Shodoshima Gastronomy Experience at the World-Famous Olive Oil Producer, Takao Nouen

Takao Nouen: Representing Shodoshima’s Homegrown Olive Culture

Located in the Seto Inland Sea, the island of Shodoshima was one of the first places in Japan to successfully cultivate olives. Because it has a Mediterranean-like climate characterized by warm temperature, low rainfall, and long daylight hours all year round, it has since become Japan’s largest olive-producing region.

Being closely associated with the Setouchi Triennale art festival, Shodoshima is dotted with art installations that seem to blend perfectly with the island’s groves full of olive trees. In recent years, it has been attracting attention as a place for quiet contemplation, where the tranquil Seto Inland Sea, art, and gastronomy intersect.

Among the many olive farms on Shodoshima, Takao Nouen Olive Hatake (Takao Nouen Olive Farms) in particular stands out for its continued participation in international competitions, as well as its commitment to food safety and environmental friendliness.

Established in 2006, this family-run farm is devoted to cultivating olives without the use of herbicides. As a result, in 2021, it became the first in Japan to receive ASIAGAP (Asian Standard for Good Agricultural Practices)* certification, a set of globally recognized standards. The farm’s signature extra-virgin olive oil, which is cold-pressed immediately after harvest to maximize its aroma, has won numerous awards worldwide for its exquisite quality.

*ASIAGAP is a Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification system approved by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), a non-profit organization based in Paris, France.

Feel the Farm Owners’ Sincerity Reflected in Each Olive Tree

Your experience will start once your ferry reaches Shodoshima’s Ikeda Port. There, Toyohiro or Kodai will welcome you, then drive you to their farm, which consists of several olive groves. First, at Kurikidani Farm, Takao Nouen’s main olive grove, you will learn about olive cultivation and harvesting.

Explore the production area as Toyohiro or Kodai delves into Takao Nouen’s history and the family’s passion for olive oil production. Kodai explains, “Even if different varieties of olive trees are planted in the same grove, their growth will still vary depending on their leaf veins and the amount of sunlight they receive.”

As harvest times for olive trees differ according to variety, the father-and-son owners of Takao Nouen must ensure that they do not miss the optimal harvest time for each. Thus, focusing mainly on Lucca and Mission, the two main varieties grown on Shodoshima, Toyohiro and Kodai meticulously cultivate their olive trees one by one, seemingly having conversations with them.

Placing the utmost importance on soil preparation, they avoid using herbicides, mow the grass four times a year, and leave grass clippings in place as a natural fertilizer. This practice increases the soil’s organic matter, creating the perfect environment for olives.

An Autumn Harvesting Experience Filled with the Aroma of Olives

From September to November, the autumn season in Japan, olive-harvesting season is in full swing. You will try olive harvesting for yourself while gaining valuable knowledge that can only be acquired and retained through experience: how each olive tree bears fruit differently, how to identify olives suitable for oil extraction, and so on. As Kodai says, “I think that it’s meaningful for people to discover how harvested olives are processed then delivered to consumers.” Indeed, watching olive trees that were carefully cultivated for a year sway their leaves with the breeze and abundantly bear fruit will surely fill you with awe.

Olives are harvested by picking them by hand. The harvested olives are then stored in well-ventilated containers to avoid damaging even a single olive, and their temperature is carefully monitored. After removing impurities such as leaves and branches at the farm’s sorting facility, they are transported to the extraction site. As freshness is crucial for olives, the speed at which they are transformed into olive oil is likewise important. Thus, Takao Nouen presses olives on the same day they are harvested.

Please note that if it will rain on or the day before your experience date, for safety purposes, you will only be given a tour of Takao Nouen’s factory and an introduction to its harvesting equipment.

Witness the Manufacturing Process Behind Each Drop of Olive Oil　

After the harvesting experience, you will head to the factory to observe how olives are processed to become olive oil. Once impurities have been carefully removed by hand, the olives are rinsed with water and pressed into a paste in a crusher. This paste is then stirred, and oil is extracted from it through centrifugation. You will be able to watch this entire process until the very last step: filtration.

Even with olives of the same variety, seemingly minor factors such as the color ratio of the olives and the amount of rainfall prior to harvest can lead to subtle differences in the flavor of olive oil. In addition, both the flavor and color of olive oil vary depending on the time of harvest. For example, olive oil produced in early autumn, at the beginning of harvest season, can taste and look different from olive oil produced in late autumn, toward the end of harvest season. Thus, Takao Nouen makes sure to taste each batch of olive oil it produces. 

In this experience, you will taste two standard types of olive oil: Lucca and Mission, made from two olive varieties that are widely cultivated on Shodoshima. Kodai explains, “Lucca is fragrant, with a simple flavor that is sweet but also rich in umami. Meanwhile, Mission is spicy and bitter, with a pungent aroma. It’s delicious when poured over steamed vegetables.” Once you taste both, you will recognize the clear differences in flavor and aroma for yourself and feel the richness of high-quality olive oil.

Harvesting an Asparagus Brand from Kagawa Prefecture in Spring

Though spring is the off season for olive harvesting, Takao Nouen is still worth visiting during this time. To make efficient use of its land even when olives cannot be harvested, the farm grows Sanuki no Mezame, an asparagus variety that originated in Kagawa Prefecture, in spring.

Thick but tender all the way to the base, this brand of asparagus is so deliciously sweet that it can be eaten raw. At 80 to 150 grams, each stalk weighs far more than the common types of asparagus in the market. From March to June, participants of this experience will harvest Sanuki no Mezame asparagus, then try it as is and savor it with Takao Nouen’s signature olive oil.

For the off-season version of this experience, guided tours of Takao Nouen’s factory will still be held, just like in autumn. The only activity that participants will be unable to experience in spring is olive harvesting.

However, an optional add-on (separate charges apply) is exclusively available during this time: a honey harvesting experience, which can only be enjoyed in spring and early summer. Olive flowers bloom from May to June, during Japan’s humid rainy season. As excessive humidity can greatly affect olive growth, Takao Nouen began beekeeping in the hopes that through pollination, bees could help keep the farm’s olives healthy. Book this add-on to enjoy quality honey, freshly harvested from Takao Nouen’s beehives.

A Renewed Appreciation for Nature and the Dedicated Producers of Our Food

Harmony between humans and nature has long been a valued part of traditional Japanese culture. Through this precious experience, you will learn how carefully cultivated olives are transformed into olive oil and receive the farm’s signature artisanal olive oil as a souvenir for you to enjoy at home. More importantly, you will witness and experience firsthand the values that Takao Nouen lives by as an environment-friendly farm and local olive oil producer. By the end of the experience, you will no doubt understand why Takao Nouen has gained so much acclaim worldwide. Come to Shodoshima Island for a meaningful journey of connecting with nature, local gastronomy, and passionate olive oil producers with an artisanal spirit.