Amino Up Co-Hosts Kiyota Ward Nature Tour 2026 Spring with Sapporo’s Kiyota Ward

Amino Up Co., Ltd. of Sapporo, Hokkaido, led by Chairman Kenichi Kosuna and President Kentaro Kitadate, co-hosted the Kiyota Ward Nature Tour “Spring” with Sapporo City’s Kiyota Ward on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Around 50 Sapporo residents observed wild birds and spring plants at the High-Tech Hill Shinei Green Space and toured Amino Up’s factory. The tour began in spring 2022 and is held three to four times a year across the seasons. This year marks its fifth year. The event was titled “Kiyota Ward Nature Tour 2026 Spring: Walk Through the Green Space and Observe Wild Birds and Spring Plants!” It was held in two sessions, from 5:30 to 8:30 a.m. and from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The purpose was to help participants understand how conserving local green spaces supports ecosystems and biodiversity through observation of nearby flora and fauna and lectures by experts. The tour also aimed to raise public awareness of environmental protection and deepen understanding of Amino Up’s environmental activities. The tour was organized by the Kiyota Ward Office of Sapporo City and Amino Up, with guides from Econixe Co., Ltd., a specialist in natural environment surveys. Amino Up welcomed participants to its premises, introduced the plants and animals living in the observation area, and explained precautions for entering the forest. After the lecture, participants walked along the trails of the High-Tech Hill Shinei Green Space behind the company site, searching for wild birds and other living creatures. Many birds could be heard singing in the early morning. Participants listened closely to the guides while looking for the birds. Species observed included the long-tailed tit, white-backed woodpecker, eastern crowned warbler, meadow bunting, and oriental greenfinch. Participants also saw Ezo squirrels running energetically. Plants observed included Viola grypoceras, Anemone debilis, Chloranthus japonicus, and Ajuga yesoensis. In one part of the forest, participants also found a raccoon dog latrine, where Ezo raccoon dogs repeatedly leave droppings to mark territory, offering a glimpse into the lives of local wildlife. After the nature observation, participants toured Amino Up’s factory, focusing on the facility that produces AHCC® using the company’s proprietary cultivation method. Amino Up said it intends to continue this initiative as an opportunity not only for nature observation but also for deepening understanding of the local ecosystem. More than half of the 50 participants learned about the tour through Sapporo City’s public relations magazine or flyers distributed at schools and were joining for the first time, allowing more citizens to learn about the natural environment. Participants commented that they were able to observe birds they normally do not see, that it was valuable to walk while hearing expert explanations about birds, animal traces, and wildflowers, and that the explanations were clear and easy to understand. During the factory tour, many participants were surprised to learn that a company based in Kiyota is connected to the world, making the event a good opportunity to introduce Amino Up to the community. The next summer nature tours will be a river creature observation event on Saturday, July 25, and a forest night tour on Saturday, August 8. Specialists will be invited for each event to lead collection and observation activities. The background to the tour dates back to 2011, when Amino Up expanded its current office building, the Eco House building, and its AHCC factory while incorporating various environmentally conscious systems. The company then began regular environmental surveys around the site immediately after completion to assess the impact of the expansion and subsequent corporate activities on the surrounding environment. A comparison over the 10-year survey period found no major changes in the habitat conditions of local plants and animals, indicating that the office and factory had become integrated into the surrounding environment. During the survey period, Econixe researchers also held briefings and nature observation tours for employees, encouraging them to pay closer attention to the natural environment. As part of its community contribution activities, Amino Up partnered with the Kiyota Ward Office in spring 2022 to launch the nature tour for local residents and communicate the importance of environmental conservation. The tour was initially limited to families with elementary school children living in Kiyota Ward, but the participant base gradually expanded. Since 2024, the tour has been open to anyone regardless of address or age. Amino Up, founded in 1984, is a Hokkaido-based developer and manufacturer of functional foods and agricultural materials with global operations. Its businesses include food ingredients such as its proprietary functional food AHCC®, a basidiomycete culture extract, and agricultural products including the biostimulant Dr. Amino Up. The company emphasizes patents and academic publications. Its in-house research team spans fields including medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, science, veterinary medicine, and engineering, and continues to develop new products and verify scientific evidence while conducting joint research with more than 100 medical institutions and universities worldwide. Amino Up also supports the International Congress on Nutrition and Integrative Medicine (ICNIM) to promote research and collaboration among research institutions. The company is also active in environmental initiatives and has reduced CO2 emissions per ton of its own products manufactured by 40% compared with 10 years ago.