Tariki Hongan

Uwa-cho is a typical Japanese country district in Seiyo City, Ehime Prefecture. People who know the place also know that it’s famous for its rice.
Rice cultivation has a long history here, stretching back more than two thousand years.

As harvest time approaches, the rice fields shine golden.
It may be that looking at this scene, Marco Polo recoded for posterity the saying that “Zipangu is the Land of Gold.”

Today as in ancient times, rice is the staple food of the people of Japan. However, the consumption of rice in modern Japan is steadily on the decline.

So, we rice farmers have become worried about the future, not sure if we can keep our farms going.

Four of us, professional rice farmers, agreed that things can’t go on like this. So we set up a company to break through the deadlock that rice farming is in.

The Chinese character for “man” or “male” is made up of two parts, “rice field” (ta) and “strength” (riki). So, we took the name “Tariki.”

・To show our strength in the rice field
・To believe in the strength of the rice field

・To create different forms of new value from the rice field
・To pass on the rice field to the next generation

Altogether, these tasks are “men’s work” for us.

Each of us has different ideas and a different skill set, and by blending them together we’re opening up the path for the interesting, fun agriculture of the future,

The Uwa-cho district of Seiyo City is an agricultural area in a hollow surrounded by hills and mountains 400 to 800 meters high. Ehime Prefecture generally has very hot summers and cold winters, but Uwa-cho is protected from these extreme temperature swings. People say that it’s like a resort area in climate.
Also, Uwa-cho lies at the headwaters of the Hijikawa River, so it’s blessed with pure water and good soil. It’s one of Ehime’s finest terrains for rice growing, and the culture of rice cultivation is deeply rooted here, stretching back more than two millennia to the Yayoi period (1,000 BC to 300 CE).
Ehime Prefecture is known across Japan for its mikan oranges, but Uwa-cho’s mild climate and rich terrain have allowed the farmers there to grow a wide range of other produce there, and it’s all extremely tasty.

July 22

Seiyo Yaruki Farmers’ Club formed
January 9

Trial production of “Mikan Bokashi” mikan orange fermented organic fertilizer
March 5

Preparation of mikan orange compost
November 22

Ehime Matsuyama Sangyo Matsuri (Product Fair) 2013 (Start of Guys’ Rice project in Uwa-cho)
March 18

Joint preparation of “Mikan Bokashi” mikan orange fermented organic fertilizer
July 2

Preparation of otoko-miso (spicy miso) (Iwaki Agricultural Products Manufacturing Association)
August 22

Conference seminar (Seiyo local production for regional consumption and delicious collaboration project, meeting with Mr. Sakoda) Sept. 12, Sept. 24
September 24

Article in Nogyo Kyosai Shimbun newspaper
September 30

Appearance on NHK Radio
October 27

Shimenawa training project (making Shinto straw ropes hung with sacred paper)
November 22

Ehime Matsuyama Sangyo Matsuri (Product Fair) 2014 (Otokomai taste comparison package (portrait photo edition), sales-visit debut)
December 5

Shimanto training project (visits to selected producers in the Shimanto region, barbeque at FIRE WOODS HOUSE) Big idol group ‘’Arashi ‘’in Shimanto . Meeting with Daisuke ,who is the leader of this group.
December 8

BBQ caravan in Uwa-cho. Experiencing Mr. Shimojo’s special BBQ
December 16

Conference seminar (Meeting on production making use of geo tech, meeting with Masayuki Hachisuka)
January 17

Conference seminar (Meeting on production making use of geo tech,Tsukasa Imamura) Tariki concept appears!
February 12

Otokomai Project meeting
February 18

Agri-Food EXPO Osaka 2015 (to Feb. 19)
February 24

Otokomai Project meeting
May 14

NHK TV recording (BS Premium channel, Shokuzai tanken okawari! Nippon, with reporter Rie Tanaka; broadcast June 10)
September 24

Cable TV interview
November 15

Harajuku Gohan Festival (Debit of men’s t-shirt with Tariki logo!)
November 21

Ehime Matsuyama Sangyo Matsuri (Product Fair) 2015 (to Nov. 22)
November 23

17th Rice Tasting Analysis and Appraisal Contest: International Meeting (Prefectural representative Masashi Kajiwara (Kajii) won Special Excellence Award for Rice Growers.
January 19

Production of “Mikan Bokashi” mikan orange fermented organic fertilizer (Joint project with Matsuba Gakuen; to Jan. 23)
February 18

Agri-Food EXPO Osaka 2016
October 5

Foundation of Tariki Hongan Company, Limited (Men’s Day)
November 6

“Ehime Iyashi Nanyo Fair 2016” winner of Nanyo Barbeque Prize
December 4

18th Rice Tasting Analysis and Appraisal Contest: International Meeting (Winner of All-Prefecture Prize for Rice Growers: Yuya Inoue (“Zoom”)), in Kikuchi, Kumamoto Prefecture
January 15

Production of “Tariki” junmaishu sake (Utsunomiya Shuzo)
November 3

1st Tariki Festival
November 26

19th Rice Tasting Analysis and Appraisal Contest: International Meeting (Winner of All-Prefectural Special Prize for Rice Growers: prefectural representative Masashi Kajiwara (“Kaji”)) in Mamurogawa, Yamagata Prefecture
January 19

First vintage of “Tariki” Junmai daiginjo sake (Motomiya Shuzo)
January 25

Finalist in the “nikomaru” category at “Onigiri Tasting Contest” (Yuya Inoue (“Zoom”))
March 10

“Tariki” Junmai daiginjo unpasteurized sake goes on sale
November 15

Finalist, Okome Banzuke 2018 Contest (Satoru Nakano (“Nick”), Nikomaru)
January 20

Start of production of second vintage of “Tariki” Junmai daiginjo sake (Motomiyasakamise)
February 1

Certified as “Most Valuable Geo Asset”
August 21

Agri-Food EXPO Tokyo 2019 (The Road to Paris)
September 30

Tariki Hongan website renewal