Through Agricultural Experiences, Participants Learn to Be Grateful to Producers and the Importance of Food. Rice Planting and Harvesting Experience Tour was Held in Rice Fields Where SUSHIRO Rice is Grown.

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FOOD & LIFE COMPANIES Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Suita City, Osaka Prefecture; President and CEO: Mizutome Koichi; hereinafter referred to as F&LC) conducted the “Sushiro Rice Planting and Harvesting Experience Tour,” one of its food education activities, from April to September 2024 for customers of the conveyor belt sushi chain “Sushiro.” This event has been held since 2015 as an initiative to help children develop a sense of gratitude toward producers and the importance of “food” through agricultural experiences in the rice fields where “Sushiro’s exclusive rice” is grown. A total of 176 people participated in the tours, and each event was a huge success.
We will continue to deepen our ties with local people by providing such opportunities for food education in the future. The rice harvested this time will also be available at Sushiro restaurants in the future.

■Rice planting A scene from the “Sushiro Rice Rice Planting Experience Tour”
The event will be held in two locations: Saturday, April 27, 2024 in Shiga Prefecture and Saturday, May 18, 2024 in Chiba Prefecture.

For many of the children, this was their first time entering a rice field, and it was a tense moment. Let’s do our best to plant rice!

We carefully plant the seedlings.

After lunch we had a fun quiz session with questions about rice, which got everyone excited.

Participant comments
“I had a great time and had a valuable experience that I would not normally have had!”
“It was my first time planting rice, but I was taught kindly and enjoyed planting.”

■Rice harvesting “Sushiro Rice Rice Harvesting Experience Tour”
Saturday, September 21, 2024 Hyogo Prefecture

This is a group photo. Many people participated.

This was the first time that the participants had experienced harvesting rice using sickles, and the producers were amazed at how quickly they improved.

After the rice harvest, the participants learned about the importance of rice and food through quizzes and lectures. At the end, a ceremony was held to award the Sushiro Doctor certificate and a commemorative gift.

Participant comments
“The staff were kind and fun. I want to come again. I’m glad the food education program was well-rounded.”
“Thank you very much for letting me participate in the rice harvesting experience tour. It has become a memory that will last a lifetime.”

■Rice planting Overview of the “Sushiro Rice Rice Planting Experience Tour”
Date and time: Saturday, April 27, 2024 in Shiga Prefecture and Saturday, May 18, 2024 in Chiba Prefecture.
Participants: Shiga Prefecture, 20 pairs (63 people) Chiba Prefecture, 18 pairs (58 people) *Selected by lottery from pre-applications via the official Sushiro LINE account
・Sushiro rice varieties: Shiga Prefecture, Lake 65 / Chiba Prefecture, Fusakogane
Contents: Rice planting experience, lunch, lecture (rice quiz, etc.), Sushiro Doctor Certificate presentation
Cooperation: Sushiro rice producers, Shiga Gamou Town Agricultural Cooperative, Shiga Prefectural Headquarters of the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations, Kimitsu City Agricultural Cooperative, Chiba Prefectural Headquarters of the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations, Futtsu City Hall, Zennoh Pearl Rice Co., Ltd.

■Rice Harvesting Overview of the “Sushiro Rice Rice Harvesting Experience Tour”
Date and time: Saturday, September 21, 2024, Hyogo Prefecture
Participants: 19 pairs (57 people) *Selected by lottery from pre-applications via the official Sushiro LINE account
・Sushiro rice variety: Dontokoi
Contents: Rice harvesting experience, lunch, lecture (rice quiz, etc.), presentation of Sushiro Doctor certificate
Cooperation: Sushiro rice producers, Hyogo Mirai Agricultural Cooperative, Hyogo Prefectural Headquarters of the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations, National Agricultural Cooperative Associations, Zennoh Pearl Rice Co., Ltd.

[What is Sushiro rice?]
The lifeblood of sushi is the rice. We believe that rice is another key ingredient of sushi. Since the 2011 harvest, Sushiro has partnered with rice producers to harvest “Sushiro’s exclusive rice” with the full cooperation of Zennoh Pearl Rice Co., Ltd. The amount of rice used in stores nationwide is about 20,000 tons per year, and rice grown in these exclusive rice fields accounts for about 40% of the rice used by Sushiro overall (as of February 2024). We plan to continue collaborating with various rice producers in the future. Rice, which is an agricultural product, varies in taste and yield depending on the weather of the year. By having specific production areas and producers produce varieties that are suitable for sushi rice and can be expected to produce stable yields, Sushiro is able to provide the ideal rice every day.
In recent years, we have been working on developing sushi rice to realize even tastier sushi rice through direct dialogue with producers. We would like to continue collaborating with various producers and continue harvesting “rice exclusively for Sushiro.”

Please see below for more information on FOOD & LIFE COMPANIES’ sustainability initiatives.
https://www.food-and-life.co.jp/en/sustainability/

Press Release PDF

<Contact for media inquiries regarding this matter>
FOOD & LIFE COMPANIES, Inc. Public Relations Department, Public Relations Division
TEL: 06-6368-1063 (weekdays excluding weekends and holidays)
MAIL: press@food-and-life.co.jp
URL:https://www.food-and-life.co.jp

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