"Light-Bringer" Interview #3 | Serious Because It's Fun—A New Form of Agriculture Connecting Soil and People

Strawberry greenhouses spread across the mountains of Yamada-cho, Kita-ku, Kobe. It was not just a farm, but a place where "people and people," "community and future," and "nature and technology" intersect. Mr. Matsumoto, who stepped into agriculture from the construction industry, is carving out a new form of farming based on the principle of "being serious because it's fun" Strawberry cultivation, learning for children, international exchange—challenges that once seemed like isolated points were beginning to form a great cycle, lighting up the town.

1. A year of delivering "thoughts"

Me:
Thank you for your time today.

Mr. Matsumoto:
Thank you as well.

Me:
I hope we can talk a lot, more like a conversation than an interview. I saw your Instagram; have you been producing strawberries for a year?

Mr. Matsumoto:
That's right. Last year was our first harvest, and at that time, there were only three buildings, including the one we are in now. We started cultivation in this greenhouse, and since there was adjacent land, we decided to "expand" and added seven more buildings. As a result, we are working with a total of ten buildings this year.

Me:
Ten buildings is amazing. This past year must have been really tough.

Mr. Matsumoto:
We didn't aim for sales last year. My main business is construction, and the agricultural corporation I established was barely known, so I wanted people to buy our products only after they understood "
why we are doing agriculture".

Therefore, last year, we delivered strawberries mainly to children's facilities, such as the local children's cafeteria Include, nursery schools in Kobe, and children's homes.

We also had sports teams cooperate with us to spread awareness. The teams resonated with our desire to contribute to the community and helped with promotion, so we were working with future collaborations in mind.

—The stance of starting by "conveying thoughts" rather than "selling" reveals a straightforward commitment to the region.

2. Top-secret project

Me:
I also saw photos of you with people from a sumo stable. Are they active around here?

Mr. Matsumoto:
The sumo stable is based in Tokyo and the Kanto region, but through a connection, I am linked with former Yokozuna Terunofuji. He is now a stablemaster, and the sumo world is facing a shortage of wrestlers, so he is focusing on creating places for children's activities and promoting sumo as a traditional culture.

As part of that, we are moving forward with a certain initiative, and there was talk of bringing the activities that started in Yokohama to "Kobe next." We launched the "Kobe Supporters Association" with the Isegahama stable and local companies, working with the goal of inheriting traditional culture.

Mr. Matsumoto:
I hope this initiative will also lead to Kobe-Katsu.
There is a possibility that sumo wrestlers will come to Kobe for the Osaka tournament, and if we can realize events like sumo competitions, I believe it will bring people together from all over the country and contribute to regional revitalization.

Currently, the Kobe Sumo Federation and members of the Kobe Shinwa University Women's Sumo Club are cooperating with us. Although there is a national champion at Shinwa University, there is no place for them to be active, so this project also serves as a place for them to engage in their activities.

Me:
I would be happy if a place like a sumo tournament at an autumn festival could be created in this region as well.

Mr. Matsumoto:
I want to create opportunities for children to see real sumo up close, and I also want to make it a place for Kobe students to be active.

—I felt new possibilities in a vision that extends beyond agriculture to regional culture and education.

3. Why a construction company stepped into agriculture

Me:
Changing the subject, why did you start working in agriculture from construction?

Mr. Matsumoto:
Yagumo Construction's main business is public works for Kobe City, but apart from that, we have also been working on 'farmland consolidation projects' in the Aina region.

Farmland in mountainous areas that were originally terraced rice fields was difficult to cultivate because it was hard for machinery to enter, so there were almost no successors left. Therefore, we discussed it with the local people, consolidated the small terraced fields, and developed them into farmland where machinery could enter.

However, even after returning the land to the local community after development, very few people were actually able to continue farming—.

Me:
It's hard to keep farming these days, isn't it?

Mr. Matsumoto:
The local people consulted us, saying, 'If we return it as is, it will just become abandoned farmland again, so please rent or buy it.' However, since we are not originally farmers, it is not easy to rent or buy farmland. So, in order to 'not end with just construction,' we thought about ways to utilize this land and established an agricultural corporation.

