Designs themed to toys2020

O N O E KI TI M E S
WinterIssue

Why Hello There Mr.Goat! A seaside view high up from a farm on Mukai Shima Island

What Attracts People to Onomichi ?

An interview with 2 people who moved here from abroad.

A workshop to be enjoyed by adults and kids alike.
A silkscreen expo for a 100 people with Art Gallery Tanabike

Nic e & Loc al Life

Life in Onomichi

おのみちに暮らす。

Tastemaker
Pitchfork Farms

Mr.Peter Card

Mr.Thomas Michael Kloepfer

Born in New Jersey in 1984 and raised inFlorida, U.S.A. Peter moved to Onomichi in2018 after working as an English conversationteacher for 8 years in Fukuyama City. Currently living in a shared house, he now works as atour guide and occasional staff member ofthe local tea shop, TEA STAND GEN.

Born in Georgia, U.S.A. in 1988. Thomas moved
to Onomichi as an English instructor in 2011.
Thomas is now naturally growing a wide
variety of vegetables year round on the slope ofa former citrus field as well as a graduate
student the environmental economics doctoral
program at Hiroshima University.

Why do youlive in Onomichi?

Onomichi is a town that is a blend of a wide variety of people, things, and events which has formed aunique culture that continues to attract more people to come here. This includes our local station as oneof those places that enriches the town’s culture and is a place of cultural exchange. Besides the many
visitors here, there are many Japanese and international people moving here. But what attracts them
here? How do they see the town ? Was their move here inevitable or accidental? We spoke with 2 people
from abroad living here to better understand what makes our town so attractive.

They are pictured chatting
here on Thomas' farm on
Mukaishima Island. They met
at a music event at AIR Cafe.

Editor: How do you like life in Onomichi?

those places.

Peter: It’s real fun to live here since I love the town ofThomas: Yeah, that’s true. The owner of Chai Salon

Onomichi.

Dragon, Hiro, is the guy who helped me find myThomas: With both mountains and water here it’s afarmland.

great place; plus vegetables grow year round.

Editor: Besides Onomichi’s natural beauty, it’s

Editor: What places do you like best here

really the people here that make the town so great.

Peter: I love what I can encounter at Paraiso Coffee.

Peter: Being apart of the local community here is

I really like the character of the place, and moreoversomething that I really want to value while I’m living

the personality of the owner.

here.

Thomas: I was just going to say the same thing! The

Thomas: I’m amazed by the musical events hosted

owner has excellent taste in music and it’s great toat Josenji Temple. Time seems to stop when people

talk with him about whatever or hear all his good

all turn out for the excellent musical performances

stories. You can say the same thing for Chai Salon

there. I mean, for a religious place to have such

Dragon too, these shops that draw the locals havefreewheeling and peaceful stuff going on, this isopen-minded people there which attracts both

something found only here.

Japanese and international people.
Peter: I connected with all kinds of people at both ofトーマス マイケル コ レ ッ プ フ ァ ーThomas Michael Kloepfer

By farming and eating vegetables
grown on his own land,Thomas is cultivating Onomichi
to be an organic town.

- The backstory to what brought Thomas

After WWOOFing, I considered a longer

cabin that was once used on the former- Thomas’s vision for the future

to Japanstay in Japan apart of the JET program,

citrus farm. We have a big family, besides

I’m aiming for sustainable agriculture andAfter reading Masanobu Fukuoka’s The

while working as an English instructor, I

our 2 dogs, we have 2 goats, 3 sheep, 15that I can live in harmony with land andOne-Straw Revolution, I became deeply

thought I could continue trying my hand atchickens, and some quail as well. I love thatnature. There is always more to learn about

interested in the Japanese method offarming. I had hoped to move to Ehime or

thanks to the warm climate, vegetables canfarming as I’m still trying to improve mynatural farming. I’d long thought that

Hokkaido because of Fukuoka’s connection

be harvested year-round on the island.

harvest and reduce the amount of wasted

Japan was a country with a rich culture,with those places, but as I was an alternate

Besides the farming, I’m enrolled in thecrop. My ultimate goal is to grow delicious

but Fukuoka’s farming principles left a

JET candidate I just so happened to be sent

environment alvegetables efficiently as possible.

deep impression on me. In order to learn

to Onomichi. I’d hardly heard of the area,

program at Hiroshima University with mySome may think organic food is something

about natural farming, I went W WOOFingand at the time there was barely any English

field of study concerning clothing, food,expensive that is only eaten by celebrities,(A worldwide volunteer-based farming

information online.

and shelter. This relates to versatile crops

but I seek to grow something that is neither

homestay network) at a farm in Nagano

The week I arrived here back in July 2011, I

such as hemp. The seeds are edible, theexclusive or fancy. I’d love to see natural

