Agrimoon [Kawamoto-machi, Ochi]

Visit the producer of super food, Egoma, in Kawamoto

Kawamoto is located near Ohnan, to the north. There is a local specialty that has made this small town of about 3,300 people famous. It is an annual plant of the perilla family called “Egoma.” Although it is called “sesame,” it is not a sesame seed but a member of the perilla family. The health-giving power of alpha-linolenic acid, found in abundance in Egoma, has attracted attention, and processed Egoma foods are very popular nationwide.

At the Kawamoto Information Center in a rest stop in Kawamoto, you can find many Egoma processed products. Among them, Egoma Oil is so popular that it is often sold out.

Miwa Ishihara visited Agrimoon, the Egoma farm, to find out why it is so popular and where it is grown and processed.
*Special permission was granted for this interview, and they do not normally accept tours or visitors.

Mr. Nobuyuki Shibahara, president of Agrimoon, is from Saitama Prefecture. A few years ago, he quit his job and moved from the city to Kawamoto in the countryside to start farming. After working as a member of a cooperative organization for regional revitalization, he eventually started a farm growing Egoma

On the day of the interview, he showed us how the oil is produced by pressing the seeds from the Egoma fruit that had just been harvested in the autumn. Mr. Shibahara quickly threw the Egoma seeds into the press, and as soon as he started the machine, golden liquid flowed out beneath the press barrel.

Miwa was given a special opportunity to taste a spoonful of the freshly squeezed first pressing. “Miwa, what can you taste?”

“Wow, I can smell the savory aroma in my nose. This oil is already delicious on its own! It looks good for the skin.”

“Yes, it is good for preventing lifestyle diseases and improving symptoms, and you can also expect beauty effects. My wife applies this oil to her face every night after taking a bath, and she says it makes her skin look much better,” said Mr. Shibahara.

Egoma has also been introduced on TV programs as a superfood that can help prevent dementia, and is now attracting a lot of attention in Japan. You can get Egoma products at rest stops and supermarkets in Kawamoto, and you can also purchase them from an online shop.