Category Archives: Photos

  Masaki Shimizu Hoof trimmers gathered in Mito on Friday, October 25, to show off their skills at a national cow hoof trimming competition. 24 hoof trimmers of beef and dairy cattle representing 12 prefectures from five regions participated in the competition held by Japan Farriery Association. Tetsuhisa Fukami, 37, representing Kyushu, won the agricultural minister prize. The participants from Hokkaido to Kagoshima had associates hold cows to keep them restrained and carefully trimmed their hooves, using hatchets and hoof knives. Hoof trimming is necessary to keep hooves from growing too long and prevent disease, in order to keep cows healthy and remain productive. Hoof trimmers play a major role … Continue reading →

    Kotaro Yamada White moth orchids with colored leaves and dragonflies painted on their petals attracted people’s attention at a flower exposition which had been held in Chiba until Friday, October 11. The orchids, named Keshoran meaning orchids wearing make-up, were developed by ArtGreen Co., a Tokyo-based flower and plant wholesaler, and was put on sale in 2009. They became better known after appearing in several events, and some 1,000 pots were sold in the past year. They were also on display at the International Flower Expo which was held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba. Petals are painted by placing over them patterns with pictures and letters cut out … Continue reading →

Kotaro Yamada Farmers in Imaizumi district of Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, are harvesting rice for the first time since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami which devastated the region. In Imaizumi, 90 percent of households were swept away and 240 people died because of the tsunami. Agricultural producers’ cooperative corporation in Imaizumi, comprised of seven local farmers, worked to restore farmlands by removing disaster debris, and planted Hitomebore brand rice on a 3-heactare land in May. The rice field does not drain well since the underground drains remain unrepaired, so the farmers are cutting rice crops by hand using sickles instead of by combine harvesters. Tsuyoshi Kanno, 73-year-old head of the … Continue reading →

Five cowshed-shaped houses grab attention of visitors to Kuromatsunaicho, a town with a thriving dairy industry located in the southern part of Hokkaido. The houses were built by the town’s municipal government, which since 2010 has been working on creating a townscape that maintains the cultural heritage of the farming region. “The house is designed to match the agricultural scenery,” says Ikuko Fujii, 41, who has lived in one of the houses for two years. “It is warm and comfortable even in winter and I’m happy living here.” The houses, which look just like cowsheds scattered about the town, have steep-slope roofs so that a mass of snow would slide … Continue reading →

Rintaro Someya Mindbank, a venture firm based in Sasebo, Nagasaki prefecture, created rice dyed in five colors of the Olympic rings to support Tokyo’s bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. As a last-minute cheering effort ahead of the selection of the host city, scheduled on Sunday, September 8, 65-year-old Mindbank President Toshio Shimoyama said he wants to appeal to the world Japan’s staple food and the nation’s high-quality processing technology. The product is made by coating pre-washed grains of Nagasaki-grown Koshihikari brand rice with powders made from vegetables grown in the area, using the firm’s own method. The red powder is made from red peppers, green from spinaches, yellow … Continue reading →