INFORMATION

Special Flash Report: Harvesting the “Two-Row Barley”

Here is the English translation of the text, formatted for clear reading:

I visited them on the evening of Saturday, May 23rd.

I had already seen on the social media of Green Hojin Nakano, the farmers who cultivate our barley, that the barley harvest had begun. Thinking to myself, “They might have already finished harvesting,” I hurriedly drove over.

My destination was the same field where we had held our barley-treading event with participants back in February. Upon arriving, I found them right in the middle of the harvest! And looking closely, there was only a tiny bit left to go!

As I dashed over with my camera in hand to take photos, Mr. Takeshi Wada of Green Hojin Nakano noticed me, paused his work, and made a little time to chat.

He told me that the field they were harvesting was the two-row barley intended for our whisky.

“The crop is turning out exceptionally well this year! Once it started to ripen, it matured very quickly, so we rushed to start the harvest,” said Mr. Wada, sporting a deep, dark tan from the sun.

Last year, they apparently couldn’t keep up with the harvest and sometimes worked until 2:00 AM. This year, they are managing their pace to avoid staying out quite that late. Even so, he mentioned that they had started early that morning, would continue harvesting barley until 7:00 PM, and then planned to move on to other tasks. In the end, I heard they worked until 9:30 PM that night.

The harvest for the six-row barley, which we also asked them to grow, will take place a little later. Mr. Wada noted that their workload should have settled down by then, so if the timing works out, they kindly agreed to let us experience the harvesting work firsthand. I am just praying for a high-quality yield and a safe, successful harvest.

Transitioning Seasons and Protecting the Community

Once the barley harvest concludes, the fields are converted into paddies, and rice farming begins. On top of preparing for the rice, they must simultaneously cultivate sweet potatoes and soybeans. They are truly in the midst of their busiest farming season.

Green Hojin Nakano is located in the Nakano district of Kiyokawa-machi in Bungo-Ono City—the town neighboring Taketa City, where the Kuju Distillery is located. The Nakano district is a small settlement made up of just 14 households. Due to an aging population, it has become difficult for independent farmers to manage their land alone, leading to an increase in abandoned fallow fields and the gradual disappearance of the traditional rural landscape.

Determined to put a stop to this, they practice agriculture designed to “protect the farmland” and keep it from falling into ruin. Rather than pursuing organic certification, they utilize conventional farming methods. By ensuring that even small, family-run farms can sustain their operations, they are connecting the land and the local community to the future. What started as this “defensive” agriculture has now evolved. Today, they are engaging in proactive, “offensive” initiatives, such as adopting new methods like dry-field direct seeding for rice (kanden jikamaki).

■ Agricultural Corporation – Green Hojin Nakano: https://nakanoya-kiyokawa.com/

Additionally, they operate the Nakano Processing Facility, where local mothers handcraft and sell traditional regional snacks. These treats are incredibly popular at local roadside stations, including Michi-no-Eki Kiyokawa. Their sake manju (steamed buns made with sake lees) and kinetsuki mochi (pounded rice cakes) are so highly sought after that they sell out almost immediately. I even heard that some customers buy their kakiage (mixed vegetable tempura)—which is naturally colored using vegetables instead of artificial dyes—in bulk!

We deeply resonate with their desire to “protect the community,” making them an invaluable partner with whom we mutually support each other’s endeavors. Moving forward, we hope to plan new initiatives that will allow all of you to feel that same connection to agriculture.