What is Japan's number one crop?
Tōhoku region
Tōhoku was traditionally considered the granary of Japan because it supplied Sendai and the Tokyo-Yokohama market with rice and other farming commodities. Tōhoku provided 20 percent of the nation's rice crop. The climate, however, is harsher than in other parts of Honshū due to the stronger effect of the Siberian High, and permits only one crop a year on paddy fields.
Japanese rice
Koshihikari () is a particularly esteemed cultivar and one of the most commonly grown in Japan. Akitakomachi is also quite popular. Sasanishiki is a cultivar known for keeping the same taste when cooled down. Yamada Nishiki is the most famous cultivar grown specifically for sake.
Japan Agricultural Cooperatives
There are several vulnerabilities to JA's business model. First, the very existence of the agricultural cooperative is based on a law called the Agricultural Cooperative Association Law, which can be rewritten or repealed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). While this law justifies various privileges that JA enjoys including exemption from Japan's antitrust law, it does remain outside of JA's direct control. Secondly, highly priced rice produced by Japanese farmers will easily lose market share should cheaper rice be imported from overseas. JA's business is dependent on high import tariffs on foreign rice controlled by the government. The current import tariff on foreign rice is 778%. The third vulnerability is the decline in Japan's farming population. Agricultural production declined from 11.7 trillion yen in 1984 to 8.2 trillion in 2011, and the number of farming households plummeted from over 6 million representing 14.5 million people in 1960 to 2.5 million households in 2010 representing a working force nearly one sixth the size 50 years ago.
Seaweed farming
In Japan alone, annual production value of nori amounts to US$2 billion and is one of the world's most valuable crops produced by aquaculture. The high demand in seaweed production provides plentiful opportunities and work for the local community. A study conducted by the Philippines showed that plots of approximately one hectare can have a net income from eucheuma farming that was 5 to 6 times that of the minimum average wage of an agriculture worker. In the same study, they also saw an increase in seaweed exports from 675 metric tons (MT) in 1967 to 13,191 MT in 1980, which doubled to 28,000 MT by 1988.
Hirosaki
Hirosaki is the regional commercial center for southwest Aomori Prefecture. The main agricultural crops include apples and rice, with Hirosaki accounting for 20% of the total production of apples in Japan.Hirosaki has 36 public elementary schools and 15 public junior high schools operated by the city government. There is one national public elementary school and public junior high school, and one private combined elementary/junior high school and one private junior high school. The city also has six public high schools operated by the Aomori prefectural Board of Education and four private high schools.
List of ice cream varieties by country
Ice cream is a popular dessert in Japan, with almost two in five adults eating some at least once a week. From 1999 through 2006, the most popular flavors in Japan have been vanilla, chocolate, "matcha" (powdered green tea), and strawberry. Other notable popular flavours are milk, caramel, and azuki (red bean). "Azuki" is particularly favored by people in their 50s and older.
Flora of Japan
The Flora of Japan comprises a large assemblage of plant species which can be found in Japan, such as sakura, katsura, momiji and azalea. There are many species which are endemic to Japan. 
Also, Chiba Prefecture has an extensive shrubland, and patches of high altitude grassland are dotting the many mountain ridges of Japan, most notably at Hida Mountains.
Berry
Berries also began to be cultivated in Europe and other countries. Some species of blackberries and raspberries of the genus "Rubus" have been cultivated since the 17th century, while smooth-skinned blueberries and cranberries of the genus "Vaccinium" have been cultivated in the United States for over a century. In Japan, between the 10th and 18th centuries, the term referred to many berry crops. The most widely cultivated berry of modern times, however, is the strawberry, which is produced globally at twice the amount of all other berry crops combined.
Agriculture in the Empire of Japan
Hokkaidō was a target area for agricultural development since the start of the Meiji period, with the establishment of the Hokkaidō colonization Office, and with the assistance of numerous foreign advisors who introduced new crops and new agricultural techniques. Hokkaidō farms averaged 11 acres (48,000 m²), more than four times others in Japan. Despite efforts to cultivate rice on about 60% of the arable land in the territory, climate and soils were not favorable and yields were low. Other crops included oats, potatoes, vegetables, rye and wheat as well as extensive horticulture. The dairy industry was important, as was the raising of horses for use by the Imperial Japanese Army cavalry.
Yomitan
Another important crop in Yomitan is the , if not for its value as a cash crop then as part of the local culture and tourist industry; the town promotes itself as the , and holds a contest each year. Sweet potato cultivation first reached Japan via Okinawa from present-day Taiwan, predating rice cultivation, and either Yomitan or neighboring Kadena can lay claim as the first cultivators of sweet potato in Japan.
Tokushima Prefecture
These are the towns and villages in each district:
Tokushima depends on agriculture, forestry and fisheries. The percentage of agricultural workers and productivity is the second largest in Shikoku next to Kochi. Rice fields occupy the lower region of the Yoshino River and the small, narrow plains along the shore. Much of the remaining land is used for vegetables and flowers. The prefecture is the nation's largest supplier of cauliflower and lotus roots, and the fourth largest producer of carrots. Japanese indigo is only produced here.
Adzuki bean
In Japan, the adzuki bean was one of the first crops subjected to scientific plant breeding. Important breeding traits are yield, pureness of the bean colour and the maturing time. Separate cultivars with smaller seeds and higher biomass are bred for fodder production and as green manure. Locally adapted cultivars are available in China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. More than 300 cultivars/landraces/breeding lines are registered in Japan.
Ta-no-Kami
In Japan, there are agricultural deities or kamis. In the Japanese documents, Nihon Shoki and Kojiki, there were kami of rice plants, Ukano Mitama, Toyouke Bimeno Kami, and kami of corns, Ootoshino Kami. Of them, Toyouke Bimeno Kami was written also in Engishiki, and is considered to be a female kami. Generally speaking, in the Tohoku area of Japan, agriculture-related kami is Nougami (agriculture kami), in the Koshin area, it is Saku Gami, in the Kinki area, it is Tsukuri Gami, in the Tajima and Inaba areas, it is kami of 亥(i),(On the day of i, the fields are struck; which is considered to give peace on the harvest ground). In the Chugoku and Shikoku areas, it is Sanbai Sama, in Setonaikai, it is the local kami. In Eastern Japan it is associated with the Ebisu faith, and in Western Japan it is associated with the Daikoku faith.
