15. Specialty product development and tourism and specialty product promotion activities
Specialty Product Development
Tourism has a significant economic impact on sales of local specialties, including souvenirs, and expectations are rising for tourism as a means of revitalizing local economies.
The One Village, One Product movement was advocated by Oita Prefecture Governor Morihiko Hiramatsu in 1980, and is a movement aimed at revitalizing the region by having each city, town, and village in Oita Prefecture cultivate one specialty product.
In 1983, Hokkaido Governor Takahiro Yokomichi called for regional independence through the One Village, One Product movement, calling for people to adopt the perspective that "Hokkaido is by no means the northernmost point of the earth. It is in the center of the earth." This helped to change the mindset of Hokkaido residents, who had been dependent on subsidies since the Meiji era of pioneering, and raised the motivation of those involved in revitalizing the town.
In addition to shipping melons and sweet corn, which had been produced experimentally since 1980, the women's division of the agricultural cooperative began planting sunflowers as part of the "One House, One Are Movement," and community development using sunflowers as a symbol began.
In 1981, six households in the Mitani area began producing "Yellow Small Watermelons" (now known as Sunflower Watermelons).
In 1982, a sunflower nut processing facility was installed.
In 1983, a license to manufacture sunflower oil and sunflower nuts was granted, and the agricultural cooperative began full-scale production.
In 1984, Noboru Takeuchi began selling "Sunflower Pigs" that were fed with sunflower oil cake.
Currently, pigs are not raised in the town, but Nayoro City uses sunflower oil residue from Hokuryu Town to produce sunflower pork, which is served at Sunflower Park Restaurant.
In 1986, the company began producing and selling sweets made with sunflower seeds, including "Hokuriyuu Renka" and "Sunflower no Kaze."
In 1989, Himawari Kobo (former Secretary General of the Chamber of Commerce, Takamasa Hatta) began selling kumiki products.
In 1990, the Himawari no Sato Shop Association was established, and Parlor Tsuzuki began selling "Himawari Oyaki" at Himawari no Sato.
Hokuryu Town has established the "Sunflower Advanced Utilization Study Committee" to conduct research into "bath additives" and "sunflower drinks."
The agricultural cooperative has released "Himawari Ramen" and "Himawari-kun."
In 1992, souvenir sweets such as "Sunflower Pie," "Sunflower Mochi," "Dragon Pie," and "Northern Sun" were sold at Sunflower Park.
In 1993, the Specialty Products Sales Council (town, JA, Commercial Promotion Council, Sunflower Park) was established, and the Sunflower Advanced Research Committee developed prototypes (Sunflower Bath Salts, Sunflower Bank, Sunflower Oolong Tea).
We sell "Sunflower Ice Cream," "Sunflower Healthy Tea (Herbal Sunflower Tea)," "Sunflower Honey," "Ice Candy," and "Sunflower Cookies."
In 1995, "Northern Sunflower (Soleil)" went on sale.
In 1996, Sunflower Park obtained a liquor retail license and began selling Junmaishu "Himawari no Uta," "Himawari Wine," and "Melon Wine."
In 1997, Yamada Toshihisa began cultivating "Himawarikko" (sunflower sprouts) and began using them in Sunflower Park dishes.
"Cheese & Butter Madeleine" and "Sunflower Dream (Sunflower Yokan)" are on sale.
1998: "Hokuryu Rice Crackers," "Sunflower Dorayaki," and "Sunflower Sesame Rice Crackers" go on sale.
In 2000, Himawari Nosan (representative: Tsutomu Yoshida) began selling rice cakes from the fields.
In 2003, JA ceased production of sunflower oil and sunflower nuts.
In 2006, JA obtained the "JAS Standard for Agricultural Products with Disclosed Production Information" and began selling rice at supermarkets and other retailers as well as at Sunflower Park.
Since 2008, sunflower rice has been offered as a gift in return for hometown tax donations.
In 2006, the Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association (Chairman Takada Yukio) was established and began selling Kurosengoku soybeans as a Hokkaido specialty.
In 2011, JA closed its direct sales outlet at the sorting facility and began selling melons and watermelons at Minoritch.
The town stopped producing sunflower oil and nuts in 2003, but as a town of sunflowers there was no sunflower to promote as a food product, so the town outsourced production to farmers, purchased the necessary machinery, and resumed producing sunflower nuts.
In 2014, the special junmai sake "Hokuryu Comet" was released, brewed with "Comet" sake rice grown in Hokuryu Town. "Hokuryu Comet" is made using 100% "Comet" rice grown in Hokuryu Town, with a rice polishing ratio of 55%, and is produced by Kinteki Shuzo (Shintotsukawa Town).
In July 2015, Hisashi Sonehara, a regional power creation advisor, gave a lecture at the "1st Regional Development Seminar." Through the coordination of Mr. Sonehara, Nisshin Oillio Group and the development of special products using sunflowers
With the aim of promoting the area, attracting tourists, and creating jobs, the Hokuryu Town Sunflower Oil Regeneration Council was established, and the Sunflower Project began.
The following year, in 2016, in partnership with Nisshin Oillio, "SanSan Sunflower Oil" was created and sales of sunflower oil resumed.
In 2021, Akihiro Adachi, CEO of Ryusei Farm, and Minoru Nagai of Kita Mizuho Producers Association created three types of craft beer using sunflower seeds, rice, and small yellow watermelon.
The 4th National Sunflower Oil Summit was held in Hokuryu Town on August 6th and 7th, 2022. Participants included Nayoro City in Hokkaido, Sayo Town in Hyogo Prefecture, Manno Town in Kagawa Prefecture, and Yahaba Town and Hokuryu Town in Iwate Prefecture, who presented case studies and declared their intention to actively promote the "power and appeal of sunflower oil."
On October 25, 2022, Governor Naomichi Suzuki of Hokkaido visited the area (Naomichi Cafe) and was held at Sunflower Park. He also sampled sunflower oil.
On February 15, 2023, "First Pressed Sunflower Oil" was selected as a Northern High-Grade Food of 2023.
"Northern High-Grade Foods" are Hokkaido foods selected by charismatic buyers and top chefs with the aim of promoting Hokkaido foods nationwide and around the world.
In April 2023, the Mizuho Production Association (Mr. Minoru Nagai and Mr. Akihiro Adachi) began selling "rice chips" fried in sunflower oil.
The 2023 Hokkaido Sake Awards, which began in 2021, aims to raise awareness of the brands of Hokkaido sake and Hokkaido sake rice, and to revive the declining demand for sake. The awards were open to sake made using Hokkaido rice, and Ryujin, made with sake from Hokuryu Town, won the Grand Prix.
Ryujin Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Gunma Prefecture) Ryujin Special Junmai Sake Brewery, made with Hokuryu Town rice, produced by Suisei
