Community events held in Mie and Nagano prefectures

In Mie Prefecture, the Matsusaka Children's Cafeteria hosted a cooking class focused on koji natto, a traditional fermented food. Led by instructor and volunteer Ichii Saito, 24 participants learned to prepare the dish using natto, rice koji, dried shiitake mushrooms, and carrots. The session aimed to highlight the nutritional benefits and flavors of fermented foods.

In Nagano Prefecture, 91 fourth-grade students at Takamori Minami Elementary School participated in a processing workshop for Ichida persimmons. The students practiced the manual task of peeling the fruit, engaging with a local specialty of Takamori Town.