Gourtto STORY (Spring 2023 issue)

City of Yokohama, Transportation Bureau's public relations magazine "Gurutto" focuses on local production and local consumption initiatives that take place along municipal subways and buses under the title "STORY for Local Production for Local Consumption in My Town." We will deliver interviews that did not fit in the magazine as a web-only article!　This time, we interviewed Yusuke Nagasawa of "Nagasawa Farm", which grows strawberries near Nakamachidai Station, and Michie Baba, "Saryu's Tea", which produces Japanese black tea using the strawberries.

Based on the concept of "face-to-face agriculture"
In addition to the strawberry house near Nakamachidai Station, "Nagasawa Farm" also grows and sells vegetables at Kitashin Yokohama.
Originally, it was a farmer who mainly shipped vegetable markets, and with the succession of Yusuke Nagasawa, it became the current style of direct sales.
"Because I'm doing agriculture in Yokohama, where more than 3.7 million people live, I wanted to do 'face-to-face agriculture'," says Nagasawa.
When shipping to local greengrocers, ask them to come directly to the farm to pick up vegetables and communicate with the shopkeeper, such as "There are such interesting vegetables" and "I would like to ask next year because these vegetables were popular last time" It seems that taking care of it.

Mr. Nagasawa aimed for urban agriculture in earnest after a paper written in his fourth year of university.
"At first, I went to Tokyo University of Agriculture because I was my eldest son, so I wanted to protect my family business somehow. In writing my graduation thesis, I visited a variety of urban farmers, including direct farmers, harvest farms where classes are given to children, and farmers who provide vegetables to local elementary school school lunch. I decided not only to ship the market but also to interact with farmers who are alive in their own way, and to face more agriculture."

Mr. Nagasawa has been focusing on strawberry cultivation since he started farming. He chose strawberries, a favorite of his wife Sayaka Nagasawa, who runs a farm together, because he wanted to make what he like anyway. We try various kinds every year, and now we sell five kinds of strawberries directly at Nakamachidai Strawberry House. Safe and delicious ripe strawberries using organic fertilizers have gained the reputation of local residents.
"We spend as much effort as possible so that we can sell it every day during the direct sales period, and we try to keep the number of ripe strawberries constant."
In addition, he is actively involved in local activities such as opening stores in Marche and interacting with local restaurants. This spring, Nagasawa Farm strawberries were used for sweets at pastry shops and cafes in Yokohama.
In particular, we have collaborated with Michie Baba of "Saryu's Tea", which processes and sells original blended tea, and have realized a collaboration of three Japanese teas so far. Taking advantage of the characteristics of strawberries at "Nagasawa Farm", he produces flavorful Japanese tea.
"Saryu's Tea" develops Japanese black tea that blends Chisan ingredients.

"Saryu's Tea" is a teahouse that opens mainly in Marche in Yokohama. It uses domestic tea leaves, and recently receives requests from shops and companies inside and outside the prefecture to make original tea, not just in the city.

Currently, they go to various places and sell them, but until July 2021, they ran cafes in Ishikawa-cho.
When we were preparing for the commercialization of tea bags in parallel with the store sales, the store was closed due to the spread of COVID-19.
"Because it was about to come, I was very wondering if I would stop completely or continue with merchandise. At that time, the starting point of the current sales style was that customers connected with those who open local production for local consumption Marche. Until then, I didn't know that agriculture was thriving in Yokohama or that there were many local production and local consumption activities. I have a lot of relationships now, and it's very interesting to see various worlds over the past year and a half."
A meeting between the two
Mr. Nagasawa and Mr. Baba met around February 2022. At the local production and local consumption restaurant "TSUBAKI Shokudo" on the second floor of Yokohama City Hall, Mr. Nagasawa happened to be there where Mr. Baba was eating.
"It's still a short period of time, but I feel like I've been with you for a long time," says Nagasawa.
Baba says, "I was impressed when I made tea using Nagasawa's strawberries for the first time. I was surprised that there are people who make such delicious strawberries in the vicinity, and if I knew them early, I wanted to incorporate them at the cafe. But I'm sure what I met at that time is the connection."

