Japanese elementary students engage in local soybean food education

Elementary school students in Japan are participating in local food education programs centered on the cultivation and use of regional soybeans.

At Sakudai Elementary School, students attended a lesson regarding Tsukui heirloom soybeans. The session covered the growth process of the crops, from planting in June to the development of pods. To promote local culture, students have been invited to design sticker illustrations for rice flour cookies made from these soybeans, which will be sold at the Katsusaka Ruins Jomon Festival in November. The lesson also highlighted the historical significance of the Katsusaka Ruins.

In Saku City, Nagano Prefecture, students at Usuda Elementary School participated in a hands-on workshop to make ‘kinako ohagi’ using locally grown soybeans. Led by the Usuda School Lunch Support Group, the children roasted the soybeans, ground them into powder, and combined the powder with glutinous rice to create the traditional sweet. The program aimed to deepen the students' understanding of local ingredients and the importance of food.