Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido Machi Internship 2024 - Living and working in Hokkaido for 2 weeks - 10 university students visited the town!

Friday, August 16, 2024

On Monday, August 12, an orientation for the "Hokkaido Hokuryu Town Machi Internship 2024 - Living and Working in Hokkaido for Two Weeks" was held at the Sunflower Park Hotel Multipurpose Hall (2nd floor).

Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido Machi Internship 2024

More than 60 intern university students applied to the open call for applications via SNS. The final 10 intern university students selected were from Tokyo, Kyoto, Saitama, Kanagawa, Hyogo, Miyagi, Ehime, and other prefectures (residence: Tokyo, Kyoto, Saitama, Kanagawa, Hyogo, Miyagi, Ehime, and other prefectures).

The objective is for students to experience the image of work through work experience, and through interaction with local residents and daily life experience, to become aware of the attractiveness of the town and to find employment in the region.

From Monday, August 12 to Saturday, August 24, for two weeks, students will experience work in Hokuryu Town, divided into agriculture, construction, and government (9 organizations).

orientation

The orientation included a welcome speech by Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki, self-introductions by the participants, an overview of the internship, and an introduction to the town of Hokuryu.

Welcome speech by Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki

Welcome to Hokuryu Town! This year's Hokuryu-cho may be the hottest ever. Today was such a hot day.

Ten of you have come to this small town of 1,600 people, and we thank you for your visit. We would like you to meet as many different townspeople as possible, from children to the elderly.

Although the sunflowers are at the end of their season, the Sunflower Village is a 23-hectare field of 2 million sunflowers, which is 5.9 times the size of the Koshien Stadium.

Sunflower cultivation began in 1979. Hokuryu Town is an agricultural town centered on rice cultivation. Due to the government's agricultural policy, rice cultivation was cut in half, and sunflower cultivation was started as a substitute crop.

Forty-five years ago, a group of young men stood up and started sunflower cultivation. Five years after the start of cultivation, the name was changed from "Industrial Agriculture Festival" to "Sunflower Festival. This year marks the 38th time since the "Sunflower Festival" started.

We plant sunflowers every year after calculating the blooming time, but they are blooming earlier and earlier every year. Please come and see the sunflowers spreading all over the Sunflower Village.

The language of flowers in sunflowers is 'you are wonderful,' which means praise and consideration for others.

To the 10 of you, I would really appreciate it if you could conduct the training for the next two weeks in a kind and gentle way, looking at the people next to you, people from all walks of life, and complimenting others, even though the training is for your own personal improvement.

I will be watching all two weeks, so be sure to let me know if you need anything.
I am very much looking forward to it. If you have a chance to meet with us, I would be even happier if you would consider the town of Hokuryu. Thank you very much. I look forward to working with you," said Mayor Sasaki.

Sunflower Town Development, Introduction of Hokuryu Town
Chisaki Mori, Counselor, Planning and Promotion Division, Hokuryu Town

He gave a detailed explanation about the outline of Hokuryu Town, his encounter with sunflowers, town development with the cooperation of all townspeople, the Sunflower Park concept, sunflower oil product development, Hokuryu Town's specialty products, Hokuryu Town Sunflower Rice (grand prize winner in the group category at the 46th Japan Agricultural Awards), and the Hokuryu Town Yawara Nursery School.


Acceptance sites in Hokuryu Town (all group members work in turn)

Agriculture: 4 persons

1. Takata Corporation:Harvesting watermelons, shipping watermelons, and selling at watermelon festivals
2. Hokuryu Promotion Corporation:Selling agricultural products at direct sales outlets
3. Agricultural cooperative corporation Honoka:House cleanup, house dismantling, weeding
4. Agricultural cooperative Toyoryu Farm:Spraying herbicides, cleaning rice drying facilities, weeding
5. Ryo Kato:Flower harvesting and flower selection

Construction: 4

1. NPO Himawari:Attend safety training, construction management duties, safety patrols, work assistance (carrying tools, repair work)
2. Hokko Construction Co:Surveying, documentation, organizing photos, assisting work (taking photos, carrying tools)
3. Hokuso Corporation:Site cleanup/cleanup

Administration: 2 persons

• Hokuryu Town Hall: Website analysis and improvement proposals, etc.

