Illuminating Saeki's Seafood Processing Industry: An Interview with Hirakawa Osamu, Editor-in-Chief of "Saeki-Kamibe Food Communication"
(Continued from previous article) Hirakawa Osamu. Representative Director of Base Co., Ltd. Born in 1969. After graduating from university, he joined Recruit Co., Ltd. (now Recruit Holdings), where he gained experience in sales, production, interviewing, product planning, and business management. In 2012, he returned to his hometown of Saeki City. While running a seafood processing and sales company, he founded "Saeki-Kamibe Food Communication" in April 2017.
With the core philosophy of "Painting Saeki's future starting from the sea." Shining a light on the passion of fishermen and seafood processors in the coastal areas of Saeki. The goal is to let everyone see the value of the modern-day version of "Lord Saeki lives by the sea." The activities of Saeki-Kamibe Food Communication have also been recognized as a certified business under Oita Prefecture's Management Innovation Plan. The following is the second part of the Hirakawa Osamu interview. To read the previous article, please click here.
Q: I think wanting to approach this from the perspective of primary and secondary industries is a particularly insightful angle on your part, Mr. Hirakawa.
I've always had a simple question: "Is it really enough to just connect primary industry producers with consumers?" Because there are also people working in the primary and secondary industries, but people today don't properly understand what "processing" means in the space between production and consumption, or why it exists. That's why I wanted to use "Saeki-Kamibe Food Communication" to properly explain these things to everyone.
As I myself became involved in the field of "food," I kept feeling that what I wanted to do wasn't just about shortening the distance between people and producers or ingredients. For example, some people worry about whether the vegetables sold directly from farms at "Roadside Stations" are safe, even though they look fresh. When you think that way, you've already closed off the question.
Using pesticides isn't entirely a bad thing; what matters is whether farmers properly understand how to apply them. Even in pesticide-free cultivation, if you don't manage your soil properly, it's ultimately meaningless. There are too many things in places we can't see that can lead consumers to make wrong judgments. So I believe that when considering food safety and security, you need someone with discernment to make those judgments.
■Wanting to raise questions about the relationship between "producers" and "consumers" from the frontlines of the processing industry.
Q: You want to raise questions about the entire process of food going from the processing industry's frontlines to consumers, is that right?
There's that aspect to it as well. For example, a primary industry producer started selling his own ingredients directly to consumers. That in itself is fine, but that producer wrote on his website something like "we can offer such low prices because we skip the businesses that buy raw materials cheaply and resell them," and when I saw that, I was very shocked.
Skipping the people in between also excludes all the value of the people between production and consumption, including those in the processing industry. I believe it's our mission as processors to properly process what producers provide and create appropriate distribution channels to sell them, and our relationship of trust comes from that. That's why I have questions about these phenomena.
Q: From a processor's standpoint, it's only natural to have such questions.
So what I intend to do is use "Saeki-Kamibe Food Communication" to give consumers a possibility of choice. Through what process did our food come to us, and how was its price determined? After understanding the facts behind the food, I want to tell consumers that in the end, it's you who makes the choice. I hope to stimulate people to think about these things more.
Q: In other words, you want to make the "food traceability" including processing and distribution even clearer?
Today's society seeks such value, and these things are gradually becoming a global standard. This is especially true in the world of "food." Japan's unique past customs no longer apply in this day and age. The white shirasu sold in supermarkets isn't actually as a matter of course as people think.
In this day and age, if just one tiny shrimp gets mixed in with the shirasu, someone will complain that something strange got mixed in. Before those small shirasu go through processing and shipping to become the shirasu in supermarkets, someone has to carefully check by hand whether any tiny shrimp or squid got mixed in, and only then do you see that white shirasu.
■In the special features on "Golden Sardines" and "Tiger Pufferfish" that Mr. Hirakawa previously reported, he also interviewed people involved in the processing stages of these ingredients and introduced these processes in detail.
Without writing about what kind of commitment and passion drives these producers to follow the process from upstream to downstream of ingredients, you can't understand the value behind these people. Through the stories behind processed products that we don't know about, our view of these dried goods also changes. I think that's what matters.
■This is also something only Mr. Hirakawa can tell us.
