Your next sustainable destination: “Good News” village north of Tokyo

If you head north from Tokyo for an hour on a bullet train, you will reach Nasushiobara. This area is a popular destination for alpine hiking in the summer, skiing in the winter and hot springs all year round. You can take a local bus from there for another 25 minutes, and you will arrive at a village that is home to several stores, cafes and restaurants.

This community is a brainchild of Good News, a start-up firm that is focused on designing cities, products and systems to resolve social issues by using food as a common thread. They strive to minimize food waste by developing marketable items that reuse byproducts from the area’s farming activities. Here are some examples.

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Good News Dairy: Byproducts are the key ingredients

Brown Cheese Brother presents snacks and other food items made with whey, the liquid that remains after the curdling and straining of milk to make cheese. Byproducts of the butter-making process, including skim milk and buttermilk, are used in baked items by Butter no Itoko and its offshoot, Itoko no Doughnut.

Ethical cacao products

Onibus Coffee has turned coffee grounds into potting soil, in collaboration with nearby farmers. They also offer reusable cups for to-go orders. Ushio Chocolatl practices “Bean to Bar,” choosing cacao beans from agroforestry (sustainable crop farming) and sustainably roasting them and packaging final chocolate products.

Sustainable practices at the barber shop and art gallery

Barber Hirayama, or “a barber in the woods,” contributes to sustainability by composting after-cut hair. Norfolk Gallery by Dear, Folks＆Flowers is an art gallery that saves flowers deemed imperfect for market standards (e.g., stems are slightly bent; leaves are ununiform) and uses them for dying.

Additionally, Good News operates Chus which is located in another area of Nasushiobara. Chus is a place that comprises a farmers’ market, a restaurant and a guest house. It has a unique concept called “a big table” where people from different backgrounds can come together to share food and create a sense of community. Chus can also be rented out for parties and weddings.

By connecting local primary industries, small businesses and customers, sustainable start-up initiatives like Good News can enhance the health of both people and the planet. So, if you get a chance, stop by and be a part of this vibrant community.