Agriculture in Japan

In Japan, for many people, the quality and origin of food are of great importance. For example, rice from Niigata, sweet potatoes from Okinawa, Yubari melons from Hokkaido, or Kobe beef are well-known and loved. Popular products are sold at high prices, elaborately presented in supermarkets and specialty stores, or sold online directly from the producer. Television programs about the cultivation and processing of food are shown daily.

Japanese farmers invest a lot of time and care in producing high-quality food. Rice farmers in Niigata, for example, pay attention to the perfect water quality and the right nutrient content of the soil to grow the sought-after Koshihikari rice. In Shizuoka, every plant is carefully cultivated for the cultivation of green tea, often using traditional methods such as partially shading the leaves to intensify the aroma. Fruit farmers also rely on the highest precision: In Yamanashi, peaches are polished by hand and protected in nets to ensure perfect sweetness and shape. This dedication makes Japanese agricultural products unique worldwide.

You can do an unpaid internship on a farm in Japan for a duration of 4-12 weeks. You will participate in all steps of the work that need to be done, while learning how Japanese farmers achieve particularly high quality. Accommodation and meals are provided.

If you don't know Japanese, we can arrange a farm for you where the internship can be conducted in English. If you already have sufficient Japanese language skills, then you can be on a farm where communication is only in Japanese.

Farms on Sado Island 

On Sado, which belongs to Niigata Prefecture, there are mainly small family-run farms that all produce similar products. In addition to fruits and vegetables, they often keep a small number of cattle.

Products of the farms on Sado Island include:

• Rice: High-quality Japanese rice, including "Toki" rice that uses less chemical pesticides.
• Kaki: These are sold as fresh fruits throughout Japan in autumn; also as dried fruits, frozen, or processed into sweets.
• Kiwis, apples, pears, strawberries
• Various types of cabbage, radish, eggplant, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, asparagus, potatoes, onions, and leafy vegetables
• Shiitake mushrooms

Annual Cycle of Agriculture

Spring (April - May)
The rice fields are flooded with water, and the rice seedlings are usually placed in the field with machines in pre-stocked seedling boxes. Vegetables are also sown or planted, depending on the variety. Kaki trees are also pruned.

Summer (June - August)
The rice fields must be maintained. Vegetables such as cucumbers and tomatoes reach their main harvest season. Fodder grass is also harvested in summer.

Autumn (September - November)
The busiest time of the year! The rice is harvested, dried, and processed. At the same time, the kaki harvest begins, with the fruits being picked by hand and sorted by size and quality. Part of the harvest is processed into dried fruit.

Winter (December - March)
While the fields rest, kiwis are harvested, and farmers prepare for the next season, repairing equipment and planning the cultivation areas. In winter, there are also tasks in processing, such as drying/pickling radishes, and in cattle farming.

During the planting and harvesting seasons, the work is intensive: long days in the fields and teamwork are part of it. But despite the effort, it is a rewarding experience to experience the rich agricultural tradition of Sado Island up close and be part of the local community.

Farm in Okinawa

The farm is dedicated to the production, processing, wholesale, shipping, development, and export of agricultural products. The company grows a variety of regional and seasonal products typical of Okinawa.

These include:

• Sweet potatoes (four varieties: Beni Haruka, Beni Imo, Amahazuki, Silk Sweet)
• Potatoes (various varieties)
• Tropical fruits: pineapple, bananas, papaya
• Vegetables: cabbage, leeks, small onions, lettuce, okra, cucumbers, carrots, pumpkin, taro
• Spices: turmeric, ginger, garlic
• Chili varieties: island chili, extra-hot chilies
• Citrus fruits: Shikunin, Shikwasa, mandarins, Tankan, kumquat, lemons

Annual Cycle of Agriculture

Okinawa has a subtropical climate that allows for a long growing season. Thanks to mild winters and high humidity, many agricultural products grow throughout the year.

Okra, leafy vegetables, cucumbers, and some tropical fruits are produced in multiple harvest cycles throughout the year. Planting and harvesting take place throughout the year.

Spring (March - May)
Planting season: sweet potatoes, okra, papaya, various leafy vegetables
Harvest: early-grown potatoes, carrots, spring onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric
This is when the first harvest of many vegetables begins, while new plants are already being set for the summer.

Summer (June - August)
Planting season: late potato varieties, chili, pumpkin, onions
Harvest: bananas, pineapples, cucumbers, tomatoes, leaf lettuce, okra
Hot and humid months when many plants need intensive care. Tropical fruits such as pineapples and bananas reach their maturity now.

Autumn (September - November)
Planting season: new sweet potato fields are prepared, winter vegetables such as cabbage, pumpkin, and radish are planted.
Harvest: sweet potatoes, mandarins (Tankan, kumquat), lemons, papaya, turmeric, garlic, ginger
The sweet potato harvest in autumn is a valuable childhood memory for many people from Okinawa. However, due to the industrialization of agriculture and the aging population, there are fewer and fewer farmers and thus fewer opportunities for children to have this experience. The farm wants to preserve this tradition and give children the chance to experience agriculture up close by participating in the sweet potato harvest.

Winter (December - February)
Planting season: first vegetable fields for the coming spring are prepared.
Harvest: late potato varieties, kaki, citrus fruits, carrots, radish
While winter remains mild in Okinawa, the harvest conditions are pleasant, and many winter fruits reach their full flavor.