Visiting Wassamu, Hokkaido (Part 2) ~ Pumpkin seeds from the "pumpkin town" that will shape the future ~
Washizu is the place in Japan with the largest area of pumpkin cultivation.
Harvest is coming to an end and Halloween is fast approaching.
The town of Washimu was overflowing with pumpkins, from storefronts to private homes and even the town hall.
The pumpkin I was looking for this time was a seemingly unusual variety called "Stripe Pepo."
It is a type of pumpkin grown for the purpose of eating its seeds, and is still not very familiar in Japan.
Pumpkin seeds are safe to eat even for people with nut allergies.
In Western countries, it is considered a nutritious ingredient and is often added to salads and incorporated into everyday life.
It is also widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and is said to be effective in improving low blood pressure and eliminating roundworms.
In addition to the essential amino acids (BCAAs) that make up protein, it is also rich in minerals such as zinc and iron that promote the absorption of these amino acids.
Linoleic acid and vitamin E are also widely known to have beauty benefits, such as anti-aging effects that prevent skin blemishes and wrinkles, measures against cold by improving blood circulation, and skin beautifying effects by increasing metabolism.
It also contains the unsaturated fatty acid oleic acid, which is beneficial for the body, so it is expected to have health benefits, such as preventing lifestyle-related diseases such as arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
In Japan, pepo pumpkins are grown in only a very few areas, including Wassamu Town.
We visited a company that accepts all of the pepo pumpkins grown in Washizu Town and does everything by hand, from selecting the seeds to drying, roasting, and bagging.
This is my second visit.
The company is run by a young couple called Wakasamu Seeds .
In Washi town, where the population is aging, the number of people growing pumpkins is decreasing due to the hard work involved.
It is said that this is due to an increasing number of farmers shifting to growing grains such as rice, buckwheat, and wheat, which can be produced relatively easily with machinery.
The town of Washizu has lived alongside pumpkins.
The pumpkin seed business was started with the desire to somehow pass on the tradition of pumpkin growing to the next generation.
The reason for this is that the production process for pepo pumpkins is simpler and less labor-intensive than that of other pumpkins.
Furthermore, because it is highly nutritious and has added value, he thought it might be possible to create a sustainable trade flow that would provide substantial returns to producers.
Pumpkin seeds are still not well known in Japan.
In the six years since the company was founded, it has been running its own business, with the help of local people, from farming, which started with learning from others, to processing and selling the produce.
Although there are still many hardships to be overcome, more and more people are beginning to understand the value of the project.
Nowadays, people in Germany, the home of pumpkin seeds, say that pumpkin seeds from Wassamu Town have a unique depth that is not found in those from their own country, and are amazed at their quality.
Pumpkin seeds found in Wassamu, the pumpkin town, that will shape the town's future.
We would like to explore this material a little more.
>>Go to Part 1
Visiting Wassamu, Hokkaido - Cabbage and the people of Hokkaido who survive the cold
>>Halloween menu using GRØN
Healthy Autumn Brunch Menu: Pumpkin Pancakes and Komatsuna Potage
Photo by Jun Watanabe
