GUNMA, Aug. 17 — Watching 70 Jersey cows strolling on a street is proving popular among tourists visiting Kozu Farm in the town of Shimonita, Gunma Prefecture. Kozu Farm, located on a 380-hectare land at an altitude of 1,060 meters, is Japan’s oldest Western-style mountain ranch with a history of more than 130 years. Cows walk down a mountain road twice a day from a pasture to a milking parlor several hundred meters away, and the marching cows have become the farm’s biggest attraction. There are about 60 grazing lands in the ranch and the cows move from one pasture to another during the grazing season between mid-April and late … Continue reading →

HIROSHIMA, Aug. 7 -August 6 was the day to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing at Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. On this day, the members of a local agricultural cooperative in Hiroshima (JA Hiroshima) paid tribute to the war victims at the memorial monument built on the ex-site of the Hiroshima branch office of the Hiroshima prefectural agricultural association, which was located near the hypocenter. Approximately 30 people, including JA officials and family members of the victims, offered incense and laid flowers for 83 atomic bomb casualties from the agricultural sector. At 8:15 in the morning, they observed a moment of silence as the Hiroshima Peace Bell rang. … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Aug. 6 — The National Agriculture and Food Research Organization announced that it has developed Sogetsu, a new cultivar of Japanese pear with very early maturity. The pear variety with yellow-green skin can be shipped to markets in the Kanto region before the Bon holidays in mid-August even in outdoor cultivation, meaning the pears can be marketed at high prices to meet the increase in demand for the fruit, as it is typically offered as gifts during that time. Sogetsu can be cultivated in pear producing areas throughout the country. The saplings are expected to be put on sale in the autumn of 2026 or later. The fruit weighs … Continue reading →

TOKYO, Aug. 4 — The National Federation of Agriculture Cooperative Associations known as JA ZEN-NOH began distributing milk to hotels free of charge to be offered to guests as welcome drinks. By taking the move in cooperation with Resol Holdings Co., a hotel chain operator in Mobara, Chiba Prefecture, JA ZEN-NOH hopes to support dairy farmers by boosting raw milk consumption during the summer holidays when school lunches, where milk is a regular part of the menu, are suspended and demand for milk shrinks. It is the first attempt by JA ZEN-NOH to collaborate with the hotel industry that enters a busy season during the period. Three milk brands will … Continue reading →

KYOTO, Aug. 4 – The Anraku-ji Temple in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, held a Shishigatani Squash (Kabocha) Memorial Dedication on July 25. It is a traditional event with a history of about 230 years, supported by local farmers, that serves visitors simmered squash and prays for their health.At 6:00 in the morning, Chief Priest Koujun Ito, 39, and approximately 50 local Buddhist parishioners began cooking squashes in large deep pots for approximately 1,000 visitors. The sweet aroma of simmering kabocha and the lively sound of cutting their hard skin filled the air around the temple. They used a traditional vegetable in Kyoto called Shishigatani Kabocha, a squash with a distinct gourd-like … Continue reading →