I thought it was necessary to build up a track record in agriculture while doing construction work and to be recognized by the local people.

I happened to be acquainted with the landowner, and when I told them, 'I want to work seriously in agriculture', this initiative began with the story that this was also land that had not been used for a long time.

—In the words 'not ending with construction,' I felt a determination to seriously face the region.

Me:
It's a waste to have land that isn't being used.

Mr. Matsumoto:
Nowadays, there are many places where there are no successors and abandoned farmland is increasing. However, there is also the reality that agriculture is not profitable, so it is not easy after all.

Even so, since we are in a position to have revenue as a construction business, we had the thought, 'If there is a problem like this in the region, I want to be of some help', and in that flow, we started the strawberry greenhouse.

Me:
Agriculture is certainly not familiar in this area, is it?

Mr. Matsumoto:
Many of the farmers who are still active today have been doing this for a long time, but the reality is that the aging population is progressing, and it's tough when you think about the future. That's exactly why I want to create a form of agriculture run as a company rather than by individuals. I believe that if we do it in our own way, it can become "interesting agriculture".

Besides, both agriculture and construction are industries that are difficult for young people to enter, so by combining the two, I want to make it a job that they might think looks "a bit interesting."

4. Connecting across borders: The meaning of work and circulation

Me:
I had the opportunity to study about the Specified Skilled Worker program, and construction is included in that. But it's really difficult because of issues like Japanese language proficiency and level of understanding, while on the other hand, many Japanese people say they don't want to do "tough jobs."

Mr. Matsumoto:
We have young people from Cambodia coming to work with us. They come to Japan for their families and send money home. That's why I don't want them to just work; I want them to learn properly before they go back.

Me:
There is also their life after they return home, isn't there?

Mr. Matsumoto:
Exactly. That's why I'm currently in contact with the principal of the Japanese language school in Cambodia that sends them to us.

That principal is Japanese and also runs a farm in Cambodia for high-end Kampot pepper. It's completely pesticide-free and is known as the "diamond of peppers," holding JAS and EU certifications.

However, since it's difficult to develop it only locally, we are talking about helping with sales. In the future, I want to create a cycle where the kids who worked for us can return home and earn a stable income by working at that farm.

—I was moved by his perspective of considering not just a "place to work" but also a "place to return to."

Mr. Matsumoto:
Learning in Japan and maintaining connections even after returning home. I think it would be interesting if we could create such a system.

Me:
I'm surprised by how many different activities you're involved in. Are you getting enough rest?

Mr. Matsumoto:
I'm not resting (laughs). Neither is he. (Production Manager)

It's true that I might be doing a bit too much, taking on this and that, but I just can't help wanting to do it, so that's why I'm working on so many things.

Strawberry Production Manager, Mr. Kishimoto:
If we fail, I think people will probably say it's because we're doing too many things, but I think the president is doing this while fully aware of that. So, honestly, I think the situation is quite tough right now. I'm sure there are critical eyes on us.

However, rather than the goal being just to build a greenhouse like this, my feeling is that if we can eventually create jobs for young people, help the Cambodian kids have a better life, and first resolve the issue of abandoned farmland, then hopefully we will be recognized in the end.

I believe now is not the stage to seek evaluation, but a time to steadily build the foundation.

5. Enjoying the Present for the Sake of the Future

Me:
To be honest, I had only seen you working on strawberry greenhouses after coming from the construction industry on social media, so I had some feelings of "Why agriculture?" and perhaps a somewhat misguided perspective.

I had also heard that you were growing wheat, so I had the impression that things were going smoothly.

Mr. Matsumoto:
In reality, wheat isn't profitable. Rice isn't actually profitable either, and we are doing a type of rice called "Yakumo Rice."

Me:
With the gluten-free trend and the emergence of rice flour, there are many things happening, aren't there?

