【Higashikawa Town, Hokkaido】Co-op Sapporo × JA Higashikawa × Higashikawa Town "Mizuniwa Terrace Co-op no Ie" Opens on May 1st
In Higashikawa Town, Hokkaido, "Mizuniwa Terrace Co-op no Ie," a rural experience facility, opened on May 1st, a collaboration between Co-op Sapporo, JA Higashikawa, and Higashikawa Town. It aims to promote urban-rural exchange and food education through agriculture, serving as a community hub connecting local residents, producers, and consumers.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 8, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 8, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 8, 2026 at 11:42 (1h 10m after Collected)
Higashikawa Town, in collaboration with Co-op Sapporo and Higashikawa Town Agricultural Cooperative (JA Higashikawa), opened "Mizuniwa Terrace Co-op no Ie," a rural experience facility aimed at promoting urban-rural exchange through agriculture and food education, on Friday, May 1st. An opening ceremony was held prior to the opening on Friday, May 1st.
This facility serves as a place for local residents to interact, a community hub that promotes "agriculture," the core industry of Higashikawa Town, and widely disseminates its value. Through the partnership between Higashikawa Town and Co-op Sapporo, it functions as a "Co-op no Ie," aiming to be a place where producers and consumers can connect directly.
The first floor features a "cooking room" to utilize local agricultural products and promote food education programs, and a "multi-purpose hall" available for workshops and exhibitions. The second floor is an accommodation area designed for short-term agricultural learning, equipped with three private rooms and one room for three people. It is not merely a place to provide food and lodging, but a facility that serves as a "bridge" to experience rural life, and support the future of rural development through learning about food and agriculture education.
We have opened the facility as outlined below, and we kindly request media coverage.
【Overview of Rural Experience Facility "Mizuniwa Terrace Co-op no Ie"】
■ Name: Rural Experience Facility "Mizuniwa Terrace Co-op no Ie"
■ Opening Date: Friday, May 1, 2026
■ Address: 2-2 Higashi 2-go, Higashikawa-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido 071-1432
■ Business Hours: 8:30 - 21:00 (Closed from December 31st to January 5th)
■ Total Floor Area: 555.26㎡
■ Parking Spaces: 40 (including 2 for disabled persons)
■ Contact: Higashikawa Town Agricultural Promotion Division (Phone) 0166-82-2111
【Scenes from the Opening Ceremony】
Ribbon-cutting in front of "Mizuniwa Terrace" Tree planting at "Mizuniwa Terrace"
【Comments from Speakers】
Mr. Hideaki Omi, Chairman, Co-op Sapporo
"We have continued direct exchange of rice with Higashikawa Town and JA Higashikawa for half a century. I am very pleased that the former 'Co-op no Ie' in this area has been revived as 'Mizuniwa Terrace' with a new look. The trust we have built has expanded beyond polished rice to retort rice, sweets, and even rice-based shopping bags. In these uncertain times, improving food and energy self-sufficiency is an urgent task. We hope to make this facility a catalyst for creating a sustainable local community by practicing a circular economy of local production for local consumption with our members. We will further advance the strong bond between the people of Higashikawa and Co-op Sapporo to a higher dimension."
Mr. Kiyotaka Maki, Representative Director and Chairman, Higashikawa Town Agricultural Cooperative
"As interest in food safety and sustainable agriculture grows, a place where producers and consumers can directly interact forms the foundation for supporting agriculture. Through our long-standing partnership with Co-op Sapporo, we hope this facility will become a 'bridge' connecting all members and producers throughout Hokkaido, further deepening the bonds that protect our rich food culture. Furthermore, this facility also plays a role in reviving the rituals of Hokkaido Jingu Shrine, and we are greatly delighted to be able to pass on traditional culture to the next generation. We sincerely hope that this place will be filled with smiles from local residents and visitors, becoming a new source of vitality for Higashikawa agriculture."
