Preserving the Seasons - Zero Waste Life

Since ancient times, the Japanese have believed that a life force resides in all creations. Valuing and caring for the things we use, a zero waste life. Pointing the way to better living for a new era. Shinshu, now Nagano Prefecture in central Japan, is surrounded by vast mountain ranges. In this land enveloped by nature, a woman leads a life that values the wisdom of the past. Culinary researcher Yokoyama Takako. She specializes in the traditional preserved foods of the Shinshu region. In nearly every corner of her home, you'll find containers full of all kinds of preserved foods. It's the best to eat them raw, but I like to put the leftovers in a variety of dishes and preserve them for a different flavor. The altitude here is quite high. From summer to autumn, there are plenty of fruits and vegetables. But long, harsh winters mean many days where the temperatures are below freezing. In Shinshu, you can only get food for half a year because it's cold. So it's important to preserve the food for half a year. How do you preserve it and eat it? That's the wisdom that's developed here. Autumn ends in late November, and the long winter is nearly here. A nearby farmer is here to deliver some freshly harvested vegetables. A Shinshu specialty, the leafy vegetable known as nozawana. Nozawana is usually harvested by cutting the stalks, but these are pulled out at the root. I'm very happy when people think of eating everything, but I'm very grateful and respectful of the way they do it. In preparation for the coming winter, she gets started right away on preserving the nozawana by pickling them. In the old days, we used to wash the nozawana with the river nearby. The nozawana is laid out in a wooden barrel and sprinkled with salt. To help squeeze out excess water, stone weights are placed on top. Now all that's left to do is wait. Even for such a simple task, the wisdom of the past plays a role. Pickles made in this way will remain edible for over six months. It's delicious. Of course, ever since I was a child, I've been able to do this. I can't bear to leave my hometown. I can't leave it. Now it's time for Yokoyama to make lunch. She goes out to her home's storehouse. All sorts of locally grown produce. Properly stored, quality won't deteriorate over time. The rice straw above serves as insulation. Her storehouse is basically a big refrigerator that prevents food from spoiling, while also keeping it from freezing no matter how cold it gets outside. She's preparing a traditional local dish, passed down from long ago. An essential element is this leaf from her garden. Known as hoba, its key feature is its resistance to flame. First miso, a fermented foodstuff, is spread on the leaf. Then chicken and vegetables are added, and it's grilled over an open flame for ten minutes. The aroma of the charred hoba leaf blends with the flavors of the miso and vegetables, with delicious results. This is something you can't have in winter. It's great to be able to eat it while taking steps. Miso is also a very important preservative. These local dishes, full of Shinshu food preservation wisdom, are ready to eat. Called hoba miso, this dish serves as the main course. Miso soup made with locally grown daikon radish and napa cabbage. Burdock root, harvested in autumn and preserved, simmered in a soy sauce base. Three different kinds of pickles, napa cabbage, daikon radish and, of course, the nozawana. Each is seasoned differently, a clever way to keep the taste buds from getting bored over the long winter. I'm so happy to have preserved food. I can't get enough of the food from that time. It's interesting to be able to preserve it, and then try a new flavor. Yokoyama does her best to create simple, easy-to-follow recipes, with commonly available ingredients and seasonings suitable for any household. In recent years, she's written books and given talks to spread the word about the beauty of traditional preserved foods. Her philosophy of love for nature's bounty also finds expression in the kitchen utensils she uses. Her cutting board was made with scrap wood from locally harvested timber. It's a sense of security to be able to cut local vegetables on local wood. The joy of cooking is truly special. Pot stands to prevent the table from scorching. They were made with material from her own garden. This is what I do on good autumn days. I play in my garden. For Yokoyama, the soil of Shinshu is life itself. For as long as she can remember, she's lived her life surrounded by nature's bounty. My parents told me to pick flowers, and that I should go pick mugwort in spring. And that I should pick chrysanthemums. I've been doing that naturally. I grew up surrounded by nature. I think that's the origin of my sensibility and consciousness. Tonight's dinner features a favourite taste from her childhood. A Japanese classic, Oden stew. Daikon radish from her storehouse. Unpeeled, they're used as is. To hold the fried tofu, she uses branches from a tree in her garden. My mother taught me how to make this. My parents taught me how to make this. Warming the body and the heart, it's perfect for winter's chill. The seasonings, like chrysanthemum, make the food delicious. And I think chrysanthemum brings out the best in food. So please try it.