[10% off for advance reservations only] Umeboshi set (1kg of fertilizer-free, pesticide-free green plums/1 bunch of naturally grown red shiso)

Fertilizer-free and pesticide-free green plums grown by Sonoda in Kawachi Town, Kumamoto Prefecture

<These are very precious plums that have been grown without pesticides for over 10 years. They are plums that are filled with Mr. Sonoda's passion for hand-selecting them.>

Mount Kinpu towers over Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture.

Sonoda Mitsuyoshi's plum garden is located near Reigando Cave in Kumamoto, where Miyamoto Musashi opened the Book of Five Rings.

Currently, there are two plum orchards with approximately 200 plum trees, each over 30 years old.

Mr. Sonoda's plum orchard is located on the mountainside and receives very good sunlight, so it has good ventilation and the green plums grow well.

He has been renting the plum orchard since he started farming seven years ago, and has managed to develop it all by himself, a jungle-like plum grove that has been untouched by man for over 10 years, with lush vegetation.

At first, the plum trees did not bear any fruit at all, but after pruning and weeding, the trees started to bear fruit.

"I felt the power of nature," says Sonoda.

Before entering the plum orchard, I asked about the state of the green plums this year, and he replied, "They're hanging in clusters this year! I'm surprised at how many there are.

"I'm surprised at this amount, it's the first time I've seen it in seven years," she said happily.

When you actually enter the plum garden and look up at the plum trees, you will see that they are literally hanging in clusters, full of green plums.

Our company representative, Mr. Hango, has been observing plum trees in various places for over 10 years.

"I've never seen so many fruits before!" he said, as the fruit hung in clusters in an amazing way.

These plums are completely organic, grown without fertilizer or pesticides.

The plum trees were growing beautifully. Mr. Sonoda and his wife and other friends walk around the vast plum orchard every day, checking on the condition of the plums.

"We use cutting back pruning. I learn by watching and imitating, and although there is still a lot I don't understand, I am working on trial and error every day to create the most natural state for the plum trees."

When we visited for our interview in early May, the plum trees were still quite small and had fruit in them, and were in the midst of growing.

Mr. Sonoda showered his love on each and every plum tree, saying, "Grow big, please."

Just behind the fields are a group of megaliths engraved with ancient Sumerian writing, and it feels as if they are imbued with power.

Harvesting is scheduled to begin around May 20th, and in about 10 days, the fruit will be about twice as large.

All of Sonoda's green plums are harvested by hand, sorted by hand, and delivered on the same day they are harvested, so they can be delivered to you fresh.

◯Green plums do not keep well, so please process them as soon as possible after they arrive.

◯Mr. Sonoda's green plums are selected at the farm to check for any damage, but as they are not selected according to standard size standards, the sizes vary. We hope you enjoy the individuality of each plum.

○Some of the products may have small spots, but this does not affect the contents.

(These spots are caused by various bacteria contained in the rain when it is exposed to rain.)

In addition, regarding quality, we thoroughly inspect all products before shipping, however, due to the nature of fresh produce, there is a possibility that some items may have been damaged during transport.

We have included a little extra to compensate for this, but if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

A beautifully maintained plum orchard. It took a lot of hard work to get to this point.

Sonoda and her 18-month-old son

How about making your own plum syrup, plum wine, or pickled plums?

Why not try making your own plum juice, plum syrup, plum wine, pickled plums, etc. using Sonoda's fertilizer-free and pesticide-free plums?

The plum syrup made from organic sugar and the plum wine made using Purely's original naturally grown rice shochu "Kyushu" are absolutely delicious. It's super easy to make, so I highly recommend it!

Plum juice, mixed with hot water, mixed with soda, mixed with shochu to make plum sour, mixed with whiskey to make plum highball, mixed with yogurt,

It's extremely useful as a secret ingredient in cooking! It's very easy, so please give it a try.

Also working to revitalize Kumamoto

In addition to farming, Sonoda also runs a share house, where he works with young people in their 20s to 40s who have moved from within and outside the prefecture.

We are engaged in environmental conservation-oriented agriculture by utilizing abandoned farmland.

He is not just a farmer, but is also an energetic man who is involved in revitalizing the entire Kumamoto prefecture.

Utilizing the experience he has gained from music activities and event hosting since his 20s, he is creating many mechanisms to revitalize the local community.

Even after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, he launched the "Halleluya Kumamoto" project together with local musician Higashida Tomohiro.

Together with our friends, we hold charity concerts and, together with the organizers at live venues, set up donation boxes to support reconstruction efforts.

"I want to make my beloved hometown of Kumamoto more lively and a place that disseminates culture."

In addition to being a nature-cycling farmer, Sonoda is also a social activist.

Purely delivers completely organic plums filled with Sonoda's love.