Category Archives: Others

HOKKAIDO, OKAYAMA, Feb. 9 – According to some local reports, the death toll in Turkey and northern Syria is nearing 10,000 after the earthquake struck the southern part of Turkey. Thousands of people are still trapped under collapsed buildings, while the 72-hour time limit for saving lives (10:17 a.m. on February 9 in Japan time) is approaching. There are Turks living in Japan and involved in farming, and they are saddened by the tragedy that hit the fellow citizens, saying, “It’s hard not to be able to do anything” for their families and friends who live 85,000 kilometers away. -Mellal Seto (fruit farmer in Sapporo City, Hokkaido): I want to … Continue reading →

AKITA, Jan. 9 – The year 2023 is the year of the rabbit in Japan. Speaking of rabbits, the Semboku region in the Southern part of Akita Prefecture traditionally grows jumbo rabbits for meat. In 2022, the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs certified its deeply rooted food culture of eating jumbo rabbit meat as a “100-year food” of Japan. Since then, there has been a jump in the popularity of rabbit meat as a healthier option. The region grows Akita-improved Japanese White, a breed with thick white fur. Some of them weigh over 10 kilograms. Growing rabbits for food started in the Meiji Era to improve diet in rural parts … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Dec. 19 – The most demanded smart agricultural technology by farmers is a drone that can spray agrichemicals over a wide area, according to a survey recently conducted by the agriculture ministry to grasp technological needs. Other technologies high on the list include labor-saving machinery such as weeding robots and automatic mowers, as well as fruit and vegetable harvesting robots. The ministry plans to prioritize research and development of high-demand technologies in the future. The survey was conducted between Nov. 22 and Dec. 5 on the ministry’s website and garnered responses from 1,095 people including farmers, local government officials and researchers. Each respondent was asked to choose up to … Continue reading →

HYOGO, Dec. 3 – The making of tsurushi-gaki (hang-dried persimmon) on the Kannabe Plateau in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, is now in the very final stage. Members of the association of hang-dried persimmon producers in Kannabe tied two Oomino or Hiratane-nashi persimmons, picked in November, to a string and hung them for about a month to dry. Currently, the producers are busy massaging the persimmons to make them softer in texture. The association will start selling them in mid-December. Cold wind blowing from the Sea of Japan helps the persimmons go dry and generate rich sweetness and smooth texture. They are popular among skiers visiting the plateau and people looking … Continue reading →

OITA, Nov. 14 – In the middle of November, Hita City, Oita Prefecture, held an annual event called Sennen Akari (meaning “a thousand years of lights” in Japanese), featuring fantastic displays of lanterns made of locally-cut bamboo. Around 20,000 candles were lit along the Mameda Town and Kagetsu river areas with historic buildings to create a dreamy atmosphere. The locals began the festival in 2004 to revitalize the local economy and protect local specialties such as cedars and hinoki cypress from bamboo. They cut Moso-Chiku, the biggest bamboo found in Japan, in the bamboo groves next to local cedar and cypress forests every year to make lanterns. The lanterns emitting … Continue reading →