American Sara Yoshihara, 41, has put down roots in rural Japan in every sense of the word. Yoshihara (who uses they/their pronouns) and their husband are the owners of the Hototogisu Bakery and Farm in Okayama, where the couple resides with two teenage daughters. Hototogisu switched exclusively to gluten-free products for its farm-to-table business after Yoshihara was diagnosed with wheat allergies in 2008.
1. What led you to settle in the countryside? Rural Japan was a delightful surprise to me after arriving here. My husband is originally from Tokyo, but we discovered we could buy an old farmhouse for much less than a house in the U.S. or Tokyo would cost.
2. Why Okayama Prefecture in particular? We chose Okayama from a few spots around Japan with old houses on the market, largely for the climate. The other options — Niigata, Nagano and Iwate — were all too intimidating weather-wise.
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