[English] Visit FUKUSHIMART and Meet Young Farmers

Today I visited FUKUSHIMART (Fukushima + Mart), located in Miharu Herb & Flower Garden, 15 minutes by car from Koriyama Station.

Before, this place was a factory of local soy sauce until about twenty years ago. Now, Miharu Herb & Flower Garden consists of green shop, gardening goods shop, organic restaurant, cafe, bakery, and craft interior goods shop.

Organic Restaurant "Sarara"

Cafe "BRITOMART"

FUKUSHIMART locates in a part of this Miharu Herb & Flower Garden. It opened since June 1, 2017. Here, 12 young farmers participates and manage this mart together with their processed goods and promote them by themselves. It means that they directly communicate with visitors to explain their products, exchange information and ideas.

For example, there is special soy sauce with soup stock (dashi) of bonito and kelp. They recommend to use this for rice with egg.

Here is a material of fruit wine. Just add some alcohol drink as liqueur or whiskey to this bottle.

Fruit juice and dried fruits, made by a handsome farmer.

Unique udon noodle with moroheiya powder or burdock root (gobou).

This FUKUSHIMART is regarded as a showcase rather than a shop, and it is more important for them to directly communicate with visitors.

In Japan, the farmer's work to produce, process, and sell are called the sixth order of industry (primary x secondary x tertiary = 1 x 2 x 3). Fukushima prefecture is one of the top runner of this the sixth order.

In this context, the effort of FUKUSHIMART, even just started, should be paid attention for its future expansion.

FUKUSHIMART opens from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and every Tuesday is holiday. For more information, please contact me.