KIKIZAKESHI Masayuki Ohba Web site

Self Introduction (as of Mar. 16, 2012)

I left a major logistics company voluntarily as early retirement at the end of April 2009.
The next year, I and my wife left our house located in Saitama prefecture in Japan where we lived many years and we bought a 23 years old house in Fukushima prefecture which is situated in a mountainous valley.
Moving into that new house meant a new world for us. The reason for moving was due to our desire to live in a rural area, experience a slow and simple life and have a small vegetable garden. However, in reality, life there was much hard work unlike what we dreamt and expected in the beginning. We cultivated our soil in preparation for planting vegetables the next spring. We worked hard every day. But then we suffered the 3.11 big disaster before planting vegetables which caused a big change in our surroundings. We were faced with such a hard decision as to whether we would stay or leave. Eventually, we decided to leave and returned to town in Saitama prefecture where we previously lived.
The life style back when we were living in Fukushima was too huge for us considering that our house was too big to live in for only two persons. At the same time, we had big land to cultivate which was the reason why we had to work hard everyday to maintain the land as well as the big house and cottage we had. We adopted the SLOW LIFE & SIMPLE LIFE as our motto so we would collect firewood from a small mountain located just in front of our house. Almost everyday, we were busy collecting firewood in the winter and we succeeded in collecting enough firewood for the next season. At the same time, we challenged ourselves to make stone furnace for making pizza. Heating time would take two hours in order to reach the suitable temperature for baking pizza but cooking the pizza itself would take only 3 minutes and eating session would only take about 10 minutes. We didn't need to worry about cost of fuel because as I have mentioned, we collected a lot of firewood in the winter. This was the moment when I learned real meaning of slow life and realized that slow life is expensive enough. I guess there is no need for me to describe the taste of pizza; taste was of course especially good.
Almost five months later, since we came to our new world, our house and land changed remarkably. The surroundings became very beautiful because as I have said, we worked hard every day. Oh, I can't forget about our relatives and friends who came to our house and helped with our daily work. We recieved great support from our neighborhood. We couldn't have managed without their help.
When I was working for a major logistics company, I got used to international air cargo forwarding business. I experienced working in the Netherlands/Amsterdam for four years and half and in Cebu, Phillipines for more than six years. I also worked in several cities in Japan such as Tokyo, Nagoya, Narita Airport and Niigata. when I was in Niigata I came to know about Niigata Sake and developed interest in Japanese Sake. I studied about Japanese sake when I had time and eventually obtained a qualification as KIKIZAKESHI in March 2010. I am not working in food or beverage industry but I decided and got the opportunity to create a web page to introduce Japanese Sake to the world. I want to introduce the local sake which originated in Yamagata, Yuza town where I was borne. However, considering the plans I have for the future, unfortunately, I do not have enough time to introduce this local sake anymore.
Masayuki Ohba is born year 1952 and bred until year 1973 in Yuza, Yamagata prefecture. Yuza town is located at the northernmost part of Yamagata prefecture and located right under Mount Chokai. Most people who live in Yuza town are able to enjoy the view of the mountain during fine weather. The people there belive in the mountain. There is ample water from Mount Chokai which the people use to irrigate their rice fields and other crops.
I think I am lucky to be born and bred in this town. I had several experiences living in other towns in Japan but there is nothing compared to my hometown with such beautiful mountains, rivers, seas and of course the very beautiful rice fields. These sceneries can help give peace and tranquility to anyone's heart.
email: mikeohba@dragon.email.ne.jp

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