Fujiwara and Fukuoka: Their Respective Encounters with Raw Food

FujiwaraThis spring, I started drinking a morning fruit smoothie and lost weight so rapidly, I was surprised. That's when I began researching, and discovered raw food is quite the trend. I had read a book called "Natural Hygiene" eight years ago and was drinking smoothies then, but I didn't understand some things back then. Recently, after taking proper raw food cooking lessons from Fukuoka, I'm really feeling the effects. I've learned to make various dishes, and it's delicious and fun.fruit smoothieI'm really feeling the effects. I've learned to make various dishes, and it's delicious and fun.

FukuokaYour inner radiance and vitality really come through!

FujiwaraI find making raw food more enjoyable than making regular dishes.

FukuokaI understand. There are so many ways to arrange them.

FujiwaraHow many years have you been practicing raw food, Fukuoka-san?

FukuokaI started incorporating it about five years ago. Around that time, I was intrigued by terms like "aroma" and "detox." I picked up a book by a French naturopath called "French Diet: Aroma Detox," and that was the trigger.

FujiwaraRaw food wasn't very well-known back then, was it?

FukuokaThat's right, it wasn't even called raw food.

FujiwaraWhat was it called then?

FukuokaThere wasn't a specific name. The book stated something like, "Instead of heavy meals that burden digestion and lower intelligence and physical ability, let's minimize digestion and direct that energy towards creativity."





FujiwaraSpecifically?

FukuokaIt suggested eating primarily fresh salads. Avoid sugar, milk, dairy products, and chemical additives in meals. Have only fruit for breakfast, among about ten other points. Looking back, this was "Natural Hygiene." It was a message of aroma and detox, urging us to re-evaluate our lifestyle and shed waste and fat from the body. Later, I first learned about "raw food" in an overseas magazine, I think it was an article about Hollywood actresses and famous designers adopting raw food and losing a lot of weight... However, when I saw the word "raw," my immediate thought was that it would make me cold, so I moved past it. At the time, I was working for an internet advertising agency, and all my weekday lunches and dinners were eaten out. But I drank a fruit smoothie in the morning and paid attention to how and when I ate. Even with just that, I felt my body changed considerably. Rather than losing weight, my skin improved first, my mind became clearer, my hair quality changed, and my menstrual pain and gynecological symptoms disappeared.

FujiwaraWas that just from the morning smoothie?

FukuokaYes.

FujiwaraSo, enzymes were effective for that?

FukuokaThey likely were. There was a time when my condition was so severe I had to go to the hospital, but it has since improved to the point where I wonder what that was about. I had tried every method – nutritional balance, supplements, Chinese medicine, macrobiotics – with no significant changes, but it dramatically changed when I started incorporating smoothies.

Why People Get Hooked on Raw Food

FujiwaraThat's why everyone gets hooked. I was doing spot-reducing exercises, but the moment I started drinking fruit smoothies, I lost weight. It's astonishing how much weight you can lose. So, one interpretation is that enzymes are that important for the human body and beauty, right?

FukuokaYes. Also, ingesting phytochemicals, which are plant nutrients, is highly effective for antioxidant action and anti-aging. My skin started to change first.

FujiwaraI know what you mean. When I wake up in the morning, my skin has so much firmness!

FukuokaThe firmness of the skin is completely different! My skin used to be very rough, so I'd hide it with foundation, but now I don't need anything.

FujiwaraYour skin has such a beautiful translucency, Fukuoka-san. Not just its whiteness, but even the color of your lips shows translucency and whiteness. The first time I visited your class the other day, the moment I saw your face and said "Nice to meet you," I thought, "I knew it was the right choice!"

FukuokaThank you. I was also drawn to your radiant skin, Fujiwara-san!

Experiencing Raw Food in Canada Amidst Nature

FujiwaraAfter the smoothie, how did you research cooking?

FukuokaNowadays, we see more raw food recipe books in Japan, but back then, there were only foreign books, so I looked at overseas raw food sites and magazines. However, many ingredients weren't available in Japan, so I checked the ingredients and created mostly original recipes. The fact that raw food is easy to make was also a plus.

