TANBO trip 2023 was held.
On Saturday, July 29, and Sunday, July 30, we held the “TANBO trip 2023—Bringing Rice Fields into the Future: Learn About Rice! Use It! Eat It!” event at Yonehyakubyo Place Miraie Nagaoka.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who attended, as well as to all the companies and organizations that participated as exhibitors.
This event was held with the aim of allowing citizens to gain a firsthand understanding of the “Niigata Region Bio-Community Hub for Complete Resource Circulation Through Co-creation in the ”Rice-Producing Region’” initiative and the efforts of participating companies and organizations, and to foster a “space for co-creation” through collaboration among industry, academia, and government.
Saturday, July 29
The Rice Alliance Talk Show: “The Delicious World of Rice and Meals”
We were joined by representatives from the Rice Alliance, who spoke about the history of the alliance and its activities.
The Rice Alliance doesn’t just eat rice grown by farmers; it works to increase the number of people who enjoy rice and to support the rice industry. During the talk show, they gave a detailed presentation covering everything from how to buy rice to how to rinse and cook it.
Iwanohara Vineyard Wine Seminar: “Getting to Know Zenbei Kawakami, the ‘Father of Japanese Wine Grapes’”
We held a wine seminar presented by Iwanohara Vineyard.
It was a seminar where participants could learn about Japanese wine while enjoying wine tastings, featuring a lecture on "Zenbei Kawakami," the "father of Japanese wine grapes," and the history of Japanese wine grapes.
Niigata Prefecture Soy Sauce Cooperative: "Soy Sauce Brewing Experience"
After learning about soy sauce, we prepared the moromi by adding soy sauce koji and brine to plastic bottles. The soy sauce we made will be ready once it has aged for one year at home.
They held a special workshop that allowed participants to experience the wonders of fermentation at home even after the event was over.
Rice Tasting Event
We held a workshop to sample rice grown by six farmers from Nagaoka City and Shibata City who are collaborating on the COI-NEXT TANBO Project.
We provided “Koshihikari” rice. Even though it was the same variety, guests were able to taste the differences in flavor between the rice grown by each farmer.
Sunday, July 30
JA Echigo Chuetsu Presents “The Hikari Trilogy”
With the cooperation of JA Echigo Chuetsu, we held a lecture by Professor Toyokazu Hoshi.
After retiring from his position as a Niigata Prefecture government employee, Mr. Hoshi serves as the Head of Rice Cultivation Technology at the Echigo-Nagaoka Agricultural Cooperative, where he provides technical guidance on rice cultivation. He also serves as the technical backbone of the “Eco 5-5” campaign—which promotes the cultivation of specially grown rice using reduced-input farming methods (50% reduction in cultivation)—and is dedicated to promoting these cultivation practices.
We were treated to a wealth of valuable information, including the history of rice varieties in Niigata Prefecture, the untold story behind the creation of Koshihikari, and a tasting of three varieties: “Kamenoo”—Koshihikari’s ancestor three generations back—as well as Koshihikari’s mother variety, “Nourin No. 22,” and its father variety, “Nourin No. 1.”
Miso Seiroku Seminar: “Seiroku Talks About Miso”
"Miso Seiroku" is a specialty shop in Settaya—the "Town of Fermentation"—that sells pesticide-free, additive-free miso.
While enjoying miso soup made with traditional, handcrafted miso (aged 1, 2, and 3 years)—made with 100% domestically sourced ingredients to ensure safety and quality—we listened to a talk by the shop owner, Masao Hoshino, about his commitment to crafting exceptional miso.
Both days
N Cycle
We introduced the initiatives of the “N-Cycle” project, which is being carried out by Nagaoka City, Iwatsuka Confectionery, Hohen Agri, Neos, and our university.
Through quiz panels and coloring activities, we were able to highlight not only the “N Cycle” initiative but also the efforts of various companies, local governments, and universities to the general public.
SDGs Educational Game
We set up a booth where visitors could try out an SDGs board game (SDGs Karom, SDGs Activity Game) developed by students—a game that allows everyone from children to adults to learn while having fun—as well as make SDGs dice, color SDGs coloring pages, and build SDGs pinwheels. Many children and their parents stopped by, and we were able to introduce our SDGs initiatives to a wide audience.
Let's Compete Using Motors We Built Ourselves!
This is a workshop where participants build a motor, run electricity through it, and experience firsthand how it works.
We were pleased to have so many children and parents participate, and we hope they were able to get a firsthand look at the motors used in household appliances and robots.
Let's observe tiny living things—microbes!
With the cooperation of Nikon, we held a workshop in which participants used microscopes to observe microorganisms found in fermented foods.
Participants ranging from children to adults took part, and many people were able to experience the tremendous power of microorganisms.
Hall (Workshop)
*Niigata Agricultural Research Center*
We observed soil profiles from a 1-meter-deep monolith in a rice paddy and the weeds growing in the field (weeds that had been growing for approximately one week to one month). This experience allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of rice paddies and weeds—things we usually take for granted.
*Niigata University of Pharmacy*
We held a food quiz rally. The School of Applied Life Sciences at Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences trains food experts, not pharmaceutical experts, and the students studying food science there develop a variety of products at the university. Many children participated, giving them the opportunity to learn about the School of Applied Life Sciences’ initiatives.
Studio AB (Merchandise & Food & Beverage)
We’ve set up a retail and food and beverage area featuring rice and fermented foods.
(Exhibiting Companies)
Hachikai Brewery, Najiratei, Eguchi Dango, Chitose Research Institute, SoooooS Company (Smile &), Cantina Giosset
We also received posters and videos, which we displayed and screened at Miraie Step.
Through the various presentations, participants shared their thoughts on the rice paddies and rice in their local communities, saying things like, “I gained a new appreciation for the hardships farmers face and the current state of agriculture,” and “I want to learn more about rice and fermented foods.”
These were two very meaningful days during which we shared information about the “TANBO Project”—a collaborative effort involving many participating organizations—with the citizens, who are our key stakeholders.
We will continue to advance this project in collaboration with participating and partner companies, research institutions, local governments, farmers, and citizens, and work toward the realization of a bio-community based on the recycling of local resources.