For example, we can also explain why some ingredients that can be eaten directly still require special effort to process. This is related to the local food culture and history. In Saeki, from the Edo period, sardine fishing flourished in the coastal area then called "Kamibe," and the dried sardine fertilizer (hoshika) and fish oil made from processed sardines were a huge source of income for the Saeki Domain, which is why there was historically a saying: "Lord Saeki lives by the sea."
In the old days, fresh foods like fish could only be consumed in nearby areas, but through advances in logistics and processing technology, these ingredients could be shipped and sold to distant places. It's precisely because the "human" element is added to the local industry and food culture that their product creates value.
■Even doing ten special features on "cutting horse mackerel" is fine.
Q: So what advice do you have for people who want to start their own publication?
You need to balance both romance (strength of conviction) and the abacus (business management). In my case, it was because the "Katariba" activities took me to Tohoku, where I met Takahashi Hiroyuki, a man who looks clumsy on the outside but is wildly passionate. Everything I've done since then started from that time.
With that kind of heat, you'll find a way somehow at the beginning. If you want to do it yourself, then try raising your hand first; there are so many comrades across Japan. I'd be especially happy if someone wants to start a new Food Communication in Kyushu. Food Communication comrades in Kyushu hold study sessions and learning trips together. Creating opportunities for like-minded people to learn from and sharpen each other.
After that, the sprint at the starting point is important. How many readers can you recruit for the first issue? "Food Communication" has strong ideals and things it wants to say, but it can only be achieved if there are readers willing to read it. So at the beginning, you need to increase the number of people you reach.
What exactly are you doing "Food Communication" for? If you don't create enough people willing to buy this publication, I think that's very rude to the people we interview. "Food Communication" isn't a medium that ends after editing and mailing, or ends after readers finish reading it. If you treat it as a volunteer activity, then just don't charge money and give it away for free.
Q: What needs to be done to keep this publication going?
When I was giving a pre-launch report at the "Food Communication Alliance Meeting," the editor-in-chief of "Higashimatsushima Food Communication," Ota Masashi, called out to me and said, "Since you're a small town, you can do ten consecutive special features on cutting horse mackerel."
After hearing those words, I actually felt a sudden sense of relief. Even if they're all dried horse mackerel, as long as the maker is different, the conviction the producer puts in and the story inside will be different. "I see, so that's one way to do it too." Realizing this, I actually bought dried horse mackerel from several local shops and ate them, and each one tasted different.
But no matter how dreamy the industry is, if it can't continue, it's meaningless. I'm personally very strict about numbers, and I actively reach out to local organizations and companies for collaboration. Through interviews for "Saeki-Kamibe Food Communication," new business opportunities also arise, such as receiving requests to promote ingredients overseas. I also hope our activities won't stop at just the "Food Communication" publication.
■Hoping to concretely depict the value of "being like Saeki."
Q: For you, Mr. Hirakawa, where lies the appeal of "Food Communication"?
For me, the real pleasure of "Food Communication" is that it can be an opportunity to change consumers' perspectives. Whether it's building relational population or promoting food and agriculture education, it's interesting how it nurtures new value from various angles. I think that's where this medium's strength lies.
I often tell local people this: "Everyone says Saeki's fish is delicious, but actually, fish caught all along Japan's coast is also delicious. So why is Saeki's fish delicious? If you can't explain this in concrete words, no one will come to Saeki."
Even for the same kind of fish, the "people" and "stories" differ depending on the location. How do we deepen the content? For me, I believe "Food Communication" is a decisive method that allows us to describe the content in concrete words.
I believe "deliciousness" is a collection of various sensations, so I also want to activate everyone's various "senses."
Q: What is the future outlook for "Saeki-Kamibe Food Communication"?
Traveling throughout Oita Prefecture, creating "places" where people can talk about food. My ideal is a street stall. Bringing producers along, creating companions with whom we can talk about "Food Communication" and the ideal future of Oita's food.
When I was in elementary school, as soon as class ended I'd grab a fishing rod and run to the seaside, fishing there until the sun went down. The abundant sea and coast are our town's value. I don't want to abandon this place, Saeki. No matter what, I want to shine a light on Saeki's seafood processing industry and the people who pour their passion into it.
Cherishing the "people" and "stories" here, how can we make the value of "being like Saeki" visible? In the future, we need to put more effort into thinking about what belongs to "Saeki."