CSR
Discover Countryside Treasures in Japan
KIHARA WORKS Co., Ltd., in collaboration with Yamaguchi City and agriculture, forestry and fisheries organizations, economic organizations, educational organizations (e.g. university), and business entities in Yamaguchi City, has been working on a project called “Send out “Kanbutsu” from Yamaguchi.” On this project, we have been involved in “regional revitalization” through the development of dried products and disseminating the project relating information even to overseas. This project, the first drying material project in Japan is highly evaluated for its contribution to increasing the added value of regional agriculture, forestry and fishery products and diversifying their customers and was given a certificate of selection in business sector of “Discover Countryside Treasures in Japan” by Chugoku-shikoku Regional Agricultural Administration Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
【What is “Discover Countryside Treasures in Japan” of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries?”】
“Discover Countryside Treasures in Japan” are selected good practices of revitalizing communities and/or rising income in rural areas or efforts to select regions working to become beautiful rural areas full of vitality and disseminate information about their charm. .
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries selects the best practices or best regions that they are working on and disseminate their nationwide.
The criteria of the selection is any of item 1) to 3) below, which will lead to the creation of vitality in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries and local communities by finding and creating new demands and by utilizing dormant local resources in the region.
1) Handing down beautiful and traditional agricultural, mountain and fishing villages to the next generation
2) Revitalizing agriculture, forestry and fisheries and agricultural, mountain and fishing villages in collaboration with a wide range of fields and regions
3) Realizing agriculture, forestry and fisheries adapting to new domestic and overseas demands
【For KIHARA WORKS go to URL below】
https://www.maff.go.jp/chushi/nouson/kaseika/attach/pdf/discover-113.pdf
【URL of “Discover Countryside Treasures in Japan”】
https://www.discovermuranotakara.com/
“Certificate of selection of Discover Countryside Treasures in Japan” issued to KIHARA WORKS
“Promote overcoming population decline and vitalizing regional economy” by the first Project Kanbutsu in Japan!
Start of Our Activities
・ In 2010, Yamaguchi City launched a concept for its new regional industrial strategy. In response to the launching, we proposed in collaboration of multiple groups to Yamaguchi City dry food product development and creation of regional brands by using our “dehydration technology” as a regional industry in collaboration of multiple groups.
・ In 2011, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications adopted this project called ”Send our Kanbutsu from Yamaguchi” focusing on the development and sale of dried foods, the Japan’s first regional promotion business of its kind.
Overview of Our Activities
・ For “promotion of overcoming population decline and vitalizing regional economy”, we provided the related entities in Yamaguchi City with supports, free of charge, for new goods development: planning; granting our dehydration technology; prototype development; package design proposal; advices on preservation and sales; and practicing a trademark registration.
・ Together with the business entities, we developed a variety of usages and products, that are un-imaginable in the conventional way, such as dried fruits, herbal medicine materials, Japanese traditional hand-made paper, bread, flower Furikake, curry, etc.
Outcomes of Our Activities
・ The supported products were covered by a variety of media. The coverages made such Yamaguchi City’s activities and primary industry engaged in handling small quantities widely known to people and created a variety of Industry-government-academia collaboration.
・ In 2012, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries appointed our company as a “Voluntary Planner, “ the first machine maker in Japan, following such our effort. In 2015, the Imperial Highness of the Crown Prince (now, Emperor Reiwa) visited our company.
2016, the project caught a great attention at “the International Drying Symposium (300 researchers from 42 countries participated)”.
In 2017, our company was selected as one of “The Vibrant HABATAKU Small and Medium Enterprises 300 Program.”
What’s more, the signing the Yamaguchi-Russia Friendship Accord led to the development of new products.