Rice production in Japan
However, the land is intensively cultivated. Paddy fields occupy much of the countryside, whether on the alluvial plains, the terraced slopes, or the swampland and coastal bays. Nonrice farmland share the terraces and lower slopes and are planted with wheat and barley in the autumn and with sweet potatoes, vegetables, and dry rice in the summer. Japan's strategy to protect the flooding of its rice market is to offer compensation to those who own land and agree to grow other commodities. Intercropping is common: such crops are alternated with beans and peas.
Japan
Japan has a large industrial capacity, and is home to some of the largest and most technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronics, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemical substances, textiles, and processed foods. Agricultural businesses in Japan cultivate 13 percent of Japan's land, and Japan accounts for nearly 15 percent of the global fish catch, second only to China. , Japan's labor force consisted of some 65.9 million workers. Japan has a low unemployment rate of around four percent. Some 20 million people, around 17 per cent of the population, were below the poverty line in 2007. Housing in Japan is characterized by limited land supply in urban areas.
Potato production in North Korea
The cultivation of potatoes in North Korea is an early 19th-century development (probably introduced from China) which until the 1990s was affected by crop diseases, severe weather conditions, poor storage facilities, and lack of modernization resulting in lower yields. Insistence on agricultural "Juche" (self-reliance) for three decades is also cited as a reason for lower yields. During the occupation of Korea by Japan, from 1910 to 1945, potatoes were the staple crop in the country. During World War II in particular, the potato was the chief sustenance crop as rice was exported to Japan. In a potato poisoning incident between 1952 and 1953, at least 322 North Koreans were affected by the consumption of rotten potatoes. Of these, 52 people were hospitalized and 22 died. During his rule, Kim Il-sung ordered that farmers should focus on other crops, such as rice and maize.
Tuna
Japan is the biggest tuna consuming nation and is also the leader in tuna farming research. Japan first successfully farm-hatched and raised bluefin tuna in 1979. In 2002, it succeeded in completing the reproduction cycle and in 2007, completed a third generation. The farm breed is known as Kindai tuna. Kindai is the contraction of Kinki University in Japanese (Kinki daigaku). In 2009, Clean Seas, an Australian company which has been receiving assistance from Kinki University managed to breed Southern Bluefin Tuna in captivity and was awarded the second place in World's Best Invention of 2009 by "Time" magazine.
Japanese cuisine
As Japan is an island nation surrounded by an ocean, its people have always taken advantage of the abundant seafood supply. It is the opinion of some food scholars that the Japanese diet always relied mainly on "grains with vegetables or seaweeds as main, with poultry secondary, and red meat in slight amounts" even before the advent of Buddhism which placed an even stronger taboo. The eating of was spoken of as taboo, unclean or something to be avoided by personal choice through the Edo period. The consumption of whale and terrapin meat were not forbidden under this definition. Despite this, the consumption of red meat did not completely disappear in Japan. Eating wild game—as opposed to domesticated livestock—was tolerated; in particular, trapped hare was counted using the measure word , a term normally reserved for birds.
Taiwanese Resistance to the Japanese Invasion (1895)
After Japan occupied Taiwan, the Japanese government sought to improve agriculture in Taiwan. In the 1920s, the agricultural innovations helped to bring forth exceptional crops such as sugar and rice. The two crops became the biggest exports in the country from around 1900 to 1930. During this time, Taiwan experienced both a population and economic boom. However, unrest throughout the growing population seemed to incline that the benefits of the economic growth were not divided equally. The Japanese government also did a survey to recount and re-distribute land in the 1900s. The results concluded that over a two-thirds of owned land had been unaccounted for. This resulted in the tripling of taxes in Taiwan among land owners.
Japanese silk
Japanese silk is silk harvested in the country of Japan. The silk industry there was predominant from the 1800s to 1950s, but is less common now. The practice of harvesting silk began in Japan in the 3rd century, when the technique was adapted from their East Asian neighbors, China and Korea. They refined the techniques to make it distinctly Japanese, and Japanese silk became widely known as being of very high quality. They also produced it in large quantities making it profitable and lucrative for the Tokugawa shogunate and the later Japanese Empire and with the Meiji Restoration and the Japanese textile expansion it made Japan a world leader in silk, surpassing China in 1862. After World War Two however China ruled the silk industry once more.
List of Japanese restaurants
This is a list of notable Japanese restaurants. Japanese cuisine is the food—ingredients, preparation and way of eating—of Japan. The traditional food of Japan is based on rice with miso soup and other dishes, each in its own utensil, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. The side dishes often consist of fish, pickled vegetables, and vegetables cooked in broth. Fish is common in the traditional cuisine. It is often grilled, but it may also be served raw as sashimi or in sushi. Apart from rice, staples include noodles, such as soba and udon. Japan has many simmered dishes such as fish products in broth called oden, or beef in sukiyaki and nikujaga.
List of Oricon number-one albums
This is a list of albums that have peaked at number-one on the Oricon Albums Chart, the preeminent singles chart in Japan. Each chart is on a week-ending format. The chart was created on October 5, 1987, and eventually replaced the original LP chart. It monitors the number of physical album purchases of the most popular albums.
Nakano, Nagano
The city of Nakano is supported largely by its vast agricultural industry. Nakano boasts high quality fruits and vegetables, including Fuji apples, Kyohō grapes, peaches, pears, rice, asparagus, and mushrooms. The city is also well known for its roses. The biannual rose festival in Ippongi Park displays thousands of rose plants, and attracts tourists from all over Japan. Nakano City has experienced significant growth since the Nagano 1998 Winter Olympics. Located near many popular ski areas, Nakano's economy is augmented by the ski-tourism industry.
Japanese cuisine
If something becomes available rather earlier than what is usual for the item in question, the first crop or early catch is called "hashiri".
