Other
Nozomu Miyajima
Cheesemaker
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Formation
Farmstead cheesemaking in Hokkaido sits inside a wider agricultural practice: pasture, milk, community labor, and maturation all have to be managed as one system. Since 2019, Nozomu Miyajima has served as the guiding force behind Kyodo-Gakusha Shintoku Farm, carrying that work through sustainable agriculture and the farm’s community-based structure. The emphasis is practical rather than decorative: respect for land and resources, farming methods aligned with natural conditions, and continuity for a working rural operation.
The Work Today
Cheese production in the Tokachi region is shaped by latitude, climate, and milk. At Kyodo Gakusha Shintoku Farm, where Nozomu Miyajima works as both CEO and cheese master, the site at 43 degrees north latitude is described by Miyajima as the “fermentation line.” That framing matters to the make: temperature and climate are treated as production conditions, not background scenery, and the cheeses are built to reflect the Tokachi area’s dairy environment.
Signature
Signature cheeses include Raclette and Sakura cheese.
Credentials
International judging gives farmstead cheese a different kind of scrutiny: the cheese has to stand outside its home context and still read clearly in category. In 2004, Nozomu Miyajima was awarded the gold medal in the soft cheese category at the Mountain Cheese Olympics in Appenzell, Switzerland. The recognition placed his work within global cheesemaking competition while preserving the specific identity of Hokkaido dairy and Tokachi production.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Nozomu
What does Nozomu Miyajima currently do?
Nozomu Miyajima is cheesemaker at Kyodo Gakusha Shintoku Farm.
What is Nozomu Miyajima known for?
Being a symbol of Hokkaido's dairy industry.
What recognition has Nozomu Miyajima received?
Gold medal in the soft cheese category at the Mountain Cheese Olympics (2004).