Social Events

• Dinner with the Mayor and others
• Bon dance and fireworks display (Himawari no Sato): free participation by each participant
• Soba noodle making experience by Mr. Hokuryu of Soba Gourmet Club: optional participation
• Social gathering with Ryutopia (a community development organization in Hokuryu Town)
• Otsukare-sama party with related parties (Sunflower Park Hotel Banquet Hall)

August 24 (Saturday) Final day completion ceremony

• Completion Ceremony at Sunflower Park Hotel Multipurpose Hall (2F)
• Fill out questionnaires, receive certificates of participation, share impressions, and disband

lodging place

• Agricultural Experience Accommodation Ueru Karu (Female)
• Sunflower Park Hotel (Male)

Agricultural Experience Training Course" and Agricultural Experience Accommodation "Ueru-Karu" in Hokuryu Town - Portal of Hokuryu Town (Hokkaido) - The Sunflower Village that boasts the best sunflowers in Japan

We will bring you the "now" of this vibrant and shining town with a population of 2,100 and an aging population rate of 40%. The town of Hokuryu, where families are as bright and harmonious as sunflowers...

Why did you participate in the "Internship in Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido?

• After graduating from college last year, I completed the remaining credits at another college because there were courses I had not completed in the teaching program.
  My brother recently got married in Hakodate, and because of his influence, I was attracted to Hokkaido and applied for the internship through SNS. My hobby is kendo, which I have been practicing since I was in the first grade of elementary school. I look forward to working with you!
  　
• The reason I joined this time was because I wanted to get some work experience during college and I was also interested in Hokkaido, so I applied!
  　
• I am from Kanagawa Prefecture. I am interested in rural areas, and since I am majoring in energy and related to regional development, I wanted to participate in the program so that I could meet people from rural areas and learn about various aspects of the region.
  　
• I am from Tokyo. I am a member of the architecture department, and I wanted to experience civil engineering other than architecture, so I applied for the job.
  　
• I am a fourth-year student in the Faculty of Arts and Letters, and I am already in the process of getting a job at a construction and agricultural equipment manufacturer. I am applying for this job so that I can increase my knowledge of agriculture and architecture before I start working!
  　
• I was born in Tokyo and now live in Kyoto. I have some connection with Hokkaido, as I come to Hokkaido every year with my circle and my friend took a leave of absence to start YOUTUBE in Hokkaido. I am interested in Hokkaido because of its charm. In addition, I would like to work in town development in the future. In order to make the most of such a job, I would like to stay in a rural area and observe and experience the town in detail.
  　
• I was originally in the Faculty of Engineering, but when I joined the Faculty of Agriculture this year, I found that there were many agricultural experiments and not many opportunities to actually interact with producers through agriculture. When I was looking for somewhere to go on my own, I found the town's internship site on SNS and decided to join. I am looking forward to learning a lot. I look forward to working with you!
  　

After the orientation, a guided tour of facilities and maintenance in the Sunflower Hotel will be conducted.
We then drove to the town for a tour of the town (Sunflower Festival, Wa area, Seicomart, Hill of View, etc.).

With endless love, gratitude, and prayers for the "Hokkaido Hokuryu Town Building Internship 2024" that will connect with many townspeople and make the future of young people even brighter through the discovery of Hokuryu Town's charms.

Youtube Video

More Photos

Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido, Japan Click here for 264 photos of town interns >>

Related Articles and Websites

Hokuryu Town Portal

Notice of recruitment of interns for the town [Hokuryu Town HP].

Wednesday, July 3, 2024 Youtube Video Other Photos Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido, Japan Click here for 264 photos of the town's intern...

General Incorporated Association Tsunagaru Chiiki Zukuri Kenkyujo (Institute for Connecting Communities)

Tsunan Kenkyujo.
The main actors in community development are the people who live in each community. That is why we think and think together with them.
▶ Click here for the website of "Tsunaken-san" >>

Hatarakorabo Corporation

（Hatarakorabo Co.
Based on the philosophy of "Enjoy working", we support community building and the creation of active human resources through "work" in cooperation with local governments, including corporate recruitment and "Shigoto Convenience Stores".
▶ Hatarakorabo's website is here >>

◇ Reporting and writing by Ikuko Terauchi (Photography and editorial assistance by Noboru Terauchi)