Mr. Matsumoto:
I started growing wheat because I talked to a local bread chef and said, "We should do something fun." I resonated with the idea of "wanting to make bread with our own wheat," so we started with a simple attempt.

Honestly, I had the feeling of doing it because it's fun, disregarding profit, thinking that if it went well, I'd continue, and if it didn't, I could just withdraw.

Right now, I'm allowed to grow wheat in Ono City, and I'm working on it by borrowing a seeding machine that hadn't been used in the local area for 10 years. The locals might be thinking, "That Kobe corporation is doing something strange again."

—I felt the essence of a challenge in that attitude of acting not because it's "profitable," but because it's "interesting."

Mr. Matsumoto:
So, right now, we are still very much in the "sowing seeds" phase, and people might think, "They're going to do something flashy again," but I still have the thought that I will definitely prove them wrong somewhere.

However, more than that, I hope that more people who think it's "interesting" will gather, and we can liven up the local area together.

If it were for money, I definitely wouldn't be doing this. Honestly, last year was almost entirely in the red, and we gave away most of the strawberries.

That said, it's not like we need that much money, but even so, I believe "this will definitely succeed in the future." I am doing this thinking of it as sowing seeds for that purpose.

6. Beyond Strawberry Picking

Me:
When will the strawberry picking be open to the general public?

Mr. Matsumoto:
Right now, we are setting up restrooms and a rest area in the container outside, and we are preparing the greenhouse next to it to be used as a tourist farm.

We are also planning to create a place where people can rest after strawberry picking, and something special for children to play with. Also, we are planning to make things like tables and chairs using the mountain timber that was produced when we developed this site.

There is a famous person who does woodworking locally, about our age, who has a lab on Mt. Rokko. He graduated from Kobe Design University, and we are currently working together on a project that started with the idea of "let's do something interesting".

Me:
My child is in kindergarten, so I think it would be great if they could come here for strawberry picking, and it would also be great if junior high students could come here for their 'Try-Yaru Week' work experience.

Mr. Matsumoto:
Yes. I would be very happy if children could come here and feel that "farming is fun".

Me:
Living in Suzurandai, I feel like there aren't many opportunities to get involved in agriculture, so I think this is wonderful.

Mr. Matsumoto:
Our concept includes the desire to make use of the wood we cut down without wasting it, which is why we are proceeding in this way. I'd like you to take a look at the model plan.

(Showing the model plan in an image)
Me:
Whoa! Amazing! That looks like fun!

Mr. Matsumoto:
I think it's meaningful because we use the wood produced here, and I want to make it a place where both children and adults can enjoy themselves together.

—I felt that this is not just a tourist farm, but a place for experiences that will remain in children's hearts.

Mr. Matsumoto:
If possible, I want to give it shape by February, or March at the latest. However, it's still top secret, so I want to surprise everyone once it's finished.

Me:
If you just come for strawberry picking and go home after eating, children get bored easily, so this initiative is really welcome.

Mr. Matsumoto:
Also, we have the cut wood piled up like firewood there—usually, children can't play with wood or build fires, right? So, I hope they can try things like adding wood to a bonfire here.

Me:
It's truly amazing that you waste nothing. The next project will be adding camping facilities, right? (laughs)

7. Taste Supremacy

Me:
Among all the things you are doing, is there a core principle that you never compromise on?

Mr. Matsumoto:
It's the dedication of the person in charge of strawberries: "to produce the most delicious strawberries possible." You can make a profit by increasing the quantity, but the flavor drops. That would be meaningless. So, we diligently perform "flower thinning" to ensure each individual berry is packed with sweetness.

Cake shops actually use them, valuing that quality. I believe that agriculture from now on shouldn't just be about "cheap is good," but should be valued at a fair price.

Me:
Do you manage the greenhouse by yourself?

Mr. Kishimoto:
Yes, I basically make the final decisions on my own.

Mr. Matsumoto:
There are few people capable of making those judgments, so training is a challenge.
However, he has a strong sense of responsibility and works from early morning until late at night, even when I tell him to stop.

—I felt that the "taste-first" philosophy was embedded in the atmosphere of the workplace.

