Feature Articles│Hokuryu Town Portal

March 19, 2026

The word "child-rearing" will change Hokuryu Town: Hokuryu Town declares itself a "town for raising children" - a town where people can say they love Hokuryu Town.

On Thursday, March 19, 2026, Hokuryu Town became the first town in Japan to adopt a "Declaration of a Town that Supports Child-Rearing." That evening, before the townspeople gathered at the Hokuryu Town Community Center, the Superintendent of Education, the Chairman of the Town Council, and the Mayor each spoke of their pledges for the future in their own words. […]

The exquisite taste of "Hokuryu Sunflower Melon"

March 19, 2026

[The Story of Sunflower Melon Cultivation] An epic tale of life woven over a year by farmers in Hokuryu Town.

March 19, 2026 (Thursday) A grand epic of "sunflower melon" cultivation, a year-long project by melon farmers in Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido. From sowing the rootstock seeds in snow-covered greenhouses in the depths of winter in February, to delicate grafting, and kneeling during planting...

March 19, 2026

[The Sunflower Watermelon Story] The golden fruit that holds the sun. The story of the Hokuryu Town sunflower watermelon, connecting smiles.

September 26, 2025 (Friday) | Updated: March 19, 2026 (Thursday) 2025, Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido. Farmers begin to nurture the summer sun from the winter snow. Joining hands with their colleagues, they converse with the seedlings, pouring their souls into each and every bulb. Green with black stripes […]

March 19, 2026

[The Story of Kurosenkoku Soybeans] The Miracle Black Beans of Hokuryu Town, "Kurosenkoku Soybeans": From the Brink of Despair to the World, 20 Years of Love and Passion

December 1, 2025 (Monday) Kurosenkoku, the "phantom black soybean" that once went extinct in the 1970s due to the difficulty of cultivation. Based on 50 seeds discovered in 2001, farmers in Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido, have begun their challenge. The leader is Chairman Yukio Takada […]

March 19, 2026

[The Sunflower Rice Story] A 35-year story contained in a single grain of rice

On March 19, 2026 (Thursday), farmers in Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido, declared in 1990 that they would become a "town that produces safe food to protect the lives and health of the people." Based on the philosophy that "food is life," they have implemented measures such as pesticide reduction, complete traceability, and a tripartite approach to agriculture. […]

With heartfelt gratitude to the great sunflower!

March 19, 2026

[The Sunflower Festival Story] A Symphony of Earth and People ~ A Miraculous Story Woven by the Townspeople Towards the 40th Anniversary of the Hokuryu Town Sunflower Festival ~

March 19, 2026 (Thursday) In 1979, a sunflower field seen in the former Yugoslavia changed the fate of Hokuryu Town. The story began with a "one-are planting per household" movement by 422 farming households, and has since faced numerous challenges including heavy rains, bird damage, and tornadoes. […]

March 17, 2026

The National Government's "Regional Revitalization 2.0" Initiative and the Challenges of Hokuryu Town, with a Population of 1,553 (September 2025 - February 2026)

On March 17, 2026 (Tuesday), Hokuryu Town in Hokkaido was selected for a grant project worth approximately 1.9 billion yen, one of the largest in the nation, under the national "Regional Revitalization 2.0" program. This small town of 1,553 people will transform the entire town into a single business entity called "Himawari Ho..."

March 16, 2026

Mizuho Co., Ltd.'s Dense Seedling Journey 2026, First Shipment | Nanatsuboshi Cultivation Record: The First Brushstroke Towards Abundance Painted on a Snowfield

On March 16, 2026 (Monday), the record-keeping of a year-long rice cultivation project using the "Dense Seedling Nanatsuboshi" variety began on March 14 (Saturday) at Mizuho Co., Ltd., an agricultural corporation in Hokuryu Town (President and CEO: Masami Komatsu). The project covers over 100 hectares of fields. […]

March 12, 2026

[Naoki Kishi, Social Education Officer, Research Presentation] A sustainable form of social education created by building bridges between generations - Hokuryu Town's "spirit of harmony" to the world

On March 12, 2026 (Thursday), Naoki Kishi, Social Education Specialist of the Hokuryu Town Board of Education, gave a presentation as a representative of the Sorachi region at the "Regional Lifelong Learning Activities Practice Exchange Seminar" held in Sapporo City on February 26 (Thursday) and 27 (Friday). […]

March 5, 2026

A new pulse in Himawari no Sato. Creating the 100-year future together with the townspeople: "Wakuwaku Future Creation Center (tentative name)" Resident briefing session @ Bibagyu Training Center

Thursday, March 5, 2026: Bringing a new pulse to Sunflower Village. A public information session for the "Wakuwaku Future Creation Center (tentative name)" where we will create the 100-year future together with the townspeople. Sunflower Village is the pride of Hokuryu Town in Hokkaido. At its heart, a new […]

March 5, 2026

The Spirit of Harmony: Building the Future Together: Monthly Activity Report Meeting for Community Supporters and Community Revitalization Cooperators, January 2026

On Thursday, March 5, 2026, and Wednesday, February 25, the monthly report meeting was held for the village supporters and community revitalization volunteers who are responsible for the future of Hokuryu Town. They discussed topics such as using AI to communicate with the world, smiling at winter events, and welcoming new farmers.

March 2, 2026

Congratulations! Ceremony and celebration for Yutaka Sano, an honorary citizen of Hokuryu Town | A bond of gratitude woven through half a century of dedication and the "spirit of harmony"

Friday, February 27, 2026 On Sunday, February 22, a grand ceremony and celebration was held to honor former Hokuryu Town Mayor Yutaka Sano as an honorary citizen. Mr. Sano served the town for over half a century, starting at the age of 18. He was honored with a vision to put each and every citizen at the center of the celebration.