Mayor Sasaki Yasuhiro explores the charms of Hokuryu Town [March 2025] He visits Honoka Agricultural Cooperative to encourage the town's "A little taste of the everyday life of agricultural women" event!

Monday, March 24, 2025. Added: Thursday, March 27.

Mayor Sasaki explores the charms of Kitaryū Town in March and visits to encourage the town's "A Little Bit of Everyday Life for Agricultural Women" event, organized by Yamagami Miharu, an employee of the Honoka Agricultural Cooperative!

Visit to encourage the "A Little Bit of Everyday Life for Agricultural Women" event

Miharu Yamagami (25 years old), a female farmer who has been living in Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido for four years, held an event called "A Little Bit of the Daily Life of a Female Farmer" on Saturday, March 22nd and Sunday, March 23rd, with the full cooperation of the Honoka Agricultural Cooperative.

As a result of the recruitment, Jin Yuki (55 years old) from Sapporo participated. For two days, he enjoyed winter farming experiences with farmers and delicious mochi-pounding.

[Additional note] I want to increase the number of people who work in agriculture and increase my connections with others.

The impetus for Miharu Yamagami to hold this "A Little Bit of the Everyday Life of Agricultural Women" event came from her interactions with the university students who came to town as interns last year. Inspired by the students' communication and initiative, Miharu felt motivated to try something of her own.

At that time, I learned about an ad on Instagram called "POOLO Online School" (operated by TABIPPO Co., Ltd.)! So I immediately enrolled in the online school. During that time, I actively participated in a presentation held on ZOOM in January of this year.

"The final assignment for the school was to 'Take action on what you want to do in the area you want to liven up!' So, as I was thinking about what I wanted to do, I came up with the idea of conveying the joys of farming and the charms of Hokuryu Town from my own daily life.

"I also want to increase the number of people who work in agriculture and to increase connections with people. I would like to continue holding these events in the future," said Miharu enthusiastically.

Day 1: Saturday, March 22nd - Snow-melting agent spraying

On the first day, the children got to experience farming by riding in a tractor and spreading snow-melting agent. They first sat in the passenger seat and then got to experience actual driving.

Mayor Sasaki is talking with new farmer Fuji Daisuke (28 years old, from Aichi Prefecture), who started farming this month and was working on spreading snow-melting agent.

Day 2: March 23rd (Sun) Mochi pounding experience

On the second day, we had a rice cake pounding experience with the members of the Honoka Agricultural Cooperative at the Mibowushi Regional Agricultural Training Center. We thoroughly enjoyed the deliciousness of the freshly pounded, chewy rice cakes.

A veteran mom prepares everything efficiently and perfectly!

Honoka's veteran mothers all worked together to efficiently and perfectly prepare the ingredients! As expected!

Kurosengoku soybean flour, seaweed

Zenzai

curry soup

pounding rice cakes

The inside of the building is filled with the unique smell of rice being cooked! The cooked rice is then placed into the mortar!

Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki

Mayor Sasaki pounded the pestle himself with great force, and cheers of "Wow, that's so cool!" rose from the crowd!

Yuki Jin's challenge!

Participant Jin Yuki also tried his hand at mochi-pounding!

There are many ways to arrange mochi!

There are many variations of mochi, such as Kurosengoku kinako mochi, norimaki mochi, mitarashi dango, mochi with zenzai, and mochi curry soup!

Kurosengoku Kinako Mochi

Nori-wrapped rice cakes

Zenzai

Curry soup with mochi

Mayor Sasaki also participated in making the rice cakes by rolling the freshly made rice cakes into balls.

It's delicious!

Freshly pounded rice cakes are soft and really delicious!!!

Message from Masashi Yuki

"I was able to participate in this event thanks to an introduction from an acquaintance in Hokuryu Town.

It was a very enjoyable experience. I'm interested in agriculture, so I hope to work in it in the future.

I am currently working in sales as a company employee. I am approaching retirement age, so I would like to do something I love in my second life. I have always felt the importance of agriculture, which controls our food.

I had always been a salaryman, so I had no motivation and thought farming would be difficult. But after being introduced to this, I feel like I've come a little closer to the possibilities of farming.

Everyone was so kind to me at this event, and it was a really fun experience. I think that these kinds of activities will become even more popular, as young people are also interested in them.

Thank you for the fun experience!" said Yuki.

With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers, this "A Little Bit of Everyday Life of Agricultural Girls Event" offers a wonderful agricultural experience amidst the rich nature of Hokuryu Town, and wonderful interactions with the warm and kind residents of Hokuryu Town who support and nurture that agriculture.

YouTube videos

Other photos

Mayor Sasaki Yasuhiro's 2025 Hokuryu Town Attractions Exploration Photos (136 photos) are here >>

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