8. The Strength Born from a Relationship That Is "Not Just Work"

Mr. Kishimoto:
Honestly, I might not really think of it as "work."

Mr. Matsumoto:
We were classmates in junior high school, you see.

Mr. Kishimoto:
That's probably why it doesn't feel like work. It's less about being bound by time and more about the feeling of moving toward an image I've envisioned. Of course, I get paid, but it's a bit different from the typical feeling of being "employed."

I'm sure I could work anywhere, but there are many things that can only be done here, and I don't think this relationship could have been born anywhere else either.

Me:
It sounds like you'll be able to enjoy a good drink today.

Mr. Matsumoto:
When I talk about my dreams, he looks exasperated at first, but in the end, he helps me a lot.

Me:
Together, then.

Mr. Kishimoto:
Yes. The president is a person with truly big dreams, and since I'm more of a realist, I worry and think the order of things is important.

However, watching the young people who have been joining us recently, I realize that they are indeed looking at the management. Many young people say they "don't want to take on a management position," but that's because the management is shrinking, so the employees shrink too.

Many of the kids who join us have goals like "I want to grow," "I want to move up," "I want to take on this kind of role.". So, rather than saying "young people are bad," I think the responsibility lies heavily with the adults who create the atmosphere.

I think society as a whole creates a negative atmosphere, and if you keep watching that, you naturally start thinking that way.

But here, when the president says, "I want to do this," we have a relationship where we can say, "Well, shall I do it?"

If we create an environment while asking young people, "What is your goal?," I believe a good cycle will be born. That's why I think it's important to first create the "atmosphere itself."

Me:
I think your relationship is wonderful.

—A trust that goes beyond work gently supports the workplace.

9. Serious Because It's Fun—The Power That Drives the Future of Agriculture

Me:
I think continuing something is incredibly difficult, but is there anything that makes you feel like you can keep going?

Mr. Matsumoto:
It's only my second year, so the real challenge is yet to come. Since I've invested so much, I'm at the stage where I just have to do it. Honestly, there are tough times, but it really is fun. Plus, I don't want to let down the people who have expectations for me.

International Exchange Strawberry Picking

Me:
There are people waiting for you, after all. Last year, some foreign children came for strawberry picking, right?

Mr. Matsumoto:
Through a connection with the international school my daughter attends, they asked me, "We want the children to have a farming experience." It seems they really value these kinds of experiences overseas, and last year they asked me not just to do strawberry picking, but also to give a lesson on "how strawberries are grown."

At that time, together with my uncle who was in charge of the strawberries back then, I talked about how "bees pollinate them and it takes so much effort to grow strawberries." It wasn't just a fun experience; we did something like a class to convey the efforts of the farmers behind the scenes. I thought it was an initiative not often seen in Japan, and I felt it was a very good experience for me personally.

I still have an ongoing relationship with that school, and I participate a little in their bazaars and charity events. I want to make this a place where foreigners can also feel comfortable visiting.

Me:
If foreign children and Japanese children can have the experience together, it also becomes a form of international exchange.

Mr. Matsumoto:
Towards the end of the season, I'm thinking of inviting children from the school to enjoy strawberry picking as well. Strawberries are expensive, so I hope they can take home as much as they want.

Me:
They certainly are expensive. I always choose the mid-range price point.

Mr. Matsumoto:
Is that so? Honestly, I didn't have much of an image of strawberries being delicious, and I thought, "They're something you can't eat without condensed milk." But last year, when I ate our own strawberries, my image changed completely. I thought, "Strawberries are this delicious."

But we are still at a stage where our farm's strawberries will become even more delicious.

The "Reality of Distribution" for Strawberries

Mr. Kishimoto:
Supermarket strawberries are mostly harvested 3 to 5 days before they reach the store, so they are hardly fully ripe at the time of harvest.

Mr. Matsumoto:
That's not so much a producer issue as it is a "distribution issue."

Mr. Kishimoto:
Exactly. That's why strawberries picked in the morning locally or sold at direct sales stands should basically all be delicious.

