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Our Favourite Local Stores at Our Farmer's Market

  • By Tsuyuki

This Golden Week, Setsu Niseko is celebrating with a Farmer's Market to support the local community and enjoy the Golden Week festivities. All proceeds will go directly to the farmers, artists and artisans from the Shiribeshi region. The produce and products for sale at the markets are an exciting assortment of items, including everything from handmade accessories, to photographic prints, to flowers.

AJ Gallery

Photographic Prints

Aaron Jamieson is an Australian photographer who arrived on the island of Hokkaido in 2006. Immediately finding a connection to the people, wild seasons and uncharted frontiers, Aaron has been exploring all corners of the island ever since. Having worked extensively across Hokkaido as a guide for film crews and athletes, Aaron also coordinates his own film and photographic projects for brands and sponsors, as well as offering to share his explorations with a select group of clients every year on his photography workshops. For all of this exploration, Hokkaido’s endless intrigue makes it a lifelong expedition - the reason Aaron calls this island home. Based in Niseko, Aaron divides his time between his gallery in his home village of Hirafu, and leading photographic projects and adventures across Hokkaido. The gallery at the Hirafu intersection was started in 2017 born from a fun project idea between two friends. The other half to the gallery is Damian Keyte from Yoshitomo Design who is a bespoke furniture maker. 

Flower Shop Nonno

Floral Arrangements

Nonno Flower Shop owner Nozomi Kuwazoe always dreamed of being a florist. Nozomi was given an opportunity to work in Niseko Town and sent out a message to locals to create floral arrangements for the public. Since opening, the shop has been a success, selecting flowers that are unique to Niseko Town suitable for the changing seasons.

SIRACA

Cosmetics

SIRACA is a locally produced cosmetics brand utilising birch sap, hand collected in Rankoshi Town. The owner of SIRACA, Tokita Masahiro, owns forests of birch trees and realised that sap could be extracted from the birch trees without cutting them down. 

In Ainu culture, birch sap was used to heal wounds. When birch sap is applied to the skin, it has excellent moisturising properties and is ideal for beautifying the skin. 

SIRACA’s products use an abundance of birch sap that is hand-collected by employees to create cosmetics that are gentle on the skin, and respecting the local environment. 

Nao-buns

Confectionary

Nao Hongoh, the owner of Nao-buns will be bringing traditional Japanese sweets (o-hagi), pound cakes and other baked goods to the Setsu community. 

Established in December 2020, the team at Nao-buns utilise locally sourced ingredients from Niseko and Kutchan Towns in Hokkaido to produce traditional Japanese and Western style confectioneries. 

Pachamama

Chocolate and More

Environmentally friendly Pachamama is joining the Farmer’s Market, selling a variety of fairtrade, ethically produced products. Owner Aiko Yoshimitsu was a member of an environmental NGO and was inspired by other members of the NGO who were tackling many of the environmental issues we are facing today. Aiko believes that the ways we shop can have a great impact on the environment. Pachamama will be selling chocolates, clothing and other miscellaneous items at the market. 

Choufuku Farm

Fresh Produce

Choufuku Farm is a locally owned farm by Daisuke Nagaoka, providing environmentally friendly, safe vegetables that are grown organically. They never use pesticides or chemical fertiliser, making their produce safe for all people to consume. All of their produce is locally grown by local farmers, and processed in the nearby area. 

Produce for sale at the market will include carrots, tomato juice, Kutchan ginger beer, soybeans, soybean flour and yokan.

MIKKE

Handmade Accessories

Kutchan born Mizuka Kanazuka opened Mikke in 2019 after living in Tokyo for 10 years. When Mizuka returned to Kutchan, they noticed few of the stores in Kutchan were selling potatoes, the specialty of the town. And they also felt there were no toy stores or general merchandise stores that were selling casual and fashionable clothing. They decided if no one else is, why not us!

Mikke originally started by selling hot mature yaki-imo (baked, sweet potatoes) and some handmade goods. They have now expanded to include selling works by Hokkaido artists on three month rotations. They sell a variety of works from children's goods to adult accessories and homewares. The yaki-imo (baked sweet potatoes) are their main product, which can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from young babies, to children and even for the elderly.

SUPER NATURAL APPLE

Apples, Yuzu and More

For the past year, they have been selling apples that are grown using natural cultivation methods, without the use of any pesticides or fertilizers. This approach is considered to be environmentally friendly and has numerous health benefits. By avoiding the use of harmful chemicals, natural cultivation helps to prevent soil contamination and maintain soil health, which in turn results in apples that have a natural flavor and high nutritional value.

The demand for environmentally sustainable and healthy food options has been on the rise, making natural cultivation an increasingly popular choice among consumers. By opting for naturally cultivated apples, customers can enjoy the benefits of pesticide-free produce while supporting sustainable farming practices that prioritize the health of both people and the planet.

Vegetus Life Shop AMI

Vegan Produces

Miyuki Kamo, the owner, shared with us that AMI's the first all-vegan shop in Hokkaido. They primarily select organic and additive-free products and also handle natural farming and processing products from Sapporo and areas nearby.

They opened on March 21, 2021, on the day of the spring equinox. Amii means 'close friend' in Japanese. They strive every day to make our shop feel like a 'close friend' to our customers. The shop owner has been a vegan for over 10 years and has raised children as vegans as well. Based on their experiences, they have created a shop that welcomes children and makes veganism and plant-based diets more accessible and relatable.

Iwata Farm

Fresh Vegetables

Mrs Natcharat Iwata, is the owner of Iwata farm in the Rusutsu area, which is about 30 minutes away from the Kutchan town centre. They grow 5 different types of vegetables each summer, which are asparagus, potatoes, radish, red beans and beet (which is used for making sugar). These vegetables are the ingredients that Japanese love to eat and play a large part in Japanese culture, being served at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The business is a family owned and operated business, with their daughter, parents and grandparents all working together to produce their big tasty vegetables.

Check out our Farmer's Market Events

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