In making Japanese tea, "Nagasawa Farm" offers Saryu's Tea a blend of several types selected mainly from the classic "Red Hoppe" and "Oi C Berry".
Mr. Nagasawa's commitment is to mix not only one variety but also several types. "You can enjoy the charm of strawberries more by mixing the characteristics of each variety, such as sweetness and sourness, in a complex manner," says Nagasawa.
Baba says, "Because it always provides it in a ripe state, the condensed aroma, sweetness, and acidity are really good even when dried. How do you bring out that charm? It is my commitment to mix it with Japanese black tea in a well-balanced manner and produce aroma and flavor without using fragrances." The fact that the scent spreads well with the natural strawberries is a reason for the high reputation of buyers.

Ideas born from chats
Strawberry Japanese black tea created by the collaboration between Nagasawa and Baba is "Yokohama Fruity Japanese Black Tea", which is characterized by sweetness and sourness blended with hibiscus from Yokohama City, "Japanese black tea that melts with the scent of strawberries when hot water is poured, and "Strawberry Chocola" 3 Japanese black tea, which brings out chocolate feeling using a new product, cacao skin.
It is combined with a variety of materials each time, but what kind of exchanges are being made regarding the materials and themes used?

"It always starts with a chat between us and Mr. Baba. I don't feel like having a gutsuri meeting, but "How do you want to do this next time?" Mr. Baba came to me, and a plan was born from a chat such as "I like it" and "I want to do this kind of thing". Mr. Baba has a lot of knowledge of tea anyway, so as soon as he talks about the plan, he will return his pass," says Nagasawa.
Mr. Baba also said, "When I happened to meet at Marche, I suddenly start talking about 'I'm thinking about making this kind of thing next time,' or have them sampled 'Take a drink' . This time again, I was just discussing new products that would be nice to use chocolate from Valentine's time in spring."
On this day, we didn't stop talking about the next project.
"There is now on the relationship between people."
Mr. Nagasawa talks about the appeal of collaboration through local production for local consumption in this way.
"I was talking about Mr. Baba, but our customers and vegetable sommeliers connected other people who are active in the area, the circle expanded again with the introduction of that person, and the edge created the edge There is now. I feel that this has led to local production for local consumption as a result, and I value communication and try everything I can do in this neighborhood. I am really grateful that Mr. Baba understands and takes care of the characteristics of our strawberries."
Mr. Baba says, "Marche is not for a purpose to go there, but if you go there, there is something and many people think there is someone. Many people support our activities, and I feel that our customers are aware of our activities with farmers. The local production and local consumption booth is always exciting. Some people purchase "Because Nagasawa's strawberries are used." As long as Mr. Nagasawa grows strawberries, I intend to continue offering strawberry products," he said.
These two Japanese black tea can be purchased at Nakamachidai Strawberry House at Nagasawa Farm and Marche around the city where Baba opens.
Currently, we are selling two new products, "Strawberry Chocolat Japanese Black Tea" and "Wa Black Tea Strawberry Milk Tea".

Sales at the Nakamachidai Strawberry House are only available during the direct sales period of strawberries (from the end of December to May), but Baba is opening a store in Marche in Yokohama throughout the year. I hope you enjoy the strawberries of "Nagasawa Farm" through Japanese black tea, not to mention this spring, but also after the sale of strawberries.

Nagasawa Farm
Location: 4327, Niiwa-cho, Kohoku-ku (Nagasawa Farm Nakamachidai Strawberry House)
Direct sales period: End of December to May
Business hours: 10:00~ End as soon as it runs out Access: About a 10-minute walk from the Blue Line Nakamachidai Station
Inquiries: 080-4004-2566
Official Instagram: @nagasawafarm.yokohama
Saryuʼs Tea
Official Instagram: @saryu.ocha
＊We sell irregularly at Marche in Yokohama city. Please check the store opening information on Instagram.