Photo/Illutration Emilie Bouquet (Photo by Wataru Sekita)

Emilie Bouquet is here for the long haul.

She came to Japan from her native France one month after the catastrophic accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March 2011 to teach French in Tokyo and elsewhere.

With the triple meltdown reported by news media in her home country on a daily basis, the 35-year-old had the perception that the whole of Fukushima Prefecture was a very dangerous place.

But Bouquet said the Aizu region’s rich natural environment took her breath away when she visited in summer 2018 after teaching a student from the prefectural capital of Fukushima.

“My impression was renewed,” Bouquet recalled. “I wanted to learn more about Fukushima and see it with my own eyes.”

She wasted no time in looking up local specialties and sightseeing spots in the prefecture and set up a website to share her findings in French and other languages, added with her illustrations.

She was fascinated by “Futaba Daruma,” traditional round-shaped dolls that are used as charms for the fulfillment of special wishes in the town of Futaba, which co-hosts the crippled nuclear power plant.

In 2023, Bouquet decided to relocate to the prefecture to try her hand at growing her own produce, which she had given up on when she moved on to senior high school.

She found farmland to rent in Okuma, which is adjacent to Futaba.

Just like the plants and crops she nurtures with great affection, she is determined to set down deep roots.

Bouquet promotes sustainable agriculture in harmony with nature, using pesticide- and fertilizer-free methods.

She grows raspberries and mint in the field.

As for chestnuts and persimmons that take time until harvesting, she planted seedlings while taking their growth into account.

“Whether it’s weak or strong, each plant has its own rhythm,” Bouquet said. “I want to watch over them without taking too much care.”

She is planning to make her endeavor a pick-your-own type of farm in the hope of also attracting visitors from abroad to give them an opportunity to see how it feels to be in Fukushima Prefecture.

“While making mistakes, I will think about it and make it my own place,” she said. “I’m looking forward so much to seeing how my farm and the town will become in 30 years’ time.”

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