From Abandoned Farmland to a Farm That Brings Smiles to Children: Construction Company-Backed 'Yakumo Farm' Invites Kobe Municipal Aina Elementary School Students for an Agricultural Experience to Cultivate the Future of Local Agriculture

Yakumo Farm Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture) will conduct an agricultural experience learning program for children from Kobe Municipal Aina Elementary School from Tuesday, June 9 to Thursday, June 11, 2026. This initiative aims to utilize a farm that was regenerated and developed from previously abandoned farmland, providing local children with opportunities to learn about the importance of agriculture, nature, and food.

'Farmland Regeneration' Made Possible by a Construction Company

Yakumo Farm is an agricultural corporation established as a group company by Yakumo Construction Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture). Witnessing the increase in abandoned farmland in the region, the company started its agricultural business with the desire to 'protect farmland and connect it to the future of the region.'

The decline in the number of farmers, aging, and the increase in abandoned farmland—these issues affect not only food but also the daily lives of local communities. This is not a distant problem. The same challenges are advancing even near a city like Kobe. As a local company, Yakumo Farm is facing this reality and has begun the challenge of rebuilding agriculture as a 'sustainable occupation.'

Why is a Construction Company Engaging in Agriculture?

Yakumo Farm believes that the 'on-site capabilities, planning skills, and the ability to hire people and create jobs' cultivated in the construction industry can be applied to agriculture. The era of relying solely on individual effort and perseverance in agriculture is over. There is a form of agriculture that can only be supported by a company. That is the starting point of Yakumo Farm.

Currently, the company has regenerated multiple farmlands, primarily in Kita-ku, Kobe City, and Ono City, and is engaged in the production of strawberries, rice, wheat, and other crops. Agriculture is not merely a production activity; it plays a crucial role in preserving the regional landscape, creating places for people to gather, and passing on regional resources to the next generation.

Wanting to Teach Children What Lies Beyond 'Eating'

Children have fewer opportunities to learn how most of the strawberries sold in supermarkets are grown. This experience learning program aims to deepen their appreciation for food and understanding of local agriculture by seeing, touching, and tasting firsthand.

Experience Learning Program Content

- Strawberry picking experience
- Learning about strawberry cultivation mechanisms
- Observation of pollination by bumblebees
- Introduction to environmentally conscious agriculture
- Learning about the work and hardships of farmers

By learning the connection between 'eating' and 'producing,' we hope that children will cultivate an interest in agriculture and nature, leading to future community development.

'Rescue, Nurture, Laugh Together.'

Yakumo Farm does not view agriculture merely as a job of 'producing and selling.' Protecting farmland and cultivating crops, while creating a gentle cycle within the community—that is the form of agriculture we envision.

Rescue

We rescue barren land and revive it into a place where life can sprout. We believe that preparing farmland is about connecting the thoughts of people involved with this land to the future.

Nurture

What grows from the prepared soil is not just crops. Through experiences in the fields and the changing seasons, we create a place where both children and adults can grow their hearts freely.

Laugh Together

By sharing deliciousness and joy, smiles naturally arise between people. We hope that through agriculture, warm relationships will spread throughout the community.

The Cycle of Agriculture Expanding in Kobe

Strawberries grown in the company's own greenhouses are delivered to local children's cafeterias, children's homes, patisseries, and restaurants in Kobe City, gradually expanding a system of circulation within the community.

Main Initiatives to Date

- Provision of agricultural products to children's cafeterias
- Provision of strawberries to children's homes
- Invitations to farms for nursery schools and schools
- Participation in local events
- Support for local sports teams

The initiative with Aina Elementary School is also part of these activities. Through agriculture, we will cultivate warm connections within the community.

Creating Spaces for Learning and Relaxation Using Felled Trees

At Yakumo Farm, to avoid wasting the felled trees generated during farmland development and the regeneration of abandoned farmland, the company is also engaged in manufacturing playground equipment, benches, and tables from this timber. Instead of simply disposing of trees that have grown in the region for many years, they are breathing new life into them, regenerating them into spaces where children can play and learn, and families can relax.

The completed playground equipment is used as a place where children can play freely while touching nature, and the benches and tables provide a place for parents to relax and watch over their children. This initiative embodies the desire to 'not just cut down trees and be done with it, but to pass on the value of those trees to the next generation.' We hope this place will allow children to learn about nature and resource circulation through play and feel the stories of the trees that grew on this land.

Representative Comment

'I want children to actually see, touch, and feel how food is made. Also, this farm was born from regenerating local abandoned farmland. We hope that farmland protected by the community will become a place of learning for children, fostering their interest in agriculture and nature, and leading to future community development.'

Masashi Matsumoto, Yakumo Farm Co., Ltd.

Future Outlook

Starting with this initiative, Yakumo Farm will continue to deepen collaboration with schools, neighborhood associations, and local organizations, promoting 'agricultural experiences,' 'food education activities,' 'environmental learning,' and 'abandoned farmland regeneration.'

Rather than just protecting agriculture, we aim to create a form where agriculture can continue. We will challenge ourselves to build a new model that utilizes locally regenerated farmland as a place of learning for the children who will shoulder the future of the region.

Implementation Overview

[Project Name] Experience Learning to Cultivate the Future of Local Agriculture

[Date] Tuesday, June 9 to Thursday, June 11, 2026, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

[Target] Children of Kobe Municipal Aina Elementary School

[Venue] Yakumo Farm (19-5, Aza Shimo Gitora, Yamada-cho Shoga, Kita-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture)

[Main Programs] Strawberry picking experience / Learning about strawberry cultivation mechanisms / Observation of pollination by bumblebees / Introduction to environmentally conscious agriculture / Learning about the work and hardships of farmers

Company Overview

Company Name: Yakumo Farm Co., Ltd.

Representative: Masashi Matsumoto

Address: 〒651-1105 Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe City, Kita-ku