Japan faces a serious challenge in food security.
An aging population is shrinking the agricultural workforce, and while the country’s vegetable self-sufficiency stands at roughly 60% by value and volume, seed self-sufficiency is only about 1%.
How is the younger generation responding to this pressing issue?
During my visit to Japan last year, I interviewed several farmers who are working to address these concerns. What follows is one of those farm-visit stories.
Traditional farming holds little appeal for the younger generation—the work is simply demanding, day after day, and is affected by climate change.
Yet a new wave of young entrepreneurs, often with no farming background, is entering the industry with fresh ideas and business models.
Utsunomiya Base is one such example.
Founded on March 26, 2022, in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, the farm was established by five young men from diverse professional backgrounds. They grow vegetables organically and sell directly to local consumers, creating a meaningful connection between the community and local agriculture.
The team includes Hironori Watanabe, the group’s founder and a current professional basketball player; Ryuta Hattori, who studied economics in the United States and now serves as PR/communication director; Yasuharu Yoshizawa, a farmer who inherited and continues his family’s agricultural legacy; Yoshiya Nishizawa, a former professional soccer player with a 16-year career; and Reo Shimizu, the youngest member of the group. Together—energetic, charismatic, and determined—they are making a noticeable impact on the farming industry.
The Farm grows 180 varieties of produce across 75 acres. At this time of year, farmers prepare the soil for their major crop, corn, while also harvesting winter vegetables. Their produce is sold through local food stores, farmers’ stands, restaurant and hotel partners, and an online shop.
The company’s mission is to make farming an everyday experience for everyone, nurturing joy, appreciation for nature and food, and a sense of human connection through teamwork. To bring this mission to life, the Farm hosts events and offers hands-on programs that invite people to experience agriculture directly.
I visited the Farm on November 23rd, the day of Niiname-sai.
Niiname-sai is an annual harvest festival led by the Emperor at the Imperial Palace, with shrines across Japan joining in to give thanks for the year’s harvest and to pray for future prosperity. The Farm’s event program was designed to commemorate this tradition.
About forty participants—families with children, couples, and friends—gathered to harvest satoimo taro and plant carrots and salad greens. Their reward for the morning’s work was a hearty bowl of imo-nabe (miso soup filled with mixed vegetables and sliced pork) and a generous bag of freshly harvested satoimo.
A seven-year-old girl whispered to me that she is a regular at these events and loves the feeling of touching the soil. Her mother added that she began eating carrots only after attending the carrot-harvest program.
She was delighted in pulling a carrot from the earth and tasting it on the spot. “It was so sweet!” she said. She still refuses carrots from anywhere else and looks specifically for those grown at the Utsunomiya Base Farm.
The Utsunomiya Base Farm has truly succeeded in reconnecting consumers with agriculture.
After harvesting satsumaimo (Japanese sweet potato), everyone presents their harvest with big smiles. Good job done!
At the end of the Farm Class Day, children received the Certificate. They are proudly displaying their drawings next to the Certificate. Good job done, all!
This is a serious time for them to learn about agriculture.