Japonica rice
Japonica rice ("O. sativa" subsp. "japonica"), sometimes called sinica rice, is one of the two major domestic varieties of Asian rice. Japonica rice is extensively cultivated and consumed in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, whereas in most other regions is the dominant type of rice.
Chestnut
Always served as part of the New Year's menu in Japan, chestnuts represent both success and hard times—mastery and strength. The Japanese chestnut ("kuri") was in cultivation before rice and the Chinese chestnut ("C. mollissima") possibly for 2,000 to 6,000 years.
Japan
The Japanese agricultural sector accounts for about 1.4% of the total country's GDP. Only 12% of Japan's land is suitable for cultivation. Due to this lack of arable land, a system of terraces is used to farm in small areas. This results in one of the world's highest levels of crop yields per unit area, with an overall agricultural self-sufficiency rate of about 50% on fewer than cultivated.
Niigata Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture produces the highest volume of azaleas and cut lilies in Japan, and is increasing production of cut flowers and flower bulbs. Along with Toyama Prefecture, it produces the highest volume of tulips in the country.
Porphyra
Most human cultures with access to "Porphyra" use it as a food or somehow in the diet, making it perhaps the most domesticated of the marine algae, known as laver, "nori" (Japanese), "amanori" (Japanese), "zakai", "gim" (Korean), "zicai" (Chinese), karengo, "sloke" or "slukos". The marine red alga "Porphyra" has been cultivated extensively in many Asian countries as an edible seaweed used to wrap the rice and fish that compose the Japanese food sushi and the Korean food "gimbap". In Japan, the annual production of "Porphyra" species is valued at 100 billion yen (US$1 billion).
Amami Ōshima
The economy of Amami Ōshima is based on agriculture (sugar cane, rice and sweet potatoes), commercial fishing, and the distillation of shōchū. The favorable climate allows for two rice crops a year. Seasonal tourism is also an important part of the economy. The traditional crafts include the production of high quality hand-crafted silk, which has, however, suffered from the abandonment of traditional Japanese clothing and competition from overseas.
Meghalaya
Meghalaya produced 230,000 tonnes of food grains in 2001. Rice is the dominant food grain crop accounting for over 80% of the food grain production in the state. Other important food grain crops are maize, wheat and a few other cereals and pulses. Besides these, potato, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, areca nut, Bay leaf (Cinnamomum tamala), betel, short-staple cotton, jute, mesta, mustard and rapeseed etc. are some of the important cash crops. Besides the major food crops of rice and maize, the state is renowned for its horticultural crops like orange, lemon, pineapple, guava, litchi, banana, jack fruits and fruits such as plum, pear and peach.
Japan
Today, Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch, prompting some claims that Japan's fishing is leading to depletion in fish stocks such as tuna. Japan has also sparked controversy by supporting quasi-commercial whaling.
Kagawa Prefecture
Olives and olive-related products have also come to be recognized as Kagawa foods. As the first place in Japan to successfully cultivate olives, Kagawa has been producing olive-related products since 1908. As well as winning both domestic and international awards for the quality of its olive oil, Kagawa has also created two offshoot food brands from its olive industry - "olive beef" and "olive yellowtail". Waste organic matter from olive pressing is used as feed for cattle and the Yellowtail Amberjack. Due to the high amount of polyphenol in the olive waste, the flesh of the respective meats does not oxidize or lose colour easily.
Automotive industry in Japan
The automotive industry in Japan is one of the most prominent and largest industries in the world. Japan has been in the top three of the countries with most cars manufactured since the 1960s, surpassing Germany. The automotive industry in Japan rapidly increased from the 1970s to the 1990s (when it was oriented both for domestic use and worldwide export) and in the 1980s and 1990s, overtook the U.S. as the production leader with up to 13 million cars per year manufactured and significant exports. After massive ramp-up by China in the 2000s and fluctuating U.S. output, Japan is now currently the third largest automotive producer in the world with an annual production of 9.9 million automobiles in 2012. Japanese investments helped grow the auto industry in many countries throughout the last few decades.
List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2011 (Japan)
This is a list of number one singles on the "Billboard" Japan Hot 100 chart in Japan in 2011. The week's most popular songs in Japan, ranked by the Hanshin Corporation and based on radio airplay measured by Plantech and sales data as compiled by SoundScan Japan.
Enbetsu, Hokkaido
The primary agricultural product of Enbetsu is rice, specifically of glutinous rice for the preparation of "mochi". Asparagus and melons are also grown in the town. The local economy also depends on dairy farming and fishing. Enbetsu is a source of flounder and Yesso scallops.
Australia–Japan relations
As Japan protects its agriculture, Australia faces quotas, high tariffs, and standards barriers in exporting agricultural products including beef, butter, and apples to Japan. Japan is "Australia's largest beef export market, taking 35.8% of all beef shipped in 2011".
Environmental issues in Japan
In the Japanese diets, fish and its products are more prominent than other types of meat. Because of the depletion of ocean stocks in the late 20th century, Japan's total annual fish catch has been diminishing rapidly. Japan, along with the United States and the European Union, occupies the large part of international fish trade. Japanese fish catches were the third in the world in 2000, following China and Peru. The United States, Chile, Indonesia, the Russian Federation and India were other major countries.
Wildlife of Japan
Conifer plantations have replaced natural forest in many areas. Commonly grown trees include the hinoki cypress ("Chamaecyparis obtusa"), Japanese red pine ("Pinus densiflora"), Japanese black pine ("Pinus thunbergii") and Japanese red cedar ("Cryptomeria japonica"). The last is Japan's tallest conifer reaching 40 metres in height.
Kanakanavu people
Japanese occupation left evidence of how the culture functioned. Forest clearance allowed agriculture to be the main facet of society, followed by hunting and fishing. Maize, Rice, Millet, Taro, Sweet Potatoes, beans, and soybeans were the staple crops.
Agriculture in the Empire of Japan
Agriculture in the Empire of Japan was an important component of the pre-war Japanese economy. Although Japan had only 16% of its land area under cultivation before the Pacific War, over 45% of households made a living from farming. Japanese cultivated land was mostly dedicated to rice, which accounted for 15% of world rice production in 1937.
