
On this episode, we meet US-born Tim Jones in the town of Kuromatsunai in Hokkaido Prefecture. A veteran cattle farmer from Texas, Tim was 68 when two years ago, he and his Japanese wife decided to move to her home country to raise cows. In Japan where marbled fatty beef is the gold standard, will Tim be able to sell his leaner grass-fed meat? Join us to find out. We also visit a construction site in Osaka Prefecture where Vietnamese Tran Ngoc Son works as a carpenter under the Technical Intern Trainee program.
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Where We Call Home.
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Enchanting and invaluable, nature spreads over the gentle hills of Kuromatsunai in Hokkaido.
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Raising beef cattle here with minimum impact on the environment is this man from the US.
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Seventy-one-year-old Tim Jones.
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Born and raised in Texas, he's a genuine cowboy.
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He uses no agrochemicals and feeds his cows with only the plants that grow naturally.
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For thousands of years, nature just got along just fine without human input.
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And we think we can try to mimic that, and we can restore the soil health.
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This summer, Tim is ready to sell beef he produced in Japan for the first time.
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But he's having difficulty finding takers.
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Let's follow this old cattleman who works hard to make the farm he envisioned a reality
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in the summer of his seventy-first year.
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The town of Kuromatsunai is located in southwestern Hokkaido.
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In this northern region of Japan where beech trees grow,
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the locals put effort into preserving the delicate and precious ecosystem.
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Gather up!
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They need one Japanese word: "oide."
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2m 01s
Tim began farming in the region two years ago.
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His cattle ranch is a bit different.
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The cows spend their days freely among the wild greenery.
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No need to come back to the barn at night.
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Things that all the other farmers call weeds are really nutritious plants that animals do really well on, and they thrive.
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So, there's no reason to spray these fields with chemicals and kill this.
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Tim's farm is eighty-one hectares.
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Pretty much all the land we see here is part of it.
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As this was abandoned farmland until a few years ago, it's home to broadly diversified vegetation.
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Tim divided the area in small sections, each containing a day's worth of plants for his animals to feed.
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He moves the cows to a different section every day.
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The cows eat the plants that grow naturally and vegetables in winter.
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Tim never gives them any grain-based feed.
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3m 34s
Most of that grass-finished beef is finished on a monoculture, where the animal is only fed one type of grass.
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3m 44s
For the next six months, you eat nothing but spinach.
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You cannot get all the nutrition you need out of spinach.
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3m 52s
Same thing with the cows: when we give them a diverse diet,
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3m 56s
then they can eat all this stuff, and they can be more nutritious and better flavored and happier cows.
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Love that sound.
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It's a happy sound.
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Tim's partner on the farm and in life is his wife Chie.
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The two of them alone take care of some thirty Angus and Japanese brown cows -
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breeds that are suited to pasturing.
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Tim used to teach social studies at a high school in Texas.
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He and Chie first met back in 2003 when he visited Japan on a teacher exchange program.
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I don't recall when,
but he said he was a cowboy. -
4m 56s
But I thought he was joking at first.
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5m 00s
I thought because he's from Texas,
he thought it'd be a funny joke. -
5m 07s
However, Tim wasn't joking.
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5m 10s
In addition to teaching, he had been working on his father's cattle ranch in Oklahoma.
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When I was a young man, there were fewer than one thousand people in my town.
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So, that's how I got involved in agriculture.
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It's the fact that that's the road I was on, and I knew how to drive.
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Later when Chie visited Texas, the two hit it off.
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Tim mustered up the courage to propose, and they got hitched.
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After Tim retired from teaching, he and Chie ran the family farm.
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However, in 2018, Tim's father passed away.
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After much discussion, Tim and his siblings made the tough decision to split the inheritance by parting with the farm.
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Chie and I decided that we wanted to move to Japan, because Chie's family's here.
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Since 2003, I've been coming to Japan several times a year, and I love the country as well.
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And... but it was also our choice to stay in the cattle business.
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Tim was sixty-eight.
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6m 24s
He and Chie searched around Japan for land that was just right for the kind of farming they wanted to do.
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6m 31s
But starting over in a faraway country proved much more stressful than Tim had expected.
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6m 39s
He began to have chest pains.
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6m 43s
It was his heart.
He had angina. -
6m 50s
Worried for Tim's health, the couple were ready to give up their dream
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6m 54s
when fate brought them to Kuromatsunai.
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Abundant water resources and a diverse ecosystem made the region ideal for pasture farming.
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7m 07s
Kuromatsunai has a reputation for loving nature.
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The town loved and went to great lengths to protect the nature here.
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So, we were made to feel at home.
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In 2020, they moved into town and set up their farm.
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They named it "Gladney Farm" after the cattle ranch Tim's father had run for so many years.
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7m 41s
Tim and Chie visit some people who've supported them ever since they arrived in town.
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I was never a tofu fan in the United States, but I love Miura's tofu.
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Delicious.
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Using organically-grown soybeans to make tofu that produces no waste pulp
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are husband-and-wife Miura Yoko and Yoshinari.
