Manami Masu

Nourishing the Spirit of Amami Through Farming, Technology and Community

Interview with Evangelia Papoutsaki and Kuwahara Sueo

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Through an interview with Manami Masu, we encounter a woman who is consciously building her life at the intersection of modern entrepreneurship and deep connections to nature and culture. Her story is not merely a tale of “returning to nature”—it is a complex balancing act between modernity and tradition, personal ambition and responsibility to the community, and the unique environmental challenges of living on a remote island.

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From Tokyo’s Medical Industry to the Fields of Amami
Manami Masu’s life is like a love letter to Amami Ōshima. Born in 1978 in Naze, Amami City, and raised surrounded by rich nature, she moved to Tokyo for school and work. For nearly 20 years, she built a career as a clinical laboratory technician in hospitals and the medical equipment sales industry—immersed in the fast-paced urban world. Yet, the desire to return home was always in the back of her mind.
The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake was a major turning point. “It made me realize the importance of being close to family,” she reflects. Her longing for Amami grew stronger, and in 2012, she made the decision to return.

From Jam-Making to Farming: A Legacy of Self-Sufficiency
Back on the island, she resumed work as a lab technician while nurturing a dream of opening a guesthouse. Meanwhile, she revisited a childhood tradition: she began producing and selling jams using fruits harvested from her family’s orchards, where her grandfather and uncle had long cultivated fruit in his orchard in Atetsu Village and noticed how many fruits couldn’t be shipped as fresh produce. Her mother used those “imperfect” fruits to make jam—a homemade treat that later became the inspiration for her business.

In 2014, she launched an online shop called “Kyashinafu”, named after an old Amami saying meaning “Nourish your spirit rather than your body (心や精神が大事).” The name embodies her belief in offering products and information that nourish both body and soul through Amami’s food and culture. Her jams, made from guava, tankan (a local citrus), and other island blessings, have earned fans across Japan.

 But that was only the beginning of her challenge. As her mother and uncle—who grew delicious produce—began to age, she felt a need to take over their work. “Someone has to do it,” she resolved. With no prior farming experience, she trained in Setouchi Town, learning greenhouse techniques and how to grow tropical fruits.

Now she manages 1.4 acres (about 0.58 hectares) of farmland, cultivating passionfruit, dragon fruit, pineapple and tankan oranges. Much of her land is borrowed from local residents, deepening her ties with the community.

 The Challenges and Joys of Island Farming
Farming on an remote island is far from easy. Strong typhoons damage crops, transportation delays cause losses, and pests like crickets, snails, Ryukyu wild boars, and even Amami black rabbits threaten harvests. High transport costs also weigh heavily. Still, Masu finds fulfillment in the connections and simplicity that farming brings.

What brings her the most joy is hearing from her customers. One woman in Tokyo wrote to say, “Since losing my mother, it was the first time my family smiled again—when we ate your passionfruit.” Another customer said that just one bite of tankan jam “felt like tasting the Amami sunshine.” Masu says, “Messages like that remind me why I’m here.”

Her farming methods emphasize coexistence with nature. She avoids pesticides whenever possible, releasing frogs into the fields to eat pests, and carefully records soil conditions. “Passionfruit is forgiving. If you treat it well, it gives back many times over,” she says with a smile.

A Village Fading, Yet Enduring
Once home to 900 people, the Atetsu illage now has only 45 residents. The spread of wild boars into overgrown fields reflects the harsh reality of depopulation. Still, Masu sees hope: “Nature is reclaiming the land. But the village elders are happy to see someone farming again.”

Her work isn’t just about farming—it’s about preserving culture. She learns shima-uta (island folk songs) from elders and actively participates in traditional festivals like Hachigatsu Odori (August Dance). “These traditions connect us more to Ryukyu than to Kagoshima. Amami’s unique identity lives in them,” she says proudly.

 

 Dreams of a Guesthouse and a Simpler Life
The guesthouse she once dreamed of—Oyado Kyashinafu—hasn’t been realized yet, but the dream remains vivid. “A place where you don’t have to do anything, just listen to birdsong and the sound of a stream. I want to offer that kind of quiet time,” she says. “People who visit Amami often become more emotionally open. It’s like their hearts discharge and recharge. That’s Amami’s magic.”

Her current lifestyle is worlds away from her Tokyo days in suits and nail salons. In the summer, she wears a swimsuit under her work clothes and cools off in the river after farm work. “No need for makeup or heels here. I’ve been shedding what I no longer need.”

 A Message in Every Jar
Manami Masu’s story is filled with rebirth, challenge, and deep love for her homeland. Whether through guava jam or her future guesthouse, what she wants to share is the spirit of Amami—something that nourishes not just the body, but the heart as well.

“There are times I want to give up, but then I remember the people who smile after eating my fruit—and that alone keeps me going,” she says.

Manami is far more than just a farmer. She is a producer, marketer, logistics manager, seller, and community curator—roles usually divided among many, but which she carries all on her own. She is what we might call an integrated entrepreneur.

By moving away from an urban lifestyle and harnessing digital tools while reconnecting with nature, Masu embodies a modern form of “rewilding.” She uses technology globally while building a deeply local and sustainable life.

From the viewpoint of remote island living, she offers a counter to depopulation and economic decline. From a gender perspective, she is a new role model: an independent, tech-savvy female farmer. From the lens of ecofeminism, she is a practitioner of the ethics of care—linking the health of the land with the physical and emotional well-being of the people.

Manami Masu’s story is a powerful example of how modernity and tradition, digital connection and deep local engagement, and entrepreneurship and care can come together to create a sustainable, fulfilling way of life on a remote island.

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To follow more of Manami Masu’s journey, visit her Facebook and Instagram page or check out her online shop “Kyashinafu.” The flavors of Amami are waiting for you.