Living in the countryside sometimes brings me joy to taste new vegetables and fruit. Since I moved here, I have found a rare fruit which was pushed to be grown in the 1980s. Also I discovered some endemic vegetables which translate to “traditional vegetables”.

And yesterday, I found two new vegetables in the organic vegetable section of the local supermarket. One of them is called “asupara na”, a hybrid of two Chinese vegetables. Its appearance is similar to the Chinese water spinach. And when we eat it, we feel that it is similar to asparagus. That is why it is called “Asupara na”.

Another one is called “tane na”. It looks like mustard greens. A cashier suddenly said to me, “Currently, I’m really into this vegetable. Sauteing it with oyster sauce and sesame oil is soooo perfect.” She was like a girl in love. Anyway, “tane na” looked like it would taste bitter.

Today, I cooked them. I boiled “asupara na” for a short time. So I ate them with lemon juice and soy sauce. It was sweet like asparagus as its name implies. And regarding “tane na”, I sauteed them with shrimp, ginger, Sichuan pepper, salted rice malt and oyster sauce. It was also sweet and it is more juicy and crispy than mustard greens.

Whatever it is, new experiences support us to move forward. So please invite such supporters in your life to decrease your stress.

初出：2020年4月3日

Toyama has more than 300 years history in the household medicine delivery business. It started when Toyama-han during the Edo Period was separated from Kaga-han. They used their business savvy to survive and this industry became an important industry of modern Toyama. The glass industry is another example of an enduring business which arose from the need for containers for the medicine.

Their medicine system was the same as using a credit card. And amazingly this worked in the Edo Period. They have strict traditions like not criticizing doctors, and not playing parlor games.

In Toyama, there is a museum of medicine peddlers as part of the Toyama Municipal Folkcraft Village. And there are a lot of tools which show their effort and process. I went there this September and it was amazing. I felt that the medicine peddlers’ passion and acheivements were huge. Realizing this made me cry.

It looks like one of my ancestors lived in Toyama. I don’t know their names but I felt them behind me. And I felt that I am strongly supported and encouraged by them. The culture of Toyama is known as sober and down-to-earth, but modern Toyama is also very sophisticated. We can experience both down-to-earth and sophisticated culture in Toyama. And I am happy to see it because sometimes we think they don’t go together.

When you feel something is incompatible, please visit Toyama to cheer you up.

初出：2017年9月15日