On Sunday, February 11, 2024, we will be hosting an event organized by Japonic Coffee Farm with the theme "Natural Cultivation Coffee Farm Tour & Harvest Experience." To apply and for more details, please click the link below! PDF Data
When you hear about the origins of coffee, what comes to mind? Perhaps countries in Central and South America like Brazil, Colombia, and Panama, or African nations like Ethiopia and Tanzania, or even countries in South Asia such as India and Indonesia. The typical image of coffee-producing regions is associated with a "tropical" or "warm climate." In reality, the major coffee-producing areas worldwide are situated within the region known as the "Coffee Belt," between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn (from approximately 23 degrees 26 minutes north to 23 degrees 26 minutes south latitude).
On the other hand, in coffee-producing regions around the world known as "premium," such as Kona in Hawaii, Kilimanjaro in Africa, and the Blue Mountains in Jamaica, there is another characteristic: "elevation." The Esmeralda Estate in Panama, which produces one of the world's finest coffees, the Geisha bean, is situated at an altitude of 1,600m to 1,800m. It is said that with every 100m increase in elevation, the grade of coffee also improves. Why is that?
The answer lies in the "temperature difference" and the "stable temperature throughout the year."
Contrary to the common perception, coffee possesses the characteristic of being "resilient to heat but not necessarily preferring it." Furthermore, not limited to coffee, one cultivation technique for increasing "sugar content" in fruit cultivation involves utilizing "temperature fluctuations" (as evident in the red and yellow coffee cherries, coffee is also based on the concept of "fruit"). The significant temperature differences between winter, early morning/nighttime chill, and daytime/summer heat stimulate the plant's survival instincts, enhancing sugar content and aroma. In the case of coffee, these temperature fluctuations give rise to chocolate-like sweetness and intense aroma. Acidity and bitterness decrease, while the emphasis is placed on the strength of fragrance, creaminess, and a mild sweetness.
Certainly, but coffee itself is not inherently resistant to cold temperatures. Now, what about the temperatures in "high-altitude locations" within the coffee belt? Here is the annual average temperature trend for Jamaica's Blue Mountains.
Throughout the year, you can see that the temperatures in high-altitude locations within the coffee belt typically range from around 20 to 25°C for the maximum temperature and approximately 12 to 15°C for the minimum temperature. It's almost like being in a "climate-controlled facility." In the case of the Esmeralda Estate in Panama, with an elevation ranging from 1,600 to 1,800 meters, you can expect the minimum temperature to drop even further by about 3 to 4°C. In this way, cultivating the finest coffee requires maintaining an environment with maximum temperatures around 25°C and minimum temperatures around 11 to 12°C throughout the year.
By the way, did you know there's another essential requirement for the finest coffee? In fact, coffee has another characteristic—it thrives in "volcanic soil." "Premium coffee-producing regions" like Hawaii's Kona, Kilimanjaro, and the Blue Mountains all share the commonality of being associated with volcanoes. While coffee generally prefers well-draining fertile soil, slightly acidic soil is suitable for cultivation, and volcanic soil meets all these criteria. The Esmeralda Estate in Panama, known for producing top-tier coffee, is also situated at the foothills of the Baru Volcano. The two essential conditions for achieving the finest coffee—temperature and volcanic soil—are met by these regions. Unfortunately, such a natural environment does not exist in Japan. Although there is limited domestic coffee production in Japan, mainly in warm regions like Okinawa, Amami, and the Ogasawara Islands, meeting both temperature and volcanic soil conditions is realistically challenging.
Therefore, we turned our attention to "Aso."
To achieve the highest-quality coffee, two essential conditions must be met: temperature and volcanic soil. While temperature can be controlled using a greenhouse, volcanic soil is limited to regions with volcanic activity and cannot be brought in from elsewhere. Aso, home to the world's largest caldera, is located in Kumamoto, Kyushu, providing volcanic fertile soil, abundant water, and generally warm conditions due to its Kyushu location. However, at an elevation of around 500 meters, there are seasonal and diurnal temperature variations. Combining a greenhouse with these conditions allows for the creation of an environment with a maximum temperature of around 25°C and a minimum temperature of 11-12°C.