After the end of the Tokugawa shogunate with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Japanese agriculture was dominated by a tenant farming system. The Meiji government based its industrialization program on tax revenues from private land ownership, and the Land Tax Reform of 1873 increased the process of landlordism, with many farmers having their land confiscated due to inability to pay the new taxes.
Japanese cuisine
In most of Japan, rice used to be consumed for almost every meal, and although a 2007 survey showed that 70% of Japanese still eat it once or twice a day, its popularity is now declining. In the 20th century there has been a shift in dietary habits, with an increasing number of people choosing wheat based products (such as bread and noodles) over rice.
Hikimi wasabi
Wasabi cultivation in Hikimi began in 1818 and by the early Shōwa era (1926–1989) reached an annual production of 300 metric tons (330.7 US tons). Of the wasabi from Shimane, 90% came from the town of Hikimi
At the time, Shimane Prefecture was one of the top producers of wasabi in Japan. The two top areas of wasabi production were Shizuoka Prefecture in the East and Shimane Prefecture in the West. Hikimi's wasabi production declined due to numerous factors, including two large floods since the 1970s, recent generations of farming families choosing different careers, and global warming. In recent years, new residents of Hikimi have been attempting to revive the production of Hikimi wasabi. In 2013, Shimane Prefecture produced 74.5 metric tons of wasabi (70.2 metric tons were soil-grown wasabi, 4.3 metric tons were water-grown wasabi). That is fifth most in Japan, but far behind the top 3 prefectures: Shizuoka (867.6 metric tons), Nagano (604.7 metric tons), and Iwate (432.7 metric tons). Shimane Prefecture is known for its Hikimi wasabi. Due to this small amount, Hikimi wasabi is now considered to be fairly rare.
Saccharina japonica
Saccharina japonica is a marine species of the Phaeophyceae (brown algae) plant , a type of kelp or seaweed, that is extensively cultivated on ropes between the seas of Japan and Korea. It is widely eaten in East Asia. A commercially important species, "S. japonica" is also called ma-konbu () in Japanese, dasima () in Korean and hǎidài () in Chinese. Large harvests are produced by rope cultivation which is a simple method of growing seaweeds by attaching them to floating ropes in the ocean.
Sesame
Japan is the world's largest sesame importer. Sesame oil, particularly from roasted seed, is an important component of Japanese cooking and traditionally the principal use of the seed. China is the second-largest importer of sesame, mostly oil-grade. China exports lower-priced food-grade sesame seeds, particularly to southeast Asia. Other major importers are the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, Turkey, and France.
Agriculture in the Empire of Japan
The farms were 3.5 to 4 acres (14,000 to 16,000 m²), for rice, potatoes, rice, and rye. Northern Honshū produced 75% of apples of Japan; other products included cherries and horses. Central Honshū cultivated rice and special products including white mulberry (for silkworms) in Suwa, tea, (in Shizuoka), daikon in Aichi, and also rye, rice, grapes for wine, etc.
Economy of Japan
A mountainous, volcanic island country, Japan has inadequate natural resources to support its growing economy and large population, and therefore exports goods in which it has a comparative advantage such as engineering-oriented, research and development-led industrial products in exchange for the import of raw materials and petroleum. Japan is among the top-three importers for agricultural products in the world next to the European Union and United States in total volume for covering of its own domestic agricultural consumption. Japan is the world's largest single national importer of fish and fishery products. Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market is the largest wholesale market for primary products in Japan, including the renowned Tsukiji fish market. Japanese whaling, ostensibly for research purposes, has been sued as illegal under international law.
Trade policy of Japan
Japan's quotas also dropped. From 490 items under quota in 1962, Japan had only twenty-seven items under quota in the mid-1980s, and that number dropped again late in the decade to twenty-two with further agreements scheduled to come into effect in the early 1990s, which would reduce the number again. But those products still under quota proved to be highly visible and were the object of complaints by exporting countries. The reduction of controlled items in the late 1980s resulted from Japan's loss of a GATT case brought by the United States concerning import restrictions on twelve agricultural products. In addition, heavy pressure from the United States led to an agreement that Japan would end import quotas on beef and citrus fruit in 1991. The one restricted product that continues to prompt objections from other countries is rice, imports of which until 1994 were prohibited. Rice has traditionally been the mainstay of the Japanese diet, and farm organizations played upon the deep cultural importance as a reason for prohibiting imports. Farm organizations also had a disproportionate political voice because of the shift of the population to the cities without any significant redistricting for seats in the Diet. Despite such entrenched political and cultural opposition, foreign rice gradually found its way into Japanese markets and even on to the emperor's dining table by 1994.
Okonomiyaki
Okonomi-mura, in Naka-ku in Hiroshima, was the top food theme park destination for families in Japan according to an April 2004 poll.Food researcher Tekishū Motoyama has pointed out that a sort of thin crepe-like confection called may be an early precursor, though it hardly includes the bare elements that makes it identifiable as "okonomiyaki". Records of the word "funoyaki" occurs as far back as the 16th century, and Sen no Rikyū writes about it, but what it really was can only be speculated, and may have involved the use of "fu" (wheat gluten), though certainly by the late Edo period, "funoyaki" referred to a thin crepe baked on a cooking pot, with miso basted on one side.
Childbirth in Japan
Japan boasts the fourth largest GDP in the world after the European Union, the United States, and China. While Japan was for centuries a largely agricultural economy, the percentage of the total labor force shifted dramatically in the twentieth century from agriculture to industrial occupations. Consequently, Japan must import about 60% of its food. Japan is one of the world's largest, most technologically sophisticated producers of automobiles, electronic equipment (including digital cameras), machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, and processed foods. The unemployment rate is stable at less than 5%. Nevertheless, the economy is challenged by Japan's huge government department, exceeding 200% of the GDP, unrelenting deflation, reliance on exports, and graying, diminishing population.
Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 1
It sold over 1.4 million copies in its debut week, and became the number one selling album of the year in Japan (her fourth consecutive time accomplishing this particular milestone, a record in Japan's music history.). This is Utada's longest charting release on any Oricon chart, with a 2-year trajectory and still growing. "Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 1" is the 35th highest selling album in Japan of all time. The album is Japan's 21st highest-ranked in debut sales. The album was the 19th best selling album worldwide in 2004.
Rice production in Japan
Projection in metric tons in 2016 include rice, 11 million; sugar beets, 4.7 million; potatoes, 2.9 million; cabbage, 2.3 million; mandarin oranges, 1.4 million; onions, 1.1 million; sweet potatoes, 1 million; apples, 881,100; and cucumbers, 700,000. Other crops include melons, tomatoes, wheat, soybeans, tea, tobacco, and other fruits and vegetables.
Savu
Agricultural production on Savu includes corn, rice, roots, beans, livestock (meat/milk), and seaweed, which was introduced by Japanese interests, in the early 1990s. Pigs, goats, and chickens are commonplace in the villages. Those farmers who depend on mixed-crop gardens or on mung bean fields are generally better able to manage during times of poor rain, but are seemingly less successful when the rains are good. Corn, as a single crop, remains the predominant staple on Savu, though most farmers try to plant several different fields to increase their chances of at least one successful harvest. Cotton is the main crop on Rai Jua, where the standard of living is below that of Savu. It is used to make traditional textiles. Corn is planted in late November, December, or early January and harvested from February through March; rice and mung beans are planted later, usually in January, after soils are well saturated with rain. In El Niño years, farmers are frequently misled by initial rains, which offer promise, but then cease. Most farmers keep some seed reserves if they are forced to plant a second time during the wet season. Rarely do farmers have sufficient seed reserves for a third attempt at planting, and by the time such a third planting seems necessary, little likelihood of success remains. By mid-March, the rains begin to diminish and planting corn with any expectation of a good harvest is no longer possible.
Eniwa, Hokkaido
Eniwa also grows many vegetables. Vegetables with 100 ha or more dedicated space include wheat, soybeans, sugar beet, potatoes and daikon (Japanese radish). Other farmed vegetables include ebisu kabocha pumpkins, carrots, adzuki beans and cabbages. The ebisu kabocha is the city vegetable. Pumpkin-flavored soft serve, manjū and soup can be bought at the roadside station.
Kagoshima Prefecture
The prefecture has strong agricultural roots, which are reflected in its most well-known exports: green tea, sweet potato, radish, Pongee rice, Satsuma ware and Berkshire pork ("kurobuta"). Kagoshima prefecture's production of bonito flakes is second only to that of Shizuoka. In addition it produces Japan's largest volume of unagi eels.
Japanese rice
Rice begins as brown rice, "genmai" (), which may then be polished by a machine ( "seimaiki"), in which case it is sold as ready-polished or white rice, "hakumai" (). Most rice in Japan is processed and consumed as white rice, the staple food of Japan. Brown rice is also consumed in its unpolished state, often for its health benefits, but it is considered a specialty.
Tokushima Prefecture
Tokushima abounds in agricultural resources and is the site of large-scale production of many different types of vegetables. The plains north of the Yoshino River are particularly fertile and the produce here is often shipped to mainland Japan in the areas around Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto. Produce from Tokushima always claims top shares in markets in the Kansai region and particularly prominent are Naruto sweet potatoes, the citrus fruit "sudachi", lotus roots and strawberries.
Monodzukuri
Monodzukuri, also spelled Monozukuri, literally means 'production' or 'making of things' in Japanese and is the Japanese term for 'manufacturing'. The broader meaning encompasses a synthesis of technological prowess, know-how and spirit of Japan's manufacturing practices. The spirit includes a sincere attitude towards production with pride, skill and dedication and the pursuit of innovation and perfection. It is currently a buzzword in Japan and many Japanese people believe that monodzukuri has led Japan to a dominant position in the world market.
Economic history of Japan
As late as 1955, some 40% of the labor force still worked in agriculture, but this figure had declined to 17% by 1970 and to 7.2% by 1990 and under 5% in the 21st century as Japan imported more and more of its food and small family farms disappeared.
Pulp and paper industry in Japan
Japan is the third country in the world in production of paper (2011 figures). The leading Japanese company in the field (2015) is Oji Paper, with three other Japanese companiesSumitomo Forestry, Nippon Paper Group, and Unicharmalso in the world top 20.
Takasu, Hokkaido
With an abundance of fertile land, Takasu has developed an agricultural sector centred on rice growing. Rice accounts for 80 per cent of Takasu's total agricultural product. In recent years, Takasu has been one of the eminent producers of Hokkaido "Hoshi no Yume" and "Kirara 397" rice in terms of quality and harvest. The next biggest industry in Takasu is the production of vegetables, particularly tomatoes. Takasu is the centre of production for a range of "Ookami no momo" brand tomato products, such as tomato juice and puree.
Japanese quail
As the Japanese quail is easily managed, fast growing, small in size, and can produce eggs at a high rate, it has been farmed in large quantities across the globe. Countries such as Japan, India, China, Italy, Russia, and the United States all have established commercial Japanese quail farming industries. The Japanese quail provides developing countries with a stable source of animal proteins and developed countries with a suitable alternative to chicken. However, the quail finds its true economic and commercial value in its egg production, as domesticated lines of the Japanese quail can lay up to 300 eggs a year at a very efficient feed to egg conversion ratio.A feed to egg conversion ratio of 2.62 was accomplished by the 1990s.
List of rice dishes
This is a list of rice dishes from all over the world, arranged alphabetically. Rice is the seed of the monocot plants "Oryza sativa" (Asian rice) or "Oryza glaberrima" (African rice). As a cereal grain, it is the most widely consumed staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in Asia and the West Indies. It is the grain with the second-highest worldwide production, after maize (corn), according to data for 2010.
Manufacturing in Japan
The production value of the food industry ranked third among manufacturing industries after electric and transport machinery. Japan produces a great variety of products, ranging from traditional Japanese items, such as soybean paste (miso) and soy sauce, to beer and meat.
