This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Daisuke Fujii, the cofounder of Farm & Firm Company, a Japanese consulting firm that helps farmers and rural communities generate new income through agritourism, hospitality, and business development.
It’s been edited for length and clarity.
I grew up in Saitama, about 20 miles north of Tokyo. In elementary school, I discovered a love for all things space- and engineering-related, like planes and satellites.
At 14, I decided I wanted to be an engineer, but as one of five children, my parents couldn’t afford to pay for college. I had to make it happen myself.
I was accepted into the National…