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They too moved here, drawn to the area for the community's love of nature.
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When Tim first arrived, they proactively talked to him and offered advice when he started his farm.
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He seems modest, but he's a pro.
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I could tell he was
serious about farming. -
8m 33s
His age doesn't bother him.
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The old American cowboy draws the attention of researchers from all over Japan.
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They see in Tim's method of using cows to revive farmland a solution to the global food crisis.
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One of them is Professor Uchida Yoshitaka.
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Tim wants to make use of Uchida's expertise on soil to better partition his land and move his cattle.
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Did you see lots of them this time of year last year?
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- I think it's orchard.
- I think so, enough. -
9m 14s
Maybe instead of moving once a day, maybe we should move twice a day.
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9m 17s
Ah, OK, OK. Yeah.
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9m 18s
- To try to...
- Yeah, try to... -
9m 20s
...stay ahead of the maturity.
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9m 23s
This way of letting cows
roam on unused land so that... -
9m 29s
it becomes fertile to grow produce
is very appealing. -
9m 35s
Without chemical fertilizers,
we risk running out of food... -
9m 41s
if we're not careful.
On that, Tim and I feel the same way. -
9m 51s
Now in the summer of his second year since he started the farm, Tim is facing a new challenge.
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10m 04s
For the first time, he's ready to sell beef he's raised in Japan.
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10m 11s
Two bulls who reached maturity will be sent to be slaughtered between the age of 24 to 30 months
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so Tim can sell their meat.
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However, he's having difficulty convincing local businesses and restaurants to make a purchase.
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The main reason is in the kind of meat he offers.
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In Japan, the land of "wagyu," grain-fed beef that's high in fat content is the golden standard.
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Tim's grass-fed beef on the other hand is leaner and tougher.
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Informing the consumer with what we have, and...
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that's probably the most difficult part.
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In Oklahoma, it was not grass-fed, it would be finished as a grain-finished product.
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This is our first time to do grass-finished.
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Some helpers have come to lend a hand:
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11m 19s
Katherine, Tim's daughter from his previous marriage, and her children.
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They now live on a US military base in Japan, but plan to move here to one day take over the farm.
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When your father said that he was going to do farmland in Japan, what was your reaction?
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I loved it. I loved it.
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I mean I grew up on our farm in Oklahoma.
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It's... I couldn't ask for a more perfect place to start looking at raising my kids once I retire, and...
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For Katherine who lost her mother to illness while she was still a child,
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the family farm was a major part of her life growing up.
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Basically, I took care of Katherine.
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And so, every day after school or whatever, Katherine would go to the farm with me.
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I think she probably would've been having more fun with her friends.
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I don't understand why, but she's here!
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She stuck with it.
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That's the history of our love for cows, and...
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It's probably not so much a love for cows, but it's a love for the land.
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Raised on the ranch, the cows are destined to become meat.
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So, it's in honor and respect for the animals that everyone in Tim's family insists that none of the beef must go to waste.
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My dream in the future is to keep this farm going for a lot of years.
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So, all of the cows that we have will stay in our hearts and be remembered so we will always honor them.
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And we will always honor them so very much.
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July.
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One of the two cows turned 24 months old.
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Although he still hasn't found any buyers, Tim made up his mind and had the animal slaughtered.
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He thought of promoting the beef's appeal first.
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For this one animal, the idea of selling directly to local customers here in Kuromatsunai is much more appealing to us.
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14m 05s
We want them to be able to see our faces.
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14m 07s
They can feel comfortable that they're buying a product that they can trust.
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14m 13s
He wants the people of Kuromatsunai to discover the flavorful taste of his leaner, grass-fed beef.
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Tim and Chie pay a visit to a popular soba noodle restaurant nearby.
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- Hi!
- Hi! -
14m 32s
A beef delivery's here!
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I can have all of this? Wow!
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He asked them to think of recipes that will showcase his beef.
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Fresh ground hamburger.
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He's also enlisted the aid of other eateries to create a small cookbook
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he can he can hand out to customers who'll buy the meat.
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Thank you so much!
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15m 04s
In the beginning, they were uncomfortable because of the language barrier.
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15m 08s
But now, everybody's friendly and accepting.
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I want to be able to offer something, have contributions to the community.
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A month later.
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Time for a taste test at the soba restaurant.
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15m 31s
The Miuras of the tofu shop also take part in the event.
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15m 39s
The guests will try soba noodles with grated yam potato and ground beef.
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15m 44s
Not overcooking the meat is key.
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Here you are!
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15m 54s
They'll sample two versions of the dish: hot and cold.
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15m 59s
First, the hot noodles.
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16m 02s
So, do I mix this together?
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16m 08s
So, this foam that's on the top, is this whipped cream?
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16m 13s
No, no, no. Yam potato.
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16m 15s
I see! Wow!
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It's delicious.
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My new favorite.
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And then, the cold.
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It's delicious.
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Both are tasty.
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With warm noodles
the meat might sink to the bottom. -
16m 56s
Yes.
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Cold noodles are better.
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17m 04s
The tasters are unanimous, cold noodles help highlight the meat better.
