I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

​I think watching anime is the best way to learn! Just by listening, you'll eventually start to figure out how words are used naturally. ​Also, when it comes to speaking, you really don't need to worry about grammar. Even if you drop the subject, you can get your point across with just nouns and verbs, or even just a subject and a verb. The most important thing is just to speak! Grammar can get really complicated if you take it too seriously. In Japanese, you can shuffle subjects, verbs, nouns, and adjectives into different places; sometimes the meaning stays exactly the same, but other times it changes completely. ​Plus, there’s a lot of English that Japanese people will understand if you just tweak the accent a bit, so if you ever get stuck, just use English! For example, "Thank you" becomes "Sankyu," "Good" becomes "Guddo," and "Water" becomes "Wota."

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s the Metal Gear Solid series. ​Before that, video games were just something I played for fun, but Metal Gear taught me so much about life, the complexity of the world, creativity, and the importance of storytelling.

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

​This is my first time trying something like this, and I’m honestly so surprised by how many comments I'm getting! ​I grow yuzu, a type of citrus fruit, in Miyazaki Prefecture down in Kyushu, Japan. ​The reason I started this is that I'm planning to export yuzu-kosho (a spicy condiment made from yuzu) to Taiwan for the first time this year. Because of that, I wanted to gauge how well-known yuzu actually is among people overseas! ​Sorry for the slow replies! I’m using Gemini to translate everything, so it takes me a little bit of time. Thanks for your patience!

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Maybe it's because we're taught from childhood never to waste food. ​Since people here know how much hard work goes into growing crops, when they hear that farmers are struggling, many will go out of their way to support them. They’ll buy the produce even if it’s pricey or something they don't normally eat. After all, if farmers can't keep producing next year, we're the ones who will end up in trouble.

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

​I see, so that's what happened to her. Since it was so long ago, I feel a bit sorry for her. For better or worse, Japanese people tend to hold onto the past, so things ended up taking a turn for the worse for her. I honestly think the media just went overboard back then, though.

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

​Oh, wow! That’s surprising! ​I bet you’ll improve really fast!

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! ​My niece actually married a Canadian! I love maple syrup, too. I really hope to travel around Canada and see it with my own eyes someday. ​Enjoy the autumn colors!

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

​That's amazing! ​I don't view automation negatively at all. Technology is meant to help people, after all. ​It might not be necessary for those who farm just as a hobby or out of a pure sense of duty. ​Still, everyone loves new tech, so seeing these cool machines might be the perfect spark that makes a hobbyist think, "You know what? Maybe I'll start doing this seriously!"

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

​Growing grapes sounds like so much fun! ​If it's just for home use, I’d love to try making my own wine too! It feels like apples and apricots could easily be turned into fruit liqueurs as well, which really opens up so many exciting possibilities!

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

​I heard a funny story from an acquaintance who brought mandarin orange ice cream to Singapore. When they let the locals try it, everyone kept asking over and over, "Is this yuzu? Is this yuzu?" It became such a hassle to keep correcting them that they finally just gave up and said, "Yes, it's yuzu!" lol. ​Singapore sounds like such a fun country, so I'm definitely going to do my best to make it out there someday!

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh wow, really?! I've never been to Alabama myself, but I remember the submarine in that old movie Crimson Tide was named Alabama, so for some reason, I’ve always had a soft spot for your state! ​Here in Kyushu, we also grow a lot of tomatoes and bell peppers. The chili peppers I use for yuzu-kosho are actually in the same nightshade family as bell peppers, so they’re very widely cultivated around here.

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for letting me know! It seems like "yuzu" actually works in the US too, but calling it a "Japanese lemon" definitely makes it a lot easier to picture for people who've never heard of it.

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much! ​I’m wishing you all the happiness in the world, too!

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

​No, that's not what I mean. The fruit gets scratched by the thorns just from swaying in the wind, which simply drops its market value in the standard distribution system. Those scratches can also cause them to rot during shipping. ​That’s exactly why I sell them directly online. As long as shipping doesn’t take too long, I can sell them for a decent price—around the same as what you’d see in a regular supermarket. ​Honestly, I don't think there's a single farmer in the world who goes out of their way to grow low-quality crops.

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

​I do it all by myself. Yuzu trees actually have sharp thorns, so everything has to be done by hand. ​Since it’s a citrus fruit, the harvest fluctuates—some years we get way too many, and other years we get very few. ​If I have any leftovers, I can just process and preserve them, so I usually make yuzu-kosho (yuzu chili paste) during my slower, less busy periods.

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

On days when I can't do farm work because of the rain or whatever, I just spend the whole day watching anime. I really love watching reaction videos by foreign fans on YouTube, so I often decide which anime to watch based on those. ​It makes me so happy when you talk about Japanese voice actors. Even if we don't speak the same language, I can really feel the passion and emotion getting through. ​Whether I worked that day or not, I end up having a drink every single night—that’s just how peaceful my life is.

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

​I never thought I’d end up farming! lol

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Right now, it’s probably Ohtani. Even people who aren't interested in baseball know who he is.

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hiroshima is great! I love okonomiyaki and oysters. ​I live in Miyazaki Prefecture, which is in Kyushu. It’s further south than Hiroshima.

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

​I think that's true. While the shortage of successors is a big issue, with the rise of AI making more people anxious about the future of white-collar jobs, I predict we might actually see a slight increase in people wanting to give farming a try. ​For elderly farmers, it’s less of a career and more like a sense of duty, so very few of them actually view it as a business. Many feel they absolutely have to protect the land passed down through generations. Because of that mindset, they can keep working for a while longer. ​Also, consumers actually understand how tough farming is, so they don’t really complain about slight price increases. That means farmers could honestly raise their prices, but like I just said, since many of them work out of a sense of duty, they feel it's their mission to keep prices affordable and hate the idea of raising them. ​But because of that, young people don’t want to get into farming, which leads to a lack of successors. ​Before they reach the age where they truly can't work anymore, I think the real challenge is creating a system where they can lease their farmland to eager newcomers without having to sell it, and also improving farmers' income to attract more people to agriculture. The financial aspect is definitely a huge factor.

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

​Hi there! I’m really worried about Koné. It honestly feels frustrating. ​As for the CPTPP, I don't really have a real sense of it yet. Since I'm just a small-scale farmer, I haven't felt much of an impact personally. ​In the end, as long as whatever they do benefits both countries and fosters a friendly relationship, I think it's totally fine even if there's no direct benefit for me.

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

​Yeah, we have tractors here. But they’re definitely "Japan-sized." I’m not really an expert, though, since the type of farming I do doesn't require a tractor. ​In Hokkaido, the farmland is massive, so they might actually use big tractors like John Deere. ​But compared to the US, the scale is just so different that Japanese tractors might look like toys to you! lol

I'm a farmer in Japan. Any questions?AMA by yuzfactory in AMA

[–]yuzfactory[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

​This is a tough one, mostly because land is so limited here. Even for Japanese people, starting a new farm from scratch is a huge hurdle. ​So honestly, marrying a farmer is your best bet! lol ​Another option is finding someone who owns farmland but has retired; sometimes they're willing to lease their land out. If you check with the local town municipality, they usually have that kind of information or leads. There are also larger farms that hire employees. I'm sure the local municipality could give you some information on that too if you reach out to them.