[Kagamiishi Town, Fukushima Prefecture] Visit the corn maze and rice field art at Iwase Farm, famous for its farm mornings!

♪ A sea of ​​morning mist hangs over the pasture, and　　
from the faintly dark depths beneath the poplar trees, the 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 farm-only experiences to enjoy, such as butter making workshops and harvesting fresh vegetables and fruits!
For the butter making workshop, farm staff will clearly explain the process from how to make butter to the finished product.

• 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 ice cream is delicious!#DeliciousFukushima pic.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 maze is made up of dent corn, the same kind used to feed the cows on the farm. The pathways are about 2.5 meters wide, and the corn is taller than an adult, so both adults and children can enjoy it.
The time it takes to complete the maze from start to finish is 20 minutes. As a precaution against heatstroke, each participant in the maze will receive a 500ml 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 paddy art, created in the field right next to the town library, can be viewed from the observation room on the fourth floor of the library. After entering the library and checking in at the reception, take the elevator to the fourth floor to see the beautiful artwork that cannot be seen from the ground. Apparently
, by utilizing perspective, the artwork is so beautiful that it can only be seen when viewed 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, too, look forward to the rice paddy art every year. The designs are part of a "children's song and fairy tale series," starting with Momotaro, and continuing with Kintaro, Urashima Taro, Princess Kaguya, and others each year.
The design for 2023 has been decided as "The town from the children's song 'Morning at the Pasture'." I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out this year! The "Rice Paddy Art Cafe," where food trucks and restaurants will set up shop every Sunday from July 23rd to August 20th, has also been confirmed to reopen after a four-year hiatus.

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 on: Every Monday (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday)
  *Only the rice paddy art exhibit 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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