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17m 09s
So, cold it is!
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17m 12s
The restaurant will add this new recipe as a special item on their menu.
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September.
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17m 22s
Beef has started to go on sale at the ranch.
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17m 31s
The recipe booklet regroups a total of seventeen dishes
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17m 35s
that take advantage of the flavor and chewier texture of Tim's grass-fed meat.
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17m 45s
It didn't take too long for the first customers to arrive.
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Here you are.
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17m 55s
This couple was visiting nearby Hakodate.
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18m 00s
- A new farm!
- Wow! -
18m 02s
We saw the sign.
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18m 06s
We passed it then thought, 'Beef?'
So, we came back. -
18m 13s
I think you're always nervous on...
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18m 16s
when you're starting something new to know if it's going to be successful or not.
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18m 23s
What would be the most important thing: an open mind.
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18m 27s
And, don't expect things that... don't expect things that just can't happen.
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And, on the fourth day...
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18m 42s
I ate some yesterday.
It was wonderful. -
18m 46s
I came to buy some more.
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18m 51s
I'd never had such delicious beef.
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19m 04s
The beef is earning recognition.
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19m 07s
Tim and Chie regain confidence that their decision to set up a cattle ranch here was the right one.
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19m 21s
As he neared the seventy-year milestone of his life,
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19m 24s
Tim put down roots in this land where he found joy in nature,
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19m 28s
the kindness of the locals, and his beloved bovines.
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19m 33s
Enjoy.
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19m 37s
I love the sound of the animals eating the fresh grass.
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19m 41s
It makes me happy every time I hear it.
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19m 48s
Making slow but steady progress, Tim the old cowboy isn't going to be riding off into the sunset anytime soon.
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20m 17s
I'm Son from Vietnam.
I work as a carpenter in Osaka. -
20m 27s
I work hard to help build
beautiful houses. -
20m 46s
7:30 a.m.
work starts. -
20m 51s
Today, Son and his team
work on a commercial building. -
20m 57s
We'll work on the ceiling.
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21m 00s
The framework is both to support
the ceiling boards... -
21m 05s
and to strengthen
the building's structure. -
21m 12s
Here's OK?
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21m 15s
Let's start here.
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21m 18s
Son and his Japanese junior
get to work. -
21m 26s
Millimeter errors add up
and can become a centimeter. -
21m 35s
He makes sure to accurately
internalize the plans. -
21m 51s
They have to complete this
144㎡ ceiling within five days. -
21m 59s
Let's speed it up!
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22m 12s
They build the framework then put
insulation and panels to make the ceiling. -
22m 23s
Wishing to learn the skills to start
his own business in Vietnam... -
22m 28s
Son came to Japan in 2019
as a Technical Trainee. -
22m 33s
I was surprised.
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22m 35s
It's a different culture.
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22m 39s
My seniors were quite strict.
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22m 46s
I had to learn by observing.
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22m 49s
I learned by watching and
working with my seniors. -
22m 59s
Now in his third year, Son
takes charge of various jobs. -
23m 09s
This is our company president,
Matsubara-san. -
23m 16s
When I first met him...
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23m 18s
I was a bit intimidated.
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23m 23s
He's taught me so much.
-
23m 27s
When I didn't know what to do,
he offered advice. -
23m 31s
I'm so thankful.
-
23m 34s
With the language barrier,
it was hard at first. -
23m 40s
But because of that,
Son listened more attentively. -
23m 45s
So, he learned quickly.
-
23m 48s
He learned by doing.
-
23m 51s
He absorbed the skills
through hands-on work. -
23m 58s
He put a lot of effort in it.
-
24m 01s
He was eager to learn Japanese
and his work quickly. -
24m 09s
He made much progress in three years.
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24m 14s
I want to keep progressing.
-
24m 17s
When he speaks to other Japanese staff,
I listen to them to learn Japanese. -
24m 27s
The Technical Trainee program
is to learn skills in Japan. -
24m 34s
So now, he has to decide how he'll
make use of what he's learned in Japan. -
24m 44s
I didn't see him
as a simple temporary worker. -
24m 49s
He wants to use what he's learned
to start a business in Vietnam. -
24m 56s
I feel grateful that he came
to work with us. -
25m 01s
So, I wish him success
in his work in Vietnam, too. -
25m 10s
I'll do my best.
-
25m 22s
This is my treasure.
-
25m 25s
In my 2nd year, I took a national test
to assess my skill level. -
25m 36s
In one hour, Son had to build
a project following a plan. -
25m 43s
I had to align this perfectly.
-
25m 48s
It was hard.
-
25m 52s
If I'd failed, I wouldn't've been
able to stay with the company. -
26m 02s
I'd go back to Vietnam.
-
26m 05s
Son passed the test and could
extend his stay for two more years. -
26m 12s
I was so happy.
-
26m 15s
I want to keep improving.
-
26m 20s
I still have a lot to learn.
-
26m 23s
I want to keep growing as a carpenter.
-
26m 30s
I'll be as skilled and experienced
as Matsubara-san.