Hello!
I’m Tabīna, a travel and food enthusiast based in Kumamoto.

Let me start with a quick question: When you hear “delicious food from Yatsushiro,” what comes to mind?

Yatsushiro is well-known across Japan for its tomatoes and banpeiyu (a giant citrus fruit), but it also ranks among the top producers of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables—not just in Kyushu, but nationwide.

With the calm waters of the Shiranui Sea to the west, rice paddies spreading across the central plains, and clear rivers flowing down from the Kyushu Mountains to the east, Yatsushiro boasts a rich natural environment that makes it one of Japan’s premier agricultural zones.

Today we’re diving into strawberries. We visited Yamashita Ichigo Farm in the Hinagu area of Yatsushiro to learn about their carefully grown “Yūbeni” strawberries and taste the sweets made with them at local shops. Read on for highlights and an interview with the farm’s owner, Mr. Yamashita.

1. Onion’s Bakery

• Must-try: Strawberry Danish
  Sweet strawberries meet silky custard in this bakery’s seasonal bestseller.
  Located in HOB, a community space produced by a local construction company, Onion’s Bakery focuses on quality ingredients like domestic wheat and additive-free dough. Their strawberry danish is available until early May each year.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onions.bakery/

2. Natural Sweets and + Snowman

• Must-try: Fresh Strawberry Cream Puff
  Known for using in-season fruits, Snowman lines its showcases with strawberry sweets from mid-November through spring. Soft, juicy strawberries from Yamashita Ichigo Farm shine in their signature cream puffs. An eat-in space is available on the second floor.

Instagram: Natural Sweets and ＋ Snowman（スノーマン）

3. N-orangette

Must-try: Strawberry Shortcake with Chiffon Base
This specialty chiffon cake shop offers an impressive variety, from plain and chocolate to seasonal fruit blends. The strawberry version features whipped cream nestled inside airy chiffon and is a popular treat during the strawberry season.
Check their Instagram for daily offerings and event appearances.

Instagram: N-orangette（エヌオランジェット）

Meet the Farmer: Mr. Tatsumi Yamashita of Yamashita Ichigo Farm

Mr. Yamashita is the grower behind the strawberries featured in today’s sweets. Based in Hinagu, he runs the farm with his wife and parents.

🍓 Why he became a farmer:

After graduating from Ozu High School, Yamashita went to Brazil for a soccer exchange program. On returning home, he decided to take up farming at age 22 as a way of giving back to his parents who supported his dreams. He’s now an active member of the JA Yatsushiro Strawberry Division’s youth team and mentors future agricultural leaders.

🍓 What makes his strawberries special:

“Our Yūbeni strawberries are big, juicy, and sweet,” says Mr. Yamashita. “To grow the best strawberries, we focus on three things:

1. Building healthy soil through microbial research and planting strong seedlings
2. Using minimal pesticides by practicing precise crop management
3. Strengthening the plants’ natural immunity to adapt to environmental changes.”
   Thanks to Yatsushiro’s rich mineral content and reclaimed land, the farm produces about 23 tons of strawberries each year from December through May. It’s hard work, but the love and teamwork of family and friends make it worth it.

Also Available as a Furusato Nozei Gift

Yūbeni strawberries from young JA Yatsushiro growers are also available as a return gift through Japan’s hometown tax program (furusato nozei). With their vivid color, rich aroma, and balanced flavor, they’re a popular seasonal treat.

🍓Looking Ahead: The Future of Yatsushiro’s Agriculture

Mr. Yamashita is also part of an initiative tackling labor shortages and improving working conditions in agriculture. Despite the high productivity of Yatsushiro’s farms, the industry struggles with a lack of workers—many farmers work without breaks to make up for it.

To address these challenges, he joined the Smart Agriculture Yatsushiro☆Future Creation Council, a project that brings together farmers, government, and experts to build a more sustainable future for local agriculture.

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Smart Agriculture Yatsushiro☆Future Creation Council

This new initiative involves 14 young farmers—including Mr. Yamashita—divided into three teams focused on:

1. Reducing labor and securing the next generation of farmers
2. Enhancing the appeal of Yatsushiro agriculture
3. Promoting clean, eco-friendly farming

Though the teams have different roles, they share the goal of building a profitable, inclusive agricultural model that supports women and young people. The project is being rolled out over three years and updates are posted on their official Instagram account.

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Final Thoughts

That’s it for our first look at “Flavors of Yatsushiro”! We hope you enjoyed this sweet introduction to local strawberries and the people who grow them.

Stay tuned for more delicious discoveries in the next post from Tabīna 🐝