Prefecture. That was my first foray into

took a bike I was given across the Shimana-

stems can be used in textiles, and when

farming become something more familiar tothe simple life of a farmer.

mi Kaido Cycling Road and discovered themixed with lime it forms hempcrete. It’s aall. As Onomichi has a regular farmer’s

It was also key that my university offeredlarge number of abandoned farm land.

wonderful plant that has endless potential

market, I’m blessed to be able to sell myJapanese language lessons. My parents just

Shortly after that, I found some land to lease

to bolster our economy and environment.

vegetables

wondered what I planned to do by learning

on Mukaishima Island and Pitchfork Farms

The day by day life of farming my own land

simple farm life, I hope to help cultivate

Japanese. The inspiration from that bookstarted in November of that year.
- Life on Mukaishima Island

has formed a connection between me andOnomichi as an organic town where every-and learning some Japanese was enough to

my environment that is wonderful beyond

one has easy access to organic seasonal

motivate my coming here.

I’m now living with my wife in a renovatedwords.

produce grown locally.

ec onomic s

doc toral

directly

there.

Through

myOnomichi is a place like no otherthat’s hard to capture in words.

ピーター カード

Peter Card

You have to visit to fully understandit’s charms!

- The backstory to what brought Peter toonly in Japan and were places I would want

why we want to travel overseas. It isand talking tea with him, he invited me toJapan.

visitors to Japan to see. That dream came

because of that, I in fact recommend notwork at his shop whenever I had extra

As a university student, I loved films andtrue in 2018 when I moved here and began

doing much when you come to Onomichi.

time. I’m working towards offering a tea

watched Nobuhiko Obayashi’s complete-

Just take in the town, enjoy the people

experience at Genki’s farm and tea factory.

ly bonkers film House and Ozu’s master-working for myself as a tour guide.
- My approach to tour guiding.

you meet, and relax at the fun places

Between my busy work schedule, I hope topiece Tokyo Story. Hearing about their

I’m chiefly guiding in the Setouchi area,throughout the town. Those who comealso learn how to produce my own teas. I

connection to Onomichi, it inspired me towith occasional guiding trips to theand get into what this town has, don’t

think Genki is a good person to show me

visit. After finding employment, I arrived

Kansai and Sanin areas. Cycling trips on

want to leave. It’s hard to put exactly in

how to make fermented black or oolong

in Japan in Spring 2010. I didn’t have any

the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road andwords, but this town as a whole has atea. Onomichi is a place I feel I can belong

particular place I wanted to live in Japan,

visits to the major attractions are wellnatural charm to it that makes it a placeto, which makes me want to keep on living

but as luck had it, I ended up nex t toand good, but I personally recommend ahere.

Onomichi in the nearby town of Fukuyama.

trip that puts you in close connection

like no other.
- Peter’s vision for the future

I traveled around Japan while I worked aswith the local people and places. I

I’d like to do more individual experiencean English instructor. 10 years ago when I

personalize trips with my guests bydriven tours such as having people comefirst visited Onomichi, there weren’t nearly

asking what places they’ve enjoyed onhere to Thomas’ farm to play disc golf. I

as many people or shops as there are now,

vacation and how they spend their daily

loved tea from around the world as much

but I had a feeling this town would growlife to get a sense of their interests andas I loved film when I was in university. I

into something great in the future. It waspassions. I’m sure everyone has traveled

was so into it that I even thought about

so fun to explore the staircases on theabroad and found themselves worn out

opening my own tea shop. When I firsthillside, and go into the many classic orby trying to cram too much in their itiner-

tried the tea at Tea Stand Gen in early

unique cafes and Japanese restaurants. Iary. Traveling here may be a once in a

2019, I knew that this was the tea for me.

felt these were the type of places found

lifetime trip so that makes us lose sight ofUpon meeting the owner Genki Takahashi

Favorite places
Thomas’s ChoiceThomas & Peter’s ChoicePeter’s ChoiceJosenji Temple

Tenneiji Temple

Paraiso Coffee

You’ll be sure to seesome familiar faces atthis temple where people
gather for it’s unique &incredible concerts.

The view looking down at
Tenneiji’s three storied
pagoda, affords a breathtaking expanse of thetown, with the Onomichi
channel, and suspension
bridge in the distance.
Come by during sunset!

Peter: All the interesting folks in town comehere, so you’ll be sure to make some greatfriends here. This is one of the places you’ll
truly feel the charms of Onomichi.

2-2 Nishikubo-cho
Onomichi, Hiroshima

17-29 Higashi-tsuchido-cho,
Onomichi, Hiroshima

2F 3-13 Higashigosho-cho,
Onomichi, Hiroshima

Thomas: A friend of mine first took me here,
I love the personality and musical taste ofthe owner.