Primula japonica
Primula japonica, the Japanese primrose, Japanese cowslip, the Postford white, Queen of primroses, or valley red, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae, native to Japan. The common name Japanese primrose also applies to the related species "Primula sieboldii".
Wildlife of Japan
Around 4000 to 6000 species of plants occur naturally in Japan. The vegetation varies widely from subtropical forest in the south to coniferous forest in the north. In the subtropical zone, mangroves, cycads and tree ferns can be found. In the warm-temperate climate of Kyūshū, Shikoku and south-western Honshū, the dominant vegetation is broad-leaved evergreen forest with many oaks. In north Honshū and south-west Hokkaidō the climate is cool-temperate with broad-leaved deciduous trees including Japanese beech ("Fagus crenata") and oaks like the konara ("Quercus serrata"). Conifers are dominant in much of Hokkaidō and in the mountains of central and northern Honshū with spruces and firs growing. In the highest mountains there is a zone of Arctic–alpine plants including the low-growing Siberian dwarf pine ("Pinus pumila").
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
(2018) With 400+ academic-staffs, TUAT is Japan's second "most-productive" university in terms of "Number of papers per academic-staff" (QS Asian University ranking 2018) 
(2018) Ranked as the top 1% of universities in Asia (QS Asian University Ranking 2018). 
(2012) The world first: Building a plant factory for fruits: Advanced Plant Factory
(2011) Royalty income from patent was the highest among Japanese university.
(2007) Ranked #1st Paper Citation Index (Field of Engineering, by Asahi Newspaper/University Ranking 2007 and the ISI-Thomson database)
(2005) Grants per one faculty in joint research with industry was the highest among Japanese universities.
Nori
The Japanese nori industry was in decline after WWII, when Japan was in need of all food that could be produced. The decline was due to a lack of understanding of nori's three-stage life cycle, such that local people did not understand why traditional cultivation methods were not effective. The industry was rescued by knowledge deriving from the work of British phycologist Kathleen Mary Drew-Baker, who had been researching the organism "Porphyria umbilicalis", which grew in the seas around Wales and was harvested for food, as in Japan. Her work was discovered by Japanese scientists who applied it to artificial methods of seeding and growing the nori, rescuing the industry. Kathleen Baker was hailed as the "Mother of the Sea" in Japan and a statue erected in her memory; she is still revered as the savior of the Japanese nori industry.
Kyonan
Kyonan serves as a commercial center for the surrounding region of southwest-central Chiba Prefecture. The primary industry is commercial fishing and agriculture (rice and flowers). Mount Saga has been used for narcissus cultivation at least from the Edo period 1603–1868, and Kyonan remains one of the largest producers of the flower in Japan. The tourist industry is a growing component of the local economy.
Renri
In Japan, "Renri" is called . It is one of the . It is celebrated on January 7. It is also known as , "the feast of seven herbs", from the custom of eating to ensure good health for the coming year.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing in Japan
Agriculture, farming, and fishing form the primary sector of industry of the Japanese economy together with the Japanese mining industry, but together they account for only 1.3% of gross national product. Only 20% of Japan's land is suitable for cultivation, and the agricultural economy is highly subsidized.
Rice production in Japan
Phytolithic studies indicate that dry-field rice may have been in Japan as early as the Early Jōmon, about 6000 years ago. Wet-field rice agriculture was introduced into Japan between the Final Jōmon and the Early Yayoi periods. It is thought that this started the archipelago's agricultural revolution with its first intensive crop production. Rice occupies an emotional place in Japanese history, society, and political economy (Hsu, 1994).
Apios americana
The only place in the world today where American groundnut are commercially farmed in any significant quantities is in Japan. Before American groundnut was introduced to Japan, the people on the main island of Honshu and the northern island of Hokkaido were already familiar with a native, wild plant there called hodoimo (Apios fortunei) that was occasionally eaten as an emergency food. It is believed that sometime during the Meiji period (1868-1912) American groundnut was accidentally or deliberately brought to Japan. One theory is that American groundnut was accidentally brought to Japan as a stowaway weed among apple seedlings imported from North America. Another theory is that American groundnut may have been deliberately brought to Japan in the middle of the Meiji period as an ornamental flower. It is now considered a culinary specialty of the Aomori prefecture where American groundnut agriculture is centered and where it has been eaten for more than one hundred years. Although American groundnut agriculture is primarily identified with agriculture in the Aomori prefecture, it is grown in the nearby prefectures of Akita and Miyagi as well. In addition, it is known to be grown in the southern part of Honshu in the Tottori prefecture, and radioactive testing records following the Fukushima nuclear disaster record cesium testing of American groundnut agricultural products in the central prefecture of Tochigi. An important part of the spread and popularization of American groundnut consumption in Japan has been the efforts of Dr. Kiyochika Hoshikawa to promote the cultivation of this crop in Japan and the flurry of scientific articles on the health benefits of eating American groundnut tubers. Japanese websites that sell American groundnut continue to emphasize its health benefits in their marketing efforts. There are reports of American groundnut cultivation in South Korea as well where it is grown for its nutritional benefits
Lilium concolor
Lilium concolor is cultivated in Japan as a food plant. The flowers, leaves, bulbs and roots are edible. Its bulb is sweet and cooling. It has starch and can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable similar to potatoes or used to make wine.
Pacific bluefin tuna
Japan is both the biggest consumer and the leader in tuna farming research. Kinki University of Japan first successfully farmed already-hatched bluefin tuna in 1979. In 2002, they succeeded in breeding them, and in 2007, the process was repeated for a third generation. This farm-raised tuna is now known as Kindai tuna. Kindai is a contraction of Kinki University (Kinki daigaku).
Fruits Basket
The "Fruits Basket" manga series is one of the top manga series in both Japan and in the US. More than 18 million copies have been sold in Japan. It is Tokyopop's best selling manga series, with more than 2 million copies sold as of 2006. The fifteenth volume of the English release rose to the 15th position on the USA Today Top 150 Bestselling Books, which is the highest position ever achieved by a volume of manga in the United States. The eighteenth volume debuted at the top of the Nielsen BookScan sales list, while the nineteenth volume was the second bestselling graphic novel in March 2008. Despite a slow manga market, "Fruits Basket" remained the second highest overall selling manga series among the Bookscan companies in 2007. The final volume of the English adaptation was a "New York Times" manga bestseller from June 28 through July 25, moving from #2 to #1 in the list in the week of July 19–25. The volume dropped back down to second place the following week, then dropped to 4th place in the week of August 8. The final volume remained on the best seller list for 12 weeks.
