Hokuryu Town Sunflower Tourism and Product Fair 2021 (Chikaho) All of Hokuryu will promote the town!

Monday, November 8, 2021

The Hokuryu Town Sunflower Tourism and Product Fair 2021 was held for three days from Monday, November 1st to Wednesday, November 3rd at the Kita 1-jo Event Space East (between Exits 7 and 10) in the Sapporo Ekimae-dori Underground Plaza.

Hokuryu Town Sunflower Tourism and Product Fair 2021 Poster

This year, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, various events, including the Sapporo Autumn Fair, have been canceled. This year's Hokuryu Town Product Fair is the first event to be held since the state of emergency, which had been declared four times, was lifted.

The fair was held with the aim of promoting Hokuryu Town's specialty products and promoting tourism, and was led by the Hokuryu Town Office, with the cooperation of JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch, Hokuryu Promotion Corporation, Kurosengoku Business Cooperative, and Hokuryu Town Construction Industry Association. Several staff members from each organization participated, taking turns selling products face-to-face and doing their utmost to promote Hokuryu Town.

Chi-Kaho (the underground pedestrian space in front of Sapporo Station) is a busy area with people constantly coming and going.

Introduction of Hokuryu Town's special products

During the shoot, he removed his mask for just a moment and posed for the photo.

Overall coordination (Hokuryu Town Hall staff: Industry Division)

Newly harvested rice from Hokuryu Town (JA Kitasorachi Hokuryu Branch)

We sell a 5-go measure of newly harvested "Nanatsuboshi" rice from Hokuryu Town, as well as "Yumepirika," "Oborozuki," "Kitakurin," and "Germinated Brown Rice Nanatsuboshi."

New Nanatsuboshi rice scooped into a No. 5 measuring cup

Various new rice

Sunflower oil, etc. (Hokuryu Promotion Corporation)

We sell Sansan sunflower oil, roasted sunflower oil, Kurosengoku sunflower oil dressing, Hokuryu sunflower balm, sunflower cookies, and rice crackers made from rice flour.

Sunflower oil related products

Dressing, sunflower cookies...

Relocation consultation and new farming (Hokuryu Town Hall staff, Hokuryu Town Agricultural Committee members, etc.)

New farming brochure

◎ Click here for the full brochure page >>

Kurosengoku Soybeans (Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association)

We sell Kurosengoku soybeans, including raw beans, Kurochan Don, bean rice sets, Kurosengoku crispy!, Kurosengoku kinako, Kurosengoku dry packs, Kurosengoku flakes, and Kurosengoku tea.

Kurosengoku Soy Meat

Introducing the newest product, "Kurosengoku Soy Meat"! The oil from Kurosengoku soybeans is extracted, heated and pressurized, and then dried at high temperatures to create a processed product with a meat-like texture.

Cooking is as easy as making minced meat! Don't miss this opportunity to try it!

Scoop out a 5-go measure of new Nanatsuboshi rice

A 5-go (approx. 16.5 liters) scoop of new Nanatsuboshi rice is a generous serving!!!

Here's a special treat from me! Yes! One more!

For 300 yen per serving, seven or eight cups of newly-wed rice are poured into the five-cup measure, giving you a great deal. "This is a service from me! Here! One more!" you can add as many servings as you like to receive a generous serving of newly-wed rice!!!

They are lined up in a row and are very popular!

There was a constant line of people waiting to get their hands on the new rice, and the event was a huge success over the three days!!!

On the third day, 200 kg of Nanatsuboshi rice was added.

Initially, 700 kg of Nanatsuboshi new rice was prepared for the scooping, but it was more popular than expected and sold out in just two days! Thanks to the hard work of everyone involved, an additional 200 kg of polished brown rice was brought in.

The new rice is known for its delicious taste.

Throughout the three days, many customers came back multiple times, saying, "The new rice was so delicious!", with one grateful customer even saying, "This is my sixth time!"

Cute scooping with tiny hands!

Cheers to Mii-yan too!

Mi-yan (Hokkaido Food Meister Kimura Mitsue), who is in charge of the three-piece fillet section on Thursdays on HBC Radio's "Morning Newspaper Sakurai," also attended, so cheers on!

Over 900kg of Nanatsuboshi rice (approximately 15 bales) in three days

Over three days, over 900kg of Nanatsuboshi's new rice scooping was sold out!

thank you very much!

The customer purchased the last rice! Everyone gave a round of applause!!!

