Tamura Farm has a vast orchard in the city of Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture. It delivers apples to kitchens across Japan, and processes them as well. The employees manually and carefully peel, core and cut the fruit into pieces.

Like most every food-processing plant, this one operates under a rigorous regime of hygiene control. Workers are dressed to code and prohibited from bringing in personal items; the machines and equipment are strictly controlled for safety. The electric chain hoist used here has an attached dustpan to prevent any foreign matter from getting into the products.

Now it’s time for the hoist to go to work. The cut apple pieces are transferred to de-aeration equipment, which prevents the boiled apples from getting pulpy, maintaining the fruit’s unique texture and flavor.

Tamura Farm also produces apple pies with Kogyoku, a variety it’s particularly proud to offer. About 50 apple varieties grow in Aomori Prefecture, providing a spectrum of sweetness, sourness and texture. It’s fun to sample the many varieties to discover new favorites.