How buckwheat farming brought cherry blossoms to Tasmania
A Japanese businessman gave cherry trees to Tasmania 30 years ago when it began growing buckwheat for soba noodles.
Three hundred cherry blossoms line the Meander River at Deloraine in Tasmania, part of the annual Hanami Trail festival. The trees arrived as a thank-you for a business deal.
In 1986, trials to grow buckwheat began in Tasmania. Buckwheat is ground into flour for soba noodles, popular in Japanese restaurants.
The key advantage: Tasmania's seasons run opposite to Japan's. By growing buckwheat here as well as there, fresh new season noodles could be supplied to Japan twice a year instead of once.
The arrangement worked so well that Japanese businessman Rick Shiratori sent the cherry trees as thanks. Today, Tasmania still grows buckwheat for export, though some goes to Japan and demand dropped when COVID closed restaurants.
The Hanami festival, now in its fifth year, brings together about 800 Japanese people who live in Tasmania.
Why it mattersShows how trade partnerships can create unexpected cultural and community connections across countries.
AustraliaTasmania's agricultural niche and its Japanese community have built a sustained trade relationship that benefits both countries.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 4 h ago
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