Rice production in Japan
As part of the government’s control of rice, rice imports are banned except in processed forms. Also, because of the disproportionate political power wielded by farmers, rice production is subsidized by the government. This aggravated trade frictions between Japan and the United States. To the extent that Japan's rice producers have expressed discontent in removing quotas and high tariffs that help their industry at home, at the price of other Japanese industries prospering such as (Kia). Tokyo’s rationale for the ban is that self-sufficiency in rice is important for food security purposes. In addition domestic farm groups have long maintained that rice cultivation is part of Japanese culture. Yet this culture seems to be fading as Japan's subsidies come in the form of incentives for the younger population to claim their stake in future rice production industry although with higher education levels, this industry becomes less lucrative for them. Hayami (1988) argued that Japanese consumers have become more tolerant of high rice prices because their food expenditure as a ratio of total expenditure has declined as their incomes rise(Hsu, 1994). Surprisingly, consumer groups have not actively supported the lifting of the ban in order to reduce the rice price. The main reason is reportedly the Japanese consumers’ demand for “high-quality” rice. Surveys do indicate that consumers believe that foreign rice tastes bad.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing in Japan
The most striking feature of Japanese agriculture is the shortage of farmland. The under cultivation constituted just 13.2% of the total land area in 1988. However, the land is intensively cultivated. Rice paddies occupy most of the countryside, whether on the alluvial plains, the terraced slopes, or wetlands and coastal bays. Non-paddy farmland share the terraces and lower slopes and are planted with wheat and barley in the autumn and with sweet potatoes, vegetables, and dry rice in the summer. Intercropping is common: such crops are alternated with beans and peas.
Fukushima (city)
Fruits by far make up the largest value of crops grown in Fukushima, led by an annual production of 14,935 tons of apples, 13,200 tons of Japanese pears, and 11,517 tons of peaches. While Fukushima produces more apples and pears than peaches, as a percentage of national fruit production, in 2010 Fukushima produced 8.2% of all peaches grown in the country, compared to 5.1% of all Japanese pears and 2.3% of all apples. When the neighboring cities of Date, Kunimi and Koori, all of which are also in the Fukushima Basin, are taken into effect, the Fukushima metro area produced 20.1% of all peaches grown in Japan in 2010.
The city is known for its many peach, pear, apple, and cherry orchards which are located throughout the city, especially along the so-called road that loops the western edge of the city. Fukushima is also sometimes known as the .
Koban (coin)
The Japanese economy before the mid-19th century was based largely on rice. The standard unit of measure was the koku, the amount of rice needed to feed one person for one year. Farmers made their tax payments of rice which eventually made its way into the coffers of the central government; and similarly, vassals were annually paid a specified "koku" of rice. The Portuguese who came to Japan in the 1550s, however, preferred gold to rice; and the koban, which was equal to three koku of rice, became the coin of choice in foreign trade.
Horse racing
Japan's top stakes races are run in the spring, autumn, and winter. These include the country's most prominent race - the Grade 1 Japan Cup, a 2,400 m (about 1½ mile) invitational turf race run every November at Tokyo Racecourse for a purse of ¥476 million (about US$5.6 million), currently the richest turf race in the world. Other noted stakes races include the February Stakes, Takamatsunomiya Kinen, Yasuda Kinen, Takarazuka Kinen, Arima Kinen, and the Tenno Sho races run in the spring and fall. Japan's top jump race is the Nakayama Grand Jump, run every April at Nakayama Racecourse.
Nelumbo nucifera
Japan is one of the primary users of the rhizomes, representing about 1% of all vegetables consumed. Japan grows its own lotus but still must import 18,000 tons of lotus rhizome each year, of which China provides 15,000 tons yearly.
Japanese popular culture
One type of mascot in Japan that are noted for their 'Kawaii-ness' are characters known as 'yurukiyara' (or the mascots that represent their respective prefectures). Each year Japan celebrates a new winner and this year's current number one is Bari-san from Ehime prefecture. Despite this, his popularity pales in comparison to that of last year's champion: Kumamon (the Mon Bear) of Kumamoto prefecture. Having pulled in over 2.5 billion yen in merchandise sales across the nation this past year, he is widely adored and can be found in almost any novelty shop in Japan.
Erimo, Hokkaido
While the main industry is fishing (salmon and squid in particular), Erimo's most famous harvest is kelp which is harvested by most of the native residents during the summer months. The kelp is sold in Japan as Hidaka "konbu", and Erimo has a museum in the main part of town dedicated to kelp and fishery.
Persimmon
Asian or Japanese persimmon ("Diospyros kaki") is the commercially most important persimmon, and is native to Japan, China, Korea, Myanmar and Nepal. It is deciduous, with broad, stiff leaves, and is known as the "shizi" (柿子 in Chinese), and also as the Japanese Persimmon or kaki (柿) in Japanese. Its fruits are sweet and slightly tangy with a soft to occasionally fibrous texture. Cultivation of the fruit extended first to other parts of east Asia, India and Nepal, and it was later introduced to California and southern Europe in the 1800s and to Brazil in the 1890s.
Takko, Aomori
The economy of Takko is heavily dependent on agriculture and forestry. The main crop is garlic, of which Takko is Japan's largest producer.
Wasabi
Few places are suitable for large-scale wasabi cultivation, and cultivation is difficult even in ideal conditions. In Japan, wasabi is cultivated mainly in these regions:There are also numerous artificial cultivation facilities as far north as Hokkaido and as far south as Kyushu. As the demand for real wasabi is very high, Japan imports an amount from Taiwan, Korea, Israel, Thailand and New Zealand. In North America, a handful of companies and small farmers cultivate "Wasabia japonica". In Europe wasabi is grown commercially in Iceland and the UK.
