#Japan #Tokyo #Yanmar #HANASAKA #ASTERISCO

Celebrating Agriculture and Culinary Excellence

Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. is excited to announce the hosting of the 2025 National Agricultural High School HANASAKA Harvest Festival. This event will take place over two days, on November 2nd and 3rd, 2025, at the Daimaru Tokyo Store and in the HANASAKA SQUARE located in the basement of YANMAR TOKYO in Chuo City, Tokyo. The festival aims to showcase the dedication and hard work of agricultural high school students, providing them with a platform to share their agricultural products and engage with the community.

In conjunction with the festival, the Italian restaurant ASTERISCO, located on the second floor of YANMAR TOKYO, will present a special menu celebrating the rice cultivated by these committed students. This menu will be available for a limited time from November 1st to 28th, 2025, designed to highlight the flavors and qualities of the rice grown by various high schools across the country.

The HANASAKA initiative, rooted in Yanmar's philosophy of believing in people's potential and encouraging challenges, has inspired numerous activities aimed at spreading its values. The festival marks its third edition this year, furthering its commitment to support the next generation of agricultural leaders while promoting awareness of sustainable practices in farming.

A Collaborative Culinary Experience

The collaboration between ASTERISCO and agricultural students results in unique dishes that showcase the distinct types of rice sourced from different high schools:

• - Hokkaido Ōno Agricultural High School - Fukkuri Niko: Known for its fluffy texture, this variety benefits from slow sun-drying processes, enhancing its sweetness and rich flavor.
• - Hokkaido Iwamizawa Agricultural High School - Sorakirari: Utilizing advanced digital technologies, this high school practices sustainable rice farming and boasts GLOBALG.A.P. certification.
• - Okayama Prefectural Setonami High School - Kinunmusume: This variety is cultivated using traditional weed management methods without fertilizers, achieving stability in yield through innovative automated systems.
• - Okayama Prefectural Koyo High School - Pikamaru: Grown in local areas suited to its unique attributes, this type is known for its excellent balance of sweetness and chewiness.

The collaborative menu will feature:

• - Lunch: Includes a rice salad appetizer and a choice of rice curry or risotto, highlighting the flavors of the selected rice varieties.
• - Dinner: The risotto will spotlight the unique characteristics of the rice, reimagined through skilled culinary techniques.

Each week, the rice variety used will change, allowing diners to experience the distinct tastes of each breed and appreciate the efforts of the students who cultivated them. Chef Masaya Sugawara of ASTERISCO emphasizes the commitment behind these rice varieties and the importance of sharing these stories with the restaurant's patrons.

Event Details

The HANASAKA Harvest Festival is a collaborative effort supported by the Mainichi Newspapers, the National Agricultural High School Association, and several partners, including Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores, Yanmar Holdings, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

• - Event Dates: November 2 (Sun) and November 3 (Mon, national holiday)
• - Location: Daimaru Tokyo Store 11th Floor Exhibition Hall, YANMAR TOKYO Basement Level - HANASAKA SQUARE
• - Opening Hours:

- Day 1: 10:30 AM - 4:00 PM
- Day 2: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

For further details about participating schools and special activities, please visit Mainichi’s event page.

About Yanmar

Founded in Osaka in 1912, Yanmar is recognized for successfully creating the world's first practical small diesel engine in 1933. The company has since evolved to offer innovative solutions across various sectors, including agriculture, construction, marine, and energy systems. Yanmar is committed to sustainability, aiming to minimize environmental impact while enhancing customer value through technology. Learn more about their mission at Yanmar's website.

We invite everyone to join us in celebrating food, agriculture, and the inspiring achievements of high school students at this year’s HANASAKA Harvest Festival.