FujiwaraThat's so true. I realized that myself when I learned from you.

FukuokaIt's fun because it's simple, quick to make, and the possibilities for arrangement are endless with creativity.

FujiwaraWhat did you study during your studies in Canada?

FukuokaSalt Spring Island is an island about a two-hour ferry ride from Vancouver, known as the "Organic Island." It has abundant nature and warm people. Many artists live there and engage in creative activities. 80% of the island's farms are organic. Everyone eats the produce grown there, and it's a complete community. I studied techniques intensively from morning to night at a school on this island.

FujiwaraThat sounds wonderful, I'd love to go too.

FukuokaIt was a magnificent environment. Eating whole foods grown locally amidst nature. "Ichibutsu zentai" (eating the whole food). And, local production for local consumption. Growing crops ourselves, cooking and eating them, and returning the leftover waste to the soil as compost. However, I also experienced the difficulties of raw food there. To learn the techniques, we made dough using dehydrators for what's called gourmet raw food, used nuts to represent meat, and oils for raw sweets. Raw food originated in America, so they skillfully use spices to express dishes like lasagna and meat pies, but it's different from the delicate flavors and umami savored in Japanese cuisine. The taste was strong, and furthermore, consuming large amounts of nuts put a heavy burden on digestion. By the second day, my stomach felt bloated, and I started breaking out, making tasting difficult. What remains in my memory is the raw wheatgrass juice I drank every morning. It purified and neutralized my system.

FujiwaraToo many nuts can indeed make your stomach feel heavy.

FukuokaYes. It also gave rise to the question: What is raw food that suits Japanese people?

What is Raw Food Suited for Japanese People?

FukuokaAfter returning to Japan, I spent several months experimenting with raw food recipes, from main dishes to raw sweets. While making them, I realized that for Japanese people, it's best to use Japanese ingredients. Japan has excellent seasonings like miso, soy sauce, and koji, so utilizing them is the best approach. Overseas raw food often uses spices skillfully, but they may not suit the Japanese constitution. Therefore, I believe it's good to be able to adapt recipes, even if they aren't 100% raw food, to suit Japanese preferences.

FujiwaraThe "raw sushi rolls" you taught me the other day were incredibly delicious, and I loved them. I was so surprised that nori and miso could pair so well. That's when I understood what you meant by wanting to utilize Japanese ingredients.

FukuokaYes.

FujiwaraAlso, when I was researching, I noticed many people were into raw sweets, and I wondered, even if it's raw, is it okay to eat a lot?

FukuokaModeration is key in everything. Many overseas raw sweet recipes use ingredients like cacao butter and coconut oil, but using too much can lead to indigestion. It didn't suit me. Conversely, there's a seaweed called Irish moss that's easier for Japanese people to digest; it acts like agar-agar. However, since it's not a Japanese ingredient itself, I think it's best if we can make things with ingredients readily available in Japan. Also, just because it's raw food doesn't automatically make it healthy. If you eat more than you need, you can still gain weight.

FujiwaraThat's true. Eating too many raw sweets or drinking too many fruit smoothies defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

FukuokaBe mindful of excessive fruit sugar intake as well. Some people experience discomfort from drinking too many green smoothies. Occasionally, individuals who love fruit and consume excessive amounts of fructose develop symptoms similar to adrenal fatigue. While it's fine if it's just fruit, consuming it with other things can also be a cause. If you feel unwell, you may need to change how you consume fruit, and excessive fructose intake could be a factor.

FujiwaraEven healthy foods can have the opposite effect if consumed in excess. If you don't understand these nuances, it's pointless, isn't it?

FukuokaThat's right. Therefore, some people who don't have strong kidneys to begin with may feel sluggish if they consume too much fruit. It's good to keep these things in mind. However, please don't let this lead you to believe that raw food is bad.

FujiwaraThat's the important part, isn't it? That's why it's crucial to always be aware of your body's condition.

Michiko Fujiwara and Junko Fukuoka's "Raw Food Suited for Japanese People" Discussion: Part 2 Here

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