In 1987, Hiroshi Hayashi moved his restaurant “Latacarta” from Cambridge, Massachusetts to Peterborough, New Hampshire. After just eleven months in his new location, Hayashi had amassed a loyal following among the town’s residents. NHPR reporter Robbie Hoenig met with him to talk about his business and the emphasis he placed on natural food preparation.
The restaurant closed, but in the following years Hayashi established the Monadnock School for Natural Cooking and Philosophy (1999); and purchased a section of land in Peterborough, with the agreement that he would not develop it. His appreciation for the land was manifest in his drive to find ways to conserve it. Though Hayashi was unsuccessful in protecting the land before his death (2012), the parcel was purchased in 2014 by the Harris Center who finished the job.
The 109 acre section of land is now home to the Hiroshi Loop Trail where hikers can enjoy the scenery along Nubanusit Brook over the course of a 1.9 mile walk, and connect with the world around them—an endeavor Hayashi would wholly encourage and support.