Our guest is Megumi Hwang, the co-founder of KANKITSU LABO based in New York. She started KANKITSU LABO with the goal to revive the declining citrus farming industry in Japan and spread unique flavors of Japanese citrus to the world.

You may have heard of yuzu, or tasted it at a Japanese restaurant and enjoyed its distinctively refreshing flavor. Citrus fruits are very popular in Japan, and there are numerous original varieties in the country other than yuzu.

On this episode, we will discover the world of Japanese citrus fruits and how you can use them, and Megumi’s mission and activities to support Japanese citrus farms that are seriously in decline due to market competition and the aging population.

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THE NOTO PENINSULA EARTHQUAKE DISASTER RELIEF

As you may know, a major earthquake struck Japan's Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture on January 1st. The death toll keeps climbing and the damage to the beautiful region is tremendous. Importantly, 10 of the 11 sake breweries in the Noto Peninsula were completely or partially destroyed.

So if you can, please donate through reliable organizations including:

The Japanese Red Cross https://www.jrc.or.jp/english/relief/2024NotoPeninsulaEarthquake.html

Peace Winds America: A fundraiser by US-Japan Foundation/US-Japan Leadership Program https://www.globalgiving.org/fundraisers/49472/ 　

The Ishikawa Sake Brewers Association

https://www.ishikawa-sake.jp/index.php　

(the donation account details) https://www.ishikawa-sake.jp/images/97-1.pdf)

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