Kurosengoku soybeans

The explanations on how to boil Kurosengoku soybeans, how to cook them, and the nutritional value of Kurosengoku soybeans were very popular, with customers listening with great interest and enthusiasm!

Kurosengoku fans came to the event

Many big Kurosengoku soybean fans came to the event! Thank you very much!

Staff are courteous

New farming and relocation consultation

This time, a corner for new farmers, relocation consultations, and questionnaires will be set up to promote the attractions of Hokuryu Town!!!

Visitor Survey

Many people responded to the survey. Thank you very much!

Appealing to people traveling through Chikaho

Mayor Yutaka Sano personally promotes Hokuryu Town

Mayor Sano himself helped scoop up the new rice and enjoyed conversations with customers, promoting the charms of Hokuryu Town!

Young people from Hokuryu Town make an appeal

The young staff, who participated in the event and included Hokuryu Town Hall employees and members of the Hokuryu Town Construction Industry Association, passionately promoted the charms of Hokuryu Town to the people constantly passing through Chikaho.

"We've come from Hokuryu Town, the town of sunflowers. The fair will be held for three days starting today. Please come and visit us at the Hokuryu Town Products Fair. We've also brought along some delicious new rice from Hokuryu Town. For 300 yen, you can scoop out a 5-go (approx. 1.5 liters) worth of new rice.

All households in Hokuryu Town cultivate rice with minimal pesticides, and by holding a smartphone over a QR code, you can find out who in the town cultivated it and how. This promotes responsible, clean agriculture. We have also received the Japan Agriculture Award Grand Prize. We have also obtained the JAS standard for agricultural products with publicly disclosed production information.

We would like you to take this opportunity to try Hokuryu Town's clean rice, so today we are offering a 5-go (approx. 1000 square meters) scoop of newly harvested rice for 300 yen. We will fill each 5-go (approx. 1000 square meters) with a heaping amount of 7-8 go (approx. 1000 square meters) of newly harvested rice, as a special service.

Kurosengoku soybeans are small, fragrant, and delicious soybeans that are highly nutritious. This time, we are bringing you the rare Kurosengoku soybean meat, a processed product made from Kurosengoku soybeans.

The event will run for three days from today, so don't miss this opportunity and be sure to drop by! We look forward to seeing you there!!!" said the staff, doing their best to promote Hokuryu Town until the very end, even if their voices were hoarse!!!

I was deeply touched by the enthusiasm of the All Hokuryu staff, who worked so hard to promote Hokuryu Town over the three days.

People who came to support us

Members of the Sapporo Hokuryu-kai (a local association for people from Hokuryu Town), classmates, and fans from Hokuryu Town came out in large numbers to support and encourage us. Thank you very much!

Sapporo Hokuryu-kai and Hokuryu Town classmates

On the very first day, Monday, November 1st, Sapporo Hokuryu-kai Chairman Konishi Hideo came to visit us to offer encouragement!

Friends, acquaintances, and acquaintances

Mi-yan (Hokkaido Food Meister Mitsue Kimura)

Yasuto Noshirogawa, who was seconded from the Hokkaido Prefectural Government

Yasuto Noshirogawa, former deputy director of the Sunflower Project Promotion Office, who was seconded from the Hokkaido Prefectural Government, visited the event.

Final sales pitch: Appealing to give all Hokuryu their all

On the final day, the new rice was sold out by around 3pm, so the staff in charge of rice went around to help sell the remaining sunflower oil and Kurosengoku soybeans. All the staff worked together and gave it their all in the final sales!!!

Cleaning up

The fair is over! Thank you for your hard work!

Finally, Mami Uemura, a member of the Hokkaido Prefectural Assembly, took time out of her busy schedule to come and offer words of encouragement. Thank you so much!!!

Sapporo Chrysanthemum Festival 2021

The Sapporo Chrysanthemum Festival 2021 will be held in Chikaho from November 3rd to 5th.

It is with boundless love, gratitude, and prayers that we unite the passionate feelings of all Hokuryu residents, and fully promote the specialties and charms of Hokuryu Town at this brilliant Hokuryu Town Product Fair...

Other photos

▶Photos (275 photos) from the Hokuryu Town Sunflower Tourism and Product Fair 2021 are here >>

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▶ Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association Direct Online Shop >>

◇ Photography and editing: Noboru Terauchi Interview and text: Ikuko Terauchi