There¡¯s a smell emanating from my kitchen.

The days are marching toward Tokyo¡¯s unrelenting, mold-inducing summer, but I¡¯m not concerned: This odor is earthy, rich and fragrant.

I¡¯m making compost in a , a method that¡¯s become popular in Japan over the past decade. The cardboard box composting system¡¯s draw is that it is both cheap and simple, bad-odor-free and well-suited to small Japanese spaces. I don¡¯t need to buy any special equipment apart from coconut peat and kuntan (rice husk ash), both of which are readily available from gardening centers. Nor do I need a special place to set my box up, though sunlight and ventilation are important for success.