Natural cultivation, as advocated by Mr. Akisunori Kimura, a resident of Hirosaki City in Aomori Prefecture, known for the 'Miracle Apple,' is a farming method that involves cultivating crops without the use of pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides, harnessing the power of soil microorganisms under conditions close to the crop's place of origin. By leveraging the forces of nature, this approach not only enhances the inherent taste and aroma of the crops but also gains popularity as a safe and reliable source of food due to its avoidance of pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides. For instance, naturally cultivated rice is a rare and premium ingredient, priced around 1,000 to 1,500 yen per kilogram, surpassing the value of Koshihikari rice from Uonuma. At Japonic Coffee Farm Aso, we pioneer Japan's first natural cultivation of coffee, focusing on maximizing sugar content and aroma to bring out the true essence of coffee flavor.
For the management of temperature and irrigation volume using greenhouses, we efficiently employ IoT technology. Especially crucial for temperature control, we introduce new technologies to mitigate the impact of winter ground temperature decrease, such as the use of geothermal insulation methods and heat-shielding sheets. Additionally, by combining heat pumps with renewable energy sources (green power), we prevent CO2 emissions, achieving environmentally friendly temperature control. In the future, we plan to install solar panels on the greenhouse roof, introducing solar sharing to create shade preferred by coffee plants while generating power internally to operate the heat pumps.
Japan's first domestically 'natural cultivation' coffee plantation, 'Japonic Coffee Farm Aso commenced operations in May 2022 in Minamiaso Village, Kumamoto Prefecture. Starting with 80 seedlings, we are particular about the seedlings, introducing 40 organic cultivation seedlings from Ueno Farm in Aso and 40 organic cultivation seedlings from Ei Farm in Amami island. As both sets of seedlings are 3 to 4 years old, the initial harvest is scheduled for March to April 2023, with full-scale harvests possible from 2024.
For cultivation, we have enlisted the expertise of several experienced cultivators, including Augusto Baltazari, who is originally from Tanzania, where his family managed a coffee plantation. Transitioning from being a local tour guide, Augusto now resides in Minamiaso Village, bringing a wealth of knowledge to our project.
At Japonic Coffee Farm Aso, our vision and ultimate goal are to deliver the world's finest coffee from Japan. The coffee industry features a global quality assessment system known as the Cup of Excellence (COE). Organized annually by the Alliance for Coffee of Excellence (ACE), a U.S.-based non-profit organization, the Cup of Excellence evaluates coffee quality through a three-stage judging process. Coffees scoring a minimum of 87 points receive COE recognition, and those with an average score surpassing 90 points earn the prestigious Presidential Award. Throughout the three stages of judging, with at least five evaluations, coffee specialists from both coffee-producing and consuming countries are selected as judges, establishing the Cup of Excellence as a fair and objective quality assessment system.
At Japonic Coffee Farm Aso, a concrete milestone towards our goal of 'Delivering the world's finest coffee from Japan' is the pursuit of scoring 90 points or higher in the Cup of Excellence (COE). To achieve this, we strive for temperature management that closely resembles the climate of the Panama Esmeralda farm, emphasizing the pursuit of flavor and aroma through natural cultivation. We aim to continually refine our processes each year. In terms of recognition, we also aspire to supply our coffee to renowned hotels and restaurants both domestically and internationally in the future. To achieve this, our initial focus is on increasing awareness of Japonic Coffee Farm Aso, gaining support from individuals who resonate with our vision, and gradually expanding the '100% Pure ASO' using coffee beans exclusively from Aso. Furthermore, we are considering boosting our global presence, with plans to actively promote our brand, including participation in the 2025 Osaka Expo. Information dissemination will be a key focus of our efforts.
JA
Social ImpactThe Desired Social Impact
１. Creating Employment Opportunities for Individuals Facing Challenges such as Disabilities and Social Withdrawal
２. Establishing a "New Agricultural Model" through Natural Cultivation and Smart Farming
３. Contributing to the Revitalization of Aso and Kumamoto, and Regional Development through Future Expansion into Other Areas