What is Tongari Cuisine Blog

In 2019, we started the project “Team Tongari” in collaboration with Tongari Road Wide-area Cooperation Council and Hokkaido Camera Girls’ Association.
Team Tongari has been working on a project to promote the charms of Urakawa, Samani, Erimo, and Hiroo through photography and words to supplement.
“Team Tongari” was initiated from a group of camera loving local girls. 
21 women living in Tongari Road area have been taking photographs while rediscovering the beauty of their home towns.
“Tongari Cuisine Blog” is a report about the team’s recent discoveries of local gems of hidden deliciousness of Tongari Road. 

vol.4　Samani
Apoi pigs raised by a young ace

A 23 year old young man, Yoshiyuki Nishikawa, begun his challenge to raise Apoi pigs here in Samani.
Pork from his farm is now available from May!

Mr. Nishikawa lived in Samani until junior high school,
and then left Hokkaido to go to an agricultural high school in Mie Prefecture.
After high school, he returned to Hokkaido and studied
at Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine.
Last spring, upon graduation, he returned to his hometown
and started raising pigs at his parents’ Komatani Farm (Shintomi, Samani).

He is very particular about the way he raise his pigs.
No antibiotics are used. He feeds them a homemade blend of Hokkaido wheat,
corn, soybeans, and pumpkin.
He also makes a special snack made from kelp and shells
from both whelk and scallops all caught in Samani.

___

I was impressed by the way the pigs were allowed to graze freely, naturally,
deep in the mountains.
Eating acorns and other natural foods, living a carefree life.

The pigs that Mr. Nishikawa raises, with love and care, 
have grown up eating safe and reliable food produced in Hokkaido.
I am pretty certain that pork from these pigs must carry the goodness and
gentleness they received into our body as well.

For now, the number of pigs in the herd is still small,
with 6 large pigs and 15 small pigs.
However, they plan to gradually increase the number of pigs
in the future and produce enough to be a
part of the gift for the Furusato taxpayers of Samani Town.

Where to buy・Inquiry

■Komatani Farm (駒谷牧場)　　：Please contact us directly
TEL 　0146-36-2993
Free shipping within Samani
Shipping fees apply for outside of Samani

Photo・Written by

Miyuki Kato　（Samani/Team Tongari）

Born and raised in Samani.
I realize that my town was actually nice
and much more likable when I started walking around
my own town with my camera and looking through the viewfinder.
If I ever get to meet you, please feel free to call me
「Mi-chan」or「Mi-san」^^

Team Tongari will continue to publish this “Tongari Cuisine Blog” until the end of August. 
We’ll be updating this regularly from now on, so stay tuned!

▼Hokkaido Camera Girls’ Association Website　https://hokkaido-camera.com/