## Can you tell us about your work as a herbalist?

"International herbalist" is the name of a qualification. Although my practice centers around food, the idea of herbalism is naturally reflected in all aspects of life, not just in cooking. It influences my thoughts around beauty, fashion, and how I choose products. So it doesn't feel right to describe myself as a ''cook''. That's why I introduce myself as a herbalist.

## What prompted you to start working as a herbalist?

It started when my daughter was weaning. When thinking about what kind of food I should introduce to her when she had previously only been drinking milk, I wanted it to be the best possible food, and began researching what that would be.

I asked myself, ''What does health mean to me?'', and based on my time working for a Taiwanese airline, I immediately thought of herbal medicine, as this is so popular in Taiwanese culture.

First I began studying to become a herbal medicine coordinator through correspondence courses, before I obtained qualifications as a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. From there I studied International Herbal Medicine, which focuses on herbal medicine beyond the confines of a single culture, and that is what I practice today.

## Let's talk about food. You have spoken about your time working in Taiwan and the influence that has had on your life and Korea. You now live in Japan. What are the differences between the food cultures of Taiwan and Japan?

Food is important in both countries, but in Taiwan the idea of your diet impacting your health and wellbeing is extremely deep rooted.

I remember that when I was working for the airline in Taiwan I would often have such an early start that I would miss breakfast. Instead of greeting me with ‘good morning’, my colleagues would always ask if I had eaten breakfast. If I said no then they would hand me food out of nowhere, insisting that I needed to eat before I could work. Taiwanese people seem to place importance on eating the right things in order to fuel you and provide energy for the day. Also Taiwanese breakfasts are exciting, aren’t they? I want to be able to deliver that same excitement, so I offer Taiwanese breakfasts.

## What is the appeal of medicinal cuisine?

I like simplicity. When selecting ingredients you just have to think, "this is for my current physical condition, this is for this constitution, this is for the season". You take only what you need, when you need it, and in the amount you need. I was convinced by this way of thinking, and since then my meals have naturally become simpler.

It is an intuitive way of eating, too. For example, with the hot weather coming up, my meals tend to be cold. But in the cold weather which causes discomfort, I can look forward to a warm bowl of soup in the evening.

I also advocate for simple meals that are easy to prepare. That way everyone can enjoy them. I don’t like to cook anything complicated or fussy, and recommend simple swaps that are easy to implement but come with tangible health benefits.

## You live in two places, Tokyo and Hiroshima. What are the different roles of each house?

The house in Hiroshima was originally where my grandparents lived, but after they passed away, the village was on the decline and if it wasn't used, it would just fall apart. Wanting to protect the house filled with memories, my husband, who is an architect, renovated it, preserving what he could from when my grandparents lived there. I hope to take over the house little by little, while preserving vestiges of my grandparents' style.

Tokyo on the other hand is really convenient, and you can get everything you need without travelling far from home. In contrast, there is nothing in Hiroshima, and we even incinerate our own trash.

I feel that my 5-year-old daughter can learn a lot from this environment about where our food comes from. I hope she will realise here that vegetables come from the soil, that animals live with us, and other things she wouldn't notice in Tokyo. We can let her be free to do what she likes in our home in Hiroshima in contrast to Tokyo, too. My husband and I also prioritize a healthy work life balance, so we're often at home and we have time to spend together as a family of three. The term "two bases" alone cannot express it better; Hiroshima is a place where we can go back to our roots and reset our minds. It is a place where we can "live simply."

## You're currently wearing our Unwadded Barton gilet in Moonbeam Silver. In what situations do you like to wear this piece?

Firstly, ease of movement is important when preparing food as a medicinal herbalist or working on the farm in Hiroshima, so I tend to wear vests and gilets on a daily basis. I wear them under an apron when it's chilly in the kitchen, and when I go to my house in Hiroshima, where the temperature is lower than in Tokyo, they are essential for keeping warm.

I wear a lot of black for work, and so for this gilet I decided to go for the white for some variety. I have a lot of black and white clothes so this goes well with them, and I wanted to enjoy an all-white outfit like today. There's no padding and it looks neat and clean, so I think it could also be worn at events like new product launches. Just throw this on over the clothes you normally wear to work, and it will class up your outfit a little.

## We’ve spoken about food, home and clothing. Is there a philosophy that underpins these different elements of your life?

Simplicity – I want to live simply! My thoughts about food became simpler after I started practicing herbal medicine cooking, and that naturally spread to other areas of my life, and my entire life became simpler.

The desire to live simply came from my time studying abroad in New Zealand during high school and university. They don't care about trends, and have a culture of continuing to use things they treasure, like cars, furniture, and clothes, even repairing them when they break. So in a good way, they don't have as much desire for material things.

I myself went to study abroad with just one suitcase, and came back with just one suitcase.

## What drew you to Lavenham?

Lavenham has a philosophy of 'Being Better' which I love. They create products that use up existing fabrics and offer a lifetime repair service, and they do so while taking the global environment into consideration, so I felt there were some overlaps between us.

Being able to repair something gives you a great sense of longevity and peace of mind. If you continuously wear it for years, it will inevitably get damaged and its functionality may decrease. So instead of buying a new one, being able to repair something you love and continue to use is great and a plus for the environment.

Lavenham has a classic and elegant impression, and is timeless, which is great as I live buy the idea of being able to wear your clothes over and over again. I try to choose pieces on the assumption that I will reuse them and they will stay in my wardrobe, which I think Lavenham is perfect for.

FOOD & COMPANY (Gakugei Daigaku Branch), is a grocery store based in Japan, striving to deliver quality whole foods with a positive view on how it impacts people and the world we live in.

They stock carefully selected vegetables from all over Japan. With only the highest quality ingredients and a constant push for a sustainable, simple way of living, this is one of the places Arita needs to lead a "simple everyday life." She sometimes visits the store multiple times a day.

*'A grocery store that provides small pleasures in daily life through eating.'*

3-14-15 Takaban, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-0004

Telephone: 03-6303-4216

Hours: 10:00am-20:00pm

Instagram: foodandcompany_grocery

Website: https://foodandcompany.co.jp/

## Arita Chiyuik

In addition to running the herbal medicine cooking class "A House with Light and Wind," Arita also writes articles on the environment and sustainability. After working as a flight attendant for a Taiwanese airline and as an editor and writer for magazines and the web, she entered the world of herbal medicine. She conveys the appeal of herbal medicine in a way that is close to everyday life, such as Taiwanese breakfast and her pop-up for herbal medicine baked goods "Cen." Based in Tokyo and Hiroshima, she practices a life in harmony with nature.

Instagram: @chiyuki_arita_official