In Kitagawa, in Kōchi Prefecture, the mountains dominate the landscape and, from November onwards, the yuzu harvest brings the village to life, steeped in its intense fragrance — a reflection of a region that accounts for 50% of Japan's yuzu production, a quarter of which comes from this locality. Developed since the late 1960s, cultivation now extends over more than 100 hectares and enjoys a reputation for excellence, owing in particular to the century-old ungrafted Misho Yuzu trees, whose fruits, the result of slow growth requiring up to 18 years before the first harvest, are distinguished by a powerful and deep aroma.
From the spring blossoming to the harvests of green and then ripe fruits in autumn, the entire community takes part in this production, which is omnipresent in local life where yuzu, consumed notably in the form of vinegar combined with soy sauce, is an essential element of the local gastronomy; indeed, this village of 1,600 inhabitants, producing more than 940 tonnes of yuzu, more than earns its nickname of "Kingdom of Yuzu".
