Byron, founder of Kasamatsu Farms, shares with us his journey from salaryman in Tokyo to farmer in the Japanese countryside, practicing permaculture and taking on sustainable agricultural projects.
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Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
0:32 Meet Byron
1:07 Why come to Japan
8:40 Transitioning from JET to Tokyo life
12:07 Catalyst for changing lifestyle
16:16 Allure of Japanese Country side
18:53 Permaculture
19:52 Getting started with Kasamatsu farms
25:35 Finding and developing agricultural land in Japan
33:01 How to start building a customized farm
34:31 Finding greater meaning in sustainable lifestyle
39:24 Challenges in renovating properties
44:18 From project to personal journey
45:05 Introducing tourism for funding
47:40 Pivoting business structure due to Covid
52:21 Challenges of keeping a farm profitable
53:48 What are the main self sustainable elements of this life style
58:28 Practicality of permaculture in Japan vs The West
1:00:18 Being part of a local community
1:03:00 Challenges with pursuing permaculture lifestyle
1:06:26 Reflecting on permaculture journey
01:08:35 Pushback from historical community
01:10:07 Next steps
01:13:11 Final reflections
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Liked this episode? Check out our interview with Nick, who helps foreigners find a way to successfully move to Japan! https://youtu.be/tDTVZoeFr78
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