[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 mist hangs over the farm, and
a bell chimes bravely from the dark black depths of the rows of poplar trees...♪

"Morning at the Farm" is one of the songs sung by the Japanese Ministry of Education.

Ranch no Asa was born at Iwase Ranch in Kagamiishi-cho, Iwase-gun, Fukushima Prefecture.
At Iwase Farm, one of the largest corn mazes in the Tohoku region appears every summer. We are planning to power up this summer as well!

In addition, every year in Kagamiishi Town, where Iwase Farm is located,"Rice field art"We are doing
I want you to experience it this time during summer vacation."Corn Maze"and"Rice field art"I would like to introduce you to

Iwase Farm

Iwase Farm was the first full-fledged Western-style farm in Japan, established in 1888 as a cultivation site for the Imperial Household Ministry after Emperor Meiji toured the Tohoku region.

In 1907 (Meiji 40), 13 Holstein cows were imported from Dutch dairy farms, and a bell was presented to Iwase Farm as a commemoration of friendship.In the lyrics of ``Morning at the Farm'', the phrase ``The bell rings, the bell rings,'' is said to be the sound of the ``Friendship Bell'' that was presented at this time.

The Bell of Friendship is currently preserved at the Iwase Farm History Museum.

interact with animals　

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

You can feed the animals as you like, as pelleted food is sold in vending machines in the animal corner.

You can play freely with the rabbits in Usagiland. ``Usanpo'' where you can take a walk with a rabbit is very popular with children.

Also,There is a miniature horse "Kurumi" at Iwase Farm. The ``Kurumi Circuit'' where you can go around the fence with Kurumi-chan is a very popular attraction.

Experience unique to the farm

There are plenty of experiences unique to the farm, such as making butter yourself and harvesting fresh vegetables and fruits!
In the butter making experience, farm staff will give you an easy-to-understand lecture on the process from how to make butter to making butter.

• Experience: 300 yen
• Kindergarten and above 10 people ~ Reservation required

During the summer vacation, we are planning to hold a tour where you can try out a tractor experience.

When my child visited the farm, he was given a ride on a tractor, and the tractor was really big! The children were very satisfied with the valuable experience that can only be had here.

BBQ and rich soft serve ice cream

You can enjoy a barbecue on the premises. We have a full menu of meats such as beef and lamb, alcohol, and pizza, so you don't have to bring anything!

"Premium milk soft serve ice cream" made with fresh milk from Brown Swiss cows raised on a farmis exquisite. Try tasting the rich milk!
Other popular items include fresh yogurt, seasonal blueberry jam, and cherry blossom honey.

Summer only! The largest corn maze in Tohoku

What we recommend at Iwase Farm in the summer is one of the largest mazes in the Tohoku region, made of corn fields.This year marks the 4th time.

This year, colorful photo spots will also appear in the giant maze built on a vast 1.2 hectare site! Inside the maze, you will be greeted by the ``Umbrella Sky,'' where colorful umbrellas decorate the blue sky, and the ``Wind Chime Spot,'' where you can enjoy the soothing sound of cool sounds.

The corn used to create the maze is dented corn, which is used as feed for the cows on the farm.
The width of the aisle is spacious, about 2.5 meters, and the corn is taller than an adult, so both adults and children can enjoy it. The time required from start to finish is 20 minutes. As a measure against heatstroke, those who take on the maze challenge 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 hand at a fun lottery with no chance of losing.

[Giant corn maze]

• Date: July 15, 2023 (Saturday) to the end of September
• Business hours: 9:00-15:00
• Price: 300 yen per person (includes mineral water and fan) *Admission fee not included

INFORMATION

• Name: Iwase Farm
• Address: 225 Sakuracho, Kagamiishi-cho, Iwase-gun, Fukushima Prefecture
• Phone: 0248-62-6789
• Access: 5 minutes by car from Kagamiishi Smart IC
• Business hours: AM9:00~PM4:00
• 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: Free 500 spaces

GOOGLE MAP

Kagamiishi rice field art

Rice field art is a must-see along with Iwase Farm.

Rice field art in Kagamiishi Town was started in 2012 after the Great East Japan Earthquake to revitalize the region, and this year marks its 11th year.

The rice field art held in the rice field right next to the town library can be viewed from the observation room on the 4th floor of the town library.
Once you enter the library, go through the registration process and take the elevator to the 4th floor, where you will be able to see beautiful designs that you could not see on the ground. By utilizing perspective, the beautiful patterns can only be seen when looking down from the observation deck on the 4th floor.

We plant a variety of brightly colored rice varieties.The green part uses Fukushima Prefecture's original edible rice variety, ``Ten no Tsubu,'' and the harvested rice is used as ``Rice Field Art Rice.'' They serve them as special rice balls for lunch for participants at rice-harvesting events, and provide them for school lunches at 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 bakeries in the town are developing, commercializing, and selling rice flour bread and pound cakes using this rice flour.

Rice field art is something I look forward to every year.
The ``Nursery Rhymes/Fairy Tales Series'' begins with Momotaro, and is expanded every year to include Kintaro, Urashima Taro, and Kaguya Hime. It seems that the design for 2023 has been decided to be ``Shouka ``Morning on the Farm'' Town''. I'm looking forward to this year's finish♪ The "Rice Paddy Art Cafe", where kitchen trucks and restaurants will open every Sunday from July 23rd to August 20th, has also decided to reopen for the first time in four years.

INFORMATION

• Name: Kagami Ishi 2023 Rice Paddy Art
• Viewing location: Kagamiishi Town Library 4th floor observation room
• Address: 440-6 Asahi-cho, Kagamiishi-cho, Iwase-gun, Fukushima Prefecture
• Viewing hours: June, September, October: 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  July, August: 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Closed: Every Monday (or the next day if Monday is a holiday)
  *Only the rice field art is open on closed days in July and August.

GOOGLE MAP

Come visit Kagamiishi Town in summer!

The summer-only corn maze is the perfect memory for your child's summer vacation. You can enjoy solving puzzles and taking photos while moving through the maze in an adventurous mood! Why not try the maze while taking precautions against the heat?

Also,The best time to see rice field art is usually from mid-July to mid-August.It looks like a stamp rally will be held in conjunction with the Iwase Farm Corn Maze and rice field art! Be sure to visit Kagamiishi Town during your summer vacation.