apart from its sushi, Ryozanpaku is also famous for its ashitaba tempura. As mentioned previously, this leafy green is native to the Izu islands and has a celery-like taste. According to many satisfied customers, the airy crunch of the tempura perfectly complements the ashitaba’s bitter flavor. The izakaya even uses this renowned plant to flavor beer, which has become a local favorite! In addition to ashitaba beer, the restaurant also offers locally-produced sake, shochu, and Kahlua milk made with Hachijojima milk. By prioritizing locally sourced ingredients, Ryozanpaku reduces its need for imports, which limits unnecessary transportation and lowers fuel consumption, thus illustrating another sustainable aspect of Hachijojima’s food culture.

Aside from its eco-friendly food practices, Ryozanpaku also supports cultural sustainability by preserving the island’s food culture. Through its passionately crafted dishes, the restaurant creates connections between guests and food and establishes a legacy that stretches far beyond its physical boundaries. By doing so, Ryozanpaku ensures that Hachijojima’s food culture will continue for generations to come. Given its location on Hachijojima and use of local ingredients, the izakaya is also an excellent place for tourists to support the island’s economy, farmers, and food culture.

Similar to Tokyo’s other islands, Hachijojima’s long established food customs epitomize the core values of sustainability, making it an insightful destination where visitors can gain perspectives on a different way of life.

Sustainable Food Cultures Rooted in Respect

With the modern conveniences of everyday life, it is easy to take things for granted. Many people grab pre-made meals from convenience stores and enjoy their favorite packaged snacks without a second thought. However on Tokyo’s islands, where resources and imports are limited, these daily habits are luxuries. Even so, the islands’ food cultures, which are built on communal respect for the environments’ blessings, are far from lacking and illustrate the long enduring connections residents have with each other and their homes. With elements of environmental, economic, and cultural sustainability, the islanders’ lifestyles empower visitors with new perspectives and provide insights as to how Tokyo, Japan, and the world can live more sustainably.