Economy of Japan
The Japanese agricultural sector accounts for about 1.4% of the total country's GDP. Only 12% of Japan's land is suitable for cultivation. Due to this lack of arable land, a system of terraces is used to farm in small areas. This results in one of the world's highest levels of crop yields per unit area, with an overall agricultural self-sufficiency rate of about 50% on fewer than 56,000 km² (14 million acres) cultivated.
Economy of Japan
Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch, prompting some claims that Japan's fishing is leading to depletion in fish stocks such as tuna. Japan has also sparked controversy by supporting quasi-commercial whaling.
Oketo, Hokkaido
Oketo was originally a logging community, and is currently involved in farming as well. Popular crops include potatoes, white flower beans and beets. Dairy farming and cattle farming are also practiced. Oketo was the tug-of-war champion of Japan for a number of years in the 1960s. That tradition of showing strength continues today in the Ningen Banba festival which is held in July every year. During the Ningen Bamba, teams of 5 or 7 men pull sleds of logs over man-made hills to the finish line.
Women in agriculture in Japan
Japan's small family farms are the dominant source of agriculture in the country and, while the number of farmers has declined over the years, women working as farmers still outnumber men.
Rice production in Japan
The average rice field acreage of a Japanese farmer is very small and rice production is highly mechanized. Due to small farms, rice production is considered a part-time occupation by many farmers. The number of Japanese farm households and farm population has declined in recent decades. Rice production has also declined. The decline came about because in 1969, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries has asked farmers to reduce rice acreage; under the Staple Food Control Act of 1942 the Japanese government is formally in charge of all rice production, distribution, and sales. The most striking feature of Japanese agriculture, however, is the shortage of farmland. The under cultivation in 2008 has shrunk, with most farmers over 65. While Japan's rice acreage shrinks, in order to prop prices in the market up, much of its country-side lays depleted and bare.
Nonsan
Nonsan is an agricultural city, with rice being the most important crop. Other important crops include strawberries, ginseng, napa cabbage,
watermelons, and Korean pears.
According to "The Chosun Ilbo", the farmers are growing new varieties of strawberry produced in Japan without the producer's permission, while the "JoongAng Daily" says "Strawberries grown in Nonsan are of various types: seolhyang, maehyang, geumhyang, janghi (akihime) and yukbo (red pearl). The first three were developed in Nonsan while the latter two are from Japan. Janghi is the most commonly grown in Korea. However, seolhyang is the sweetest". Sesil [pronounced "say -shill"] company is the world's third leading producer of insects for natural pest control. The prominent yogurt company, Yakult, has its headquarters in Nonsan. Agro-Fisheries Trade Corp. is a regional supplier of food products.
Minabe, Wakayama
Minabe is a large producer of two important agricultural products in Japan. One is Umeboshi (Japanese pickled plum). Minabe produces grows and processes more plums than any other place in Japan. The plums are primarily grown on the hillsides and mountainsides of the small valley around the Minabe River. Ume are used almost inclusively in food products ranging from the aforementioned Umeboshi to cooking sauces to ice cream.
Chiba Prefecture
The prefecture also boasts Japan's overall second-highest agricultural output. Among all the prefectures, only Hokkaidō produces more agricultural products, and Chiba leads Hokkaidō in vegetable production. Peanuts are considered a specialty product of Chiba: 78 per cent of the country's peanuts are produced in the prefecture.
Agriculture in the Empire of Japan
Prior to the Pacific War there was a small Japanese settlement in Davao at the south of Mindanao Island which worked with Japanese private companies to cultivate abacá for Manila hemp. This was the main center of cultivation in the region, with farming of sugar cane, pineapple, bananas, sweet potato and other tropical crops. Abaca farming exceeded sugar cane cultivation in area but not in value. 25% was sent to the USA. Sisal was also exported to the USA and Japan.
Rausu, Hokkaido
Rausu is primarily a fishing town. One third of residents are supported by the fishing industry. The main intake by the fishing industry consists of "kichiji" rockfish (Sebastolobus macrochir), Alaska Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), "konbu" kelp, salmon, squid, and sea urchin. Particularly famous is Rausu "konbu" (Rausu kelp). There is no other place in Japan to harvest sea urchin from winter to summer other than Rausu.
As for agriculture, in southern Rausu there is some dairy farming, but no land suitable for growing rice, produce, or other large scale agriculture. The lumber industry does not have much of a presence either (as it does in the rest of Hokkaido). 70% of the town's land is lush mountain forest, but it is mostly a part of the Shiretoko National Park.
Japan and weapons of mass destruction
In 1945 Japan's rice crop was terribly affected by rice blast disease. The outbreak as well as another in Germany's potato crop coincided with covert Allied research in these areas. The timing of these outbreaks generated persistent speculation of some connection between the events however the rumors were never proven and the outbreaks could have been naturally occurring.
Kaizu
Agriculture is the mainstay of the local economy, with rice, wheat, soybeans, cucumbers, tomatoes and green pepper as the primary crops. The city is also home to "mikan" producers. Kaizu is the northernmost point in Japan that grows "satsuma mikan" extensively.
Fukushima Prefecture
Thirteen cities are located in Fukushima Prefecture:
These are the towns and villages in each district:The coastal region traditionally specializes in fishing and seafood industries, and is notable for its electric and particularly nuclear power-generating industry, while the upland regions are more focused on agriculture. Thanks to Fukushima's climate, various fruits are grown throughout the year. These include pears, peaches, cherries, grapes, and apples. As of March 2011, the prefecture produced 20.6% of Japan's peaches and 8.7% of cucumbers.
Rice production in Japan
Rice production is important to the food supply, with rice being a staple part of the Japanese diet. Japan is the ninth largest producer of rice in the world. The rice seasons in Northern Japan last from May–June to September–October. In central Japan, it is from April–May to August–October. In southern Japan the rice season is from April -May to August–September. About 85% of the 2.3 million farms in Japan plant rice yearly. Improved varieties of japonica rice are grown in almost all prefectures in the country. The most widely planted variety is Koshihikari.