Only in ONOMICHIあるあるThe New Year soup Ozouni
that’ s cooked here in Yoshiwa.

These Onomichi based artists
will also be in attendance!
おもちゃ

Yoshiwa is a fisherman’s town inOnomichi.
There, the people eat an
extravagant Ozouni on New Years.

MAYAKO HAKUSUI
白水麻耶子
My design was taken frommy personal collection
and memories of folk
toys. With all the designs
available to print, I’m surethe event with make foran enchanting and fun

The soup stockis made fromdried blowfish.

This countrywide
traveling expo is coming
to Onomichi. Come onby and make somethingwith the design andcolor palate of your own
choosing!
DAYtime for all who come.

2020 1.23（thu）- 1.27（mon）
Weekdays
Friday, Saturday
Sundayhttps://www.mayakohakusuiii.com

10:00-18:00
10:00-19:00
10:00-18:00

PLACE

Onomichi Station 2F
Book Lounge

PRICE

3,000 yen
Material fee for printing is required separately +300 yen ~@ONOMICHI.EKISHA

The soup is topped with a wholegrilled eel.

Comprised of a collection from 100 different creatives

WATARAIワタライ

And guess whocooks it all? Themen!

and all lined up in the 2nd Floor of the station, theseI’ve reimagined the dogs and monkeys that appear in my own

designs are all themed to toys. From your choice ofmanga as stuffed animals. I’ve been drawing manga quite a bit indesign and color, you’ll be able to make something ofrecent years and also have found that I quite like the look of※

stuffed animals.

your choosing including shirts and tote bags. This will

https://watarainanto.wixsite.com/wataraiworks

be something the whole family can enjoy for sure!

「しまなみ八朔 CH U-HI」

J R 西日本 岡山グループと地 元の 有 識 者で 構 成する「ふるさとあっ晴れ認定委員会」で認定された、アシードブリュー株式会社グループとのタイアップ商品として販 売していました「広島はっさくCHU-HI」は災害等の影響もありしばらく販売を停止しておりましたが、この度リパッケージを行い、「しまなみ八朔CHU-HI」として販売を再開いたします。
広島はっさくを100％使用し、絶妙なほろ苦さをお楽しみいただける商品ですので、ぜひお試しください。

セブン-イレブン ハート・イン JR尾道駅店で発売中

https://jr-furusato.jp/jrps/jrps̲chu-hi/

Onomichi Station Shop Information
2F

2F

1F

Neo Grill & Cafem 3 HOSTEL

Onomaru Shouten

This café affords the retro charms of Onomichi with its laid-backmusic and atmosphere. Stop by anytime morning to night for
whatever you are in the mood for.

Between this hostel’s comfortable but compact space, uniquelyhigh ceiling, and excellent view of the Onomichi train line andlandscape you’ll be sure to find it a memorable place to stay.

This shop and café has a full selection of local souvenirs, foods,
and items in addition to rental bicycles. Through our selection of
locally produced food and items, we’ve created a shop that truly
connects with the town of Onomichi.

0848-29-9330
0848-29-9332

11:00-21:00

https://m3hostel.com

neo_onomichi[Check in] 15:00-22:00[Check out] 10:00

0848-29-9334
0848-29-9335（Bike Rental）

m3_hostelonomaru̲shouten［Café & Shop］7:30 -19:00［Onigiri Stand］7:30 -17:00［Bike Rent al］9:00 -1８:00

1F

1F

1F

Shokudo Michi

7-Eleven Heart-In JR Onomichi

Tourist Information Center

Comprised of a full line up of popular Japanese food, this casualeatery has food inspired by local traditional cuisine. This eatery isgreat for a quick lunch or a drink after a busy day.

This 7-Eleven has all you need from food, to daily necessities, to awide selection of souvenirs. For all who come to Onomichi
station, they will be sure to enjoy the convenience offered here.

Offering plenty of information all about Onomichi and theShimanami Cycling Road, there are also bicycle pumps available
for cyclists.

0848-29-9337
michi_onomichi[Weekday]Day 11:00-14:00 / Night17:00-22:00[Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays]
11:00-22:00

0848-22-4521

5:30-23:30

0848-20-0005
Holiday 12/29-12/31

9:00-18:00
English OK

Published by West Japan Railway Company Onomichi Station, TLB Inc., JR Servicenet Okayama, Onomichi Tourism Association Editing by: Mao Kuramoto, TLB Inc. Mai Kumagai
Design by: Tsuneishi LR Inc. Hiroyuki Nagatomo Cover Photography by: Studio M Masaki Matsuda Translation by: Tastemaker Peter Card
Published January 15th, 2020 Copying or reprinting this magazine without permission is prohibited.