Japan offers local rice for school meals 3.5 days a week in 2018

TOKYO, March 6 ― Japan offered locally-grown rice for school meals at elementary and junior high schools across the country on average 3.5 days per week in 2018, a government survey has showed. The school meals in serving Japanese rice has been increasing over the years, according to the education ministry. Rice were served at school lunch on average 2.9 days per week in 2006. The trend reflects as the government eyes new ways of spreading Washoku traditional Japanese cuisine at home and abroad, since Washoku has been added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, experts say.

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JA Hokkaido opens a café in Tokyo to promote local products

TOKYO, March 1 ― A Farmers’ group in northern Japan is seeking to promote their products at a newly opened café in Tokyo, as the farmers are facing an influx of dairy imports due to the landmark trade deals such as the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement. The agricultural cooperatives in Hokkaido, also known as Hokuren, has opened a new outlet “Milkland Hokkaido→Tokyo” at the busy shopping district of Jiyugaoka. The café offers menu that uses Hokkaido-grown farm products such as rice, corn and dairy products. It also offers cooking classes that also use locally made products.

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Yamagata is preparing to celebrate Hina Matsuri with rice cakes

TSURUOKA, Feb. 24 ― As the month of March is approaching, so is the production of Japanese rice cakes here that feature local farm produce in Yamagata prefecture. March 3 is a Japanese traditional holiday, also known as Girls’ Day or Hina Matsuri, which wishes for the good health for young females in a family. It is customary to display beautiful dolls in the house. Tsuruoka city has a tradition to display its rice cakes next to those dolls. The rice cakes resemble locally grown vegetables and fruits such as cherry.

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JA Miyagi Tome aims to boost rice exports to 2000 tons in 2019

TOME, Feb. 24 ― A farmers’ cooperative in Miyagi prefecture has set a target to more than double its rice exports this year in a bid to boost rice growers’ incomes. JA Miyagi Tome said it aims to export 2,000 metric tons this year from the current level of 938 metric tons, which is one of the highest level of shipments among Japanese rice growing regions. JA Miyagi Tome highlights Hong Kong and Taiwan as major destinations, but it said it will export to Australia and Singapore as well. The new target comes as Japan faces shrinking domestic demand for rice posed by a rapidly ageing and declining population with … Continue reading

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Ehime teens win national tourism contest ideas for foreigners

SHIKOKUCHUO, Feb. 27 ― Japanese high school students in the Shikoku region has won a national award for their idea to draw foreign tourists to their local attraction: Bonsai. Four students from Doi High School in Ehime prefecture identified the local Akaishi pine is something special to offer and proposed a trip to the Shikokuchuo city to make it a travel destination for foreign tourists. Now, local bonsai co-operatives and a travel company have tied up to realize the students’ idea. They organize a seven-day, six-night trip to the city, which charges 19,800 yen per person. The first trip will be offered to eight foreigners who live in Japan and … Continue reading

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