Mr. Shin Kikuchi, Mayor, Higashikawa Town
"This time, the strong aspirations of our town, JA Higashikawa, and Co-op Sapporo have converged, leading to the birth of a new exchange hub, 'Mizuniwa Terrace.' This facility aims to be a place where people of multiple generations and regions can connect, centered on consumer exchange with agriculture, the core industry of Higashikawa, the revival of traditional rituals, and stay-type training with companies and universities. I express my deep gratitude to everyone involved in the design and construction. I sincerely hope that this place will be loved and developed for a long time as a 'place for local residents to interact' that is unique to Higashikawa, fostering the future of the region and agriculture. I am confident that new initiatives born from here will further enhance the vitality of our town."
【Inquiries for Media】
Higashikawa Town Agricultural Promotion Division
Phone: 0166-82-2111
This facility serves as a place for local residents to interact, a community hub that promotes "agriculture," the core industry of Higashikawa Town, and widely disseminates its value. Through the partnership between Higashikawa Town and Co-op Sapporo, it functions as a "Co-op no Ie," aiming to be a place where producers and consumers can connect directly.
The first floor features a "cooking room" to utilize local agricultural products and promote food education programs, and a "multi-purpose hall" available for workshops and exhibitions. The second floor is an accommodation area designed for short-term agricultural learning, equipped with three private rooms and one room for three people. It is not merely a place to provide food and lodging, but a facility that serves as a "bridge" to experience rural life, and support the future of rural development through learning about food and agriculture education.
We have opened the facility as outlined below, and we kindly request media coverage.
【Overview of Rural Experience Facility "Mizuniwa Terrace Co-op no Ie"】
■ Name: Rural Experience Facility "Mizuniwa Terrace Co-op no Ie"
■ Opening Date: Friday, May 1, 2026
■ Address: 2-2 Higashi 2-go, Higashikawa-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido 071-1432
■ Business Hours: 8:30 - 21:00 (Closed from December 31st to January 5th)
■ Total Floor Area: 555.26㎡
■ Parking Spaces: 40 (including 2 for disabled persons)
■ Contact: Higashikawa Town Agricultural Promotion Division (Phone) 0166-82-2111
【Scenes from the Opening Ceremony】
Ribbon-cutting in front of "Mizuniwa Terrace" Tree planting at "Mizuniwa Terrace"
【Comments from Speakers】
Mr. Hideaki Omi, Chairman, Co-op Sapporo
"We have continued direct exchange of rice with Higashikawa Town and JA Higashikawa for half a century. I am very pleased that the former 'Co-op no Ie' in this area has been revived as 'Mizuniwa Terrace' with a new look. The trust we have built has expanded beyond polished rice to retort rice, sweets, and even rice-based shopping bags. In these uncertain times, improving food and energy self-sufficiency is an urgent task. We hope to make this facility a catalyst for creating a sustainable local community by practicing a circular economy of local production for local consumption with our members. We will further advance the strong bond between the people of Higashikawa and Co-op Sapporo to a higher dimension."
Mr. Kiyotaka Maki, Representative Director and Chairman, Higashikawa Town Agricultural Cooperative
"As interest in food safety and sustainable agriculture grows, a place where producers and consumers can directly interact forms the foundation for supporting agriculture. Through our long-standing partnership with Co-op Sapporo, we hope this facility will become a 'bridge' connecting all members and producers throughout Hokkaido, further deepening the bonds that protect our rich food culture. Furthermore, this facility also plays a role in reviving the rituals of Hokkaido Jingu Shrine, and we are greatly delighted to be able to pass on traditional culture to the next generation. We sincerely hope that this place will be filled with smiles from local residents and visitors, becoming a new source of vitality for Higashikawa agriculture."
Mr. Shin Kikuchi, Mayor, Higashikawa Town
"This time, the strong aspirations of our town, JA Higashikawa, and Co-op Sapporo have converged, leading to the birth of a new exchange hub, 'Mizuniwa Terrace.' This facility aims to be a place where people of multiple generations and regions can connect, centered on consumer exchange with agriculture, the core industry of Higashikawa, the revival of traditional rituals, and stay-type training with companies and universities. I express my deep gratitude to everyone involved in the design and construction. I sincerely hope that this place will be loved and developed for a long time as a 'place for local residents to interact' that is unique to Higashikawa, fostering the future of the region and agriculture. I am confident that new initiatives born from here will further enhance the vitality of our town."
【Inquiries for Media】
Higashikawa Town Agricultural Promotion Division
Phone: 0166-82-2111