[Kagamiishi Town, Fukushima Prefecture] Go to the corn maze and rice field art at Iwase Farm, which is famous for its morning on the farm!

♪ A sea of ​​morning fog hangs over the pasture, and
from the thin, black depths of the poplar trees, bells ring bravely, clang clang...♪

"Morning on the Pasture" is one of the songs published by the Ministry of Education in Japan

Morning at the Farm was born at Iwase Farm in Kagamiishi Town, Iwase County, Fukushima Prefecture
Every summer, Iwase Farm hosts one of the largest corn mazes in the Tohoku region. This summer, it's set to be even more exciting!

In addition, every year in Kagamiishi Town, where Iwase Ranch is located,"Rice Field Art"We are currently working on the following
I want you to experience this during your summer vacation"Corn Maze"and"Rice Field Art"We will introduce you to the following

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Iwase Ranch

Iwase Ranch was the first full-scale Western-style ranch in Japan, opened in 1880 as an Imperial Household Ministry reclamation site after Emperor Meiji's tour of the Tohoku region

In 1907 (Meiji 40), 13 Holstein cows were imported from a dairy farm in the Netherlands, and a bell was presented to Iwase Farm as a commemoration of friendshipThe line "The bells are ringing, ringing, clang" in the lyrics of "Morning on the Farm" is said to be the sound of the "Friendship Bell" that was given on this occasion

The Friendship Bell is currently preserved at the Iwase Ranch Historical Museum

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Interacting with animals　

At Iwase Farm, you can interact with cute animals such as rabbits, ponies, guinea pigs, goats, and sheep

Pellets of food in monaka are sold in vending machines in the animal section, so you can feed the animals as much as you like

You can play freely with the rabbits in Usagi Land. The "Usanpo" walk with the rabbits is very popular with children

Also,Iwase Ranch is home to a miniature horse named Kurumi. The Kurumi Circuit, where you can ride around the enclosure with Kurumi, is a very popular attraction

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A unique ranch experience

There are plenty of experiences that can only be had at a farm, such as making your own butter and harvesting fresh vegetables and fruits!
For the butter-making experience, farm staff will give you an easy-to-understand lecture on how to make the butter, from start to finish.

• Experience: 300 yen
• Reservations required for groups of 10 or more (kindergarten and above)

During the summer vacation period, we plan to hold a tour where you can experience riding a tractor

When my child visited the farm, he also got to ride a tractor, and it was so huge! It was a rare experience that my child had and he was very happy

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BBQ and rich soft serve ice cream

Iwase Farm in Kagamiishi Town.
The rich soft serve is delicious! #DeliciousFukushimapic.twitter.com /KyQvA925cB

— President @JOB (@721_sunflower) March 5, 2023

You can enjoy a barbecue at the facility. There is a wide selection of meats such as beef and lamb, alcohol, and pizza, so you can come empty-handed!

"Premium Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream" made with fresh milk from Brown Swiss cows raised on a farmIt's delicious. Try the rich milk flavor!
Other popular items include fresh yogurt, seasonal blueberry jam, and cherry blossom honey

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Summer only! Tohoku's largest giant corn maze

One thing we recommend visiting Iwase Farm in the summer is the maze, one of the largest in the Tohoku region, which is made up of a corn fieldThis year marks the fourth time the event is being held

This year, colorful photo spots will also be appearing in the gigantic maze, which was built on a vast 1.2 hectare site! Inside the maze, you will be greeted by "Umbrella Sky," where colorful umbrellas will light up the blue sky, and "Wind Chime Spot," where you can hear the soothing sounds of wind chimes

The corn used to make the maze is dent corn, which is used to feed the cows on the farm. The paths are spacious, about 2.5 meters wide, and the corn is taller than an adult, so both adults and children can enjoy it.
It takes 20 minutes from start to finish. As a measure against heatstroke, everyone who attempts the maze will receive a 500ml plastic bottle of water.

There is a quiz set up inside the corn maze. If you answer the quiz, you can try your luck at a lucky draw with no losing tickets

[Giant Corn Maze]

• Event dates: Saturday, July 15, 2023 - late September
• Business hours: 9:00-15:00
• Price: 300 yen per person (mineral water and fan included) *Admission fee not included

INFORMATION

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• Name: Iwase Ranch
• Address: 225 Sakuramachi, Kagamiishi-machi, Iwase-gun, Fukushima Prefecture
• Phone: 0248-62-6789
• Access: 5 minutes by car from Kagamiishi Smart IC
• Business hours: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• Admission fee: 500 yen for junior high school students and above, 300 yen for elementary school students and below, free for children under 3 and accompanying dogs
• Parking: 500 free cars

GOOGLE MAP

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Kagamiishi Rice Field Art

Along with Iwase Ranch, you should also stop by to see the rice field art

Kagamiishi Town's rice field art project began in 2012 after the Great East Japan Earthquake in order to revitalize the region, and this year marks its 11th year

The rice field art, which is being created in the rice fields right next to the town library, can be viewed from the observation room on the fourth floor of the library. When you enter the library, check in, and then take the elevator to the fourth floor, you can see the beautiful images that you can't see from the ground.
By utilizing perspective, the beautiful images can only be seen when looking down from the observation room on the fourth floor.

We plant a variety of colorful rice varietiesThe green part is made from "Ten no Tsubu," an original edible rice variety from Fukushima Prefecture, and the harvested rice is used as "Rice Field Art Rice." It is served as special rice balls for lunch to participants at rice harvesting events, and is also provided as school lunches to elementary and junior high schools, kindergartens, and daycare centers in the town
In addition, the rice field art rice is made into rice flour, and local bakeries use this rice flour to develop, commercialize, and sell rice flour bread and pound cakes

I look forward to the rice paddy art every year. The designs are part of the "Children's Songs and Fairy Tales Series," which starts with Momotaro, then changes every year to include Kintaro, Urashima Taro, and Princess Kaguya.
The design for 2023 has been decided as "The Town of the Song 'Morning on the Pasture.'" I'm looking forward to seeing this year's finished product! The "Rice Paddy Art Café," which will feature food trucks and restaurants every Sunday from July 23rd to August 20th, has also been decided to reopen for the first time in four years.

INFORMATION

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• Name: Kagamiishi 2023 Rice Field Art
• Viewing location: Kagamiishi Town Library, 4th floor observation room
• Address: 440-6 Asahimachi, Kagamiishi-machi, Iwase-gun, Fukushima Prefecture
• Viewing hours: June, September, October: 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM;
  July, August: 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM
• Closed: Every Monday (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday)
  *Only rice field art will be open on closed days in July and August

GOOGLE MAP

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Come visit Kagamiishi Town in the summer!

The summer-only corn maze is the perfect way to create summer vacation memories for your children. They can enjoy solving puzzles and taking photos while exploring the maze in an adventurous atmosphere! Why not take on the maze while protecting yourself from the heat?

Also,The best time to see the rice field art is usually from mid-July to mid-AugustThere will also be a stamp rally in conjunction with the Iwase Farm Giant Corn Maze and rice field art! Be sure to visit Kagamiishi Town during the summer holidays

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