—

I grew up in Nagano, a rural prefecture known for healthy local foods and the best longevity prefectures around the country.

My family has our own rice paddy and a tiny garden. Therefore, home-cooking with harvested crops and sharing meals together were the center of our life. Besides, I always get a weird kick out of supermarkets as they reflect local food culture for home-dishes .

This environment nurtured my interest in Japanese foods, in particular home dishes and local supermarkets.

What I learned:

・Realizing cultural uniqueness of my home country, especially when it comes to food

・Easy-going mindsets from Dutch people: “Rustig aan” =“take it easy” in Dutch

・Fascinated by plant-based food: nourishing and inclusive (= vegans and religious people can eat together)

・Supermarkets outside of Japan are also fun!

What I learned: Many vegetarians, vegans, and people with religious restrictions struggle to find their options in Japan, despite that plant-based sources are abundant in Japanese traditional food culture.

Due to excessive focus on physical health and overstimulating environment, I had been struggling with physial discomfort and mental disorder. I decided to return to my hometown to rest for a while.

Aside from nature and social supports, 2 things immensely helped me to overcome my disorders and feel happier: Japanese “ordinary” home dishes, and mindfulness practice from zen-inspired culture.

Lessons learned:

・”Healthy food” requires a more holistic approach beyond physical health. We deserve making peace with foods for WELL-BEING.

・Japanese “ordinary” food and mindful culture would deserve more worldwide attention for well-being, for a healthy, simple, and happy life.