Me:
Once they are picked, does the taste not change anymore?

Mr. Kishimoto:
Yes. The sugar content stops increasing the moment they are picked. That's why farmers harvest them first thing in the morning, and the reason why daytime strawberry picking is often said to have a "slightly duller taste" is due to the influence of the temperature.

Me:
I see... there was such a mechanism behind what I usually eat.

Mr. Kishimoto:
Ultimately, the current distribution system is built on “volume,” which lowers unit prices, forces a focus on quantity, and leads to a decline in flavor—the current vicious cycle of agriculture is a state where everyone is holding each other back.
The more part-time farmers there are, the more machinery is scattered and inefficient. That’s why we want to show a new way of doing things, proving that “it can be done differently.”

Me:
It would be great if that way of thinking spread further.

The Corporate Agriculture Model

Mr. Kishimoto:
That’s why I hope that if people say, “If you rent this land, our corporation will handle it,” we can take over land that is struggling due to an aging population and manage it ourselves.
If we do that, consumers can buy cheaper, companies can thrive, and jobs for young people will be created, right?

I know there’s anxiety about taking on a challenge, but I hope that by doing it ourselves and creating a success story, it will spread. I believe rice and vegetables will become cheaper, we’ll be able to pay proper wages, and elderly people won’t have to hold onto their land alone anymore.

Mr. Matsumoto:
For now, I just hope that the circle of people involved with us will expand here in the local area.

Mr. Kishimoto:
If we can do that, I think we will become a model case, and other companies might follow suit.

The reason agricultural corporations haven’t been trusted until now is that there have been many cases where companies bought land and pulled out as soon as it wasn’t profitable, and since the local people know that, a wall has inevitably been built.

Mr. Matsumoto:
But that’s understandable. Companies can’t always keep going forever, either.

Mr. Kishimoto:
Things that couldn’t be done in traditional agriculture can be done now because we have IT, and since we also work in construction, we have the strength to improve the soil. I think there are things that are difficult for individual farmers but possible for a company.

Me:
Through technology, right?

Mr. Kishimoto:
For example, you need a dump truck to transport soil, and we have that. So, being able to transport soil, improve it, and create farmland is a big advantage. Plus, we can manage data, which is inevitably difficult for family-run operations to do in detail.
Water management also tends to be left to the mercy of the weather when done individually.

Companies can handle those things collectively, so I think there is strength in working as a group. Japanese agriculture currently feels like individuals acting separately, and I think that makes it hard to increase production.

Me:
It would be great if everyone could cooperate and leverage their respective strengths.

Mr. Kishimoto:
There are many examples of large companies entering agriculture and failing. People often think, “If there’s solar power, it’ll be fine,” but that alone isn’t enough. Photosynthesis requires real sunlight, and bees are essential for pollination.

In a sealed factory, there isn’t enough light or bees, and crops won’t grow. Ultimately, agriculture won’t work unless all the conditions are met.

Me:
It really is true that it won’t work unless every single condition is perfectly aligned.

Mr. Kishimoto:
That’s right. I think “whether it aligns well with nature” is the most important thing. Perhaps it was good that we weren’t bound by the common sense of agriculture.

Me:
Because you were originally in the construction industry, you didn’t have the fixed idea that “agriculture must be done this way,” is that it?

Mr. Kishimoto:
Of course, we studied. We looked at books and materials, but what I felt most strongly is that “it’s completely different depending on the location.” The environment and temperature in a mountain greenhouse are different from here, so methods that worked elsewhere don’t necessarily apply here.

Me:
So, what works over there doesn't necessarily work over here, right?

Mr. Kishimoto:
That's right. That’s why agriculture is difficult. You really need a sense for it. But it’s not just about intuition; I want to systematize the parts that 'anyone can do' using data, and then express individuality on top of that. I feel like everyone is leaning too much toward the same methods right now.

Me:
It feels like they are just copying success stories as they are.

Mr. Kishimoto:
Yes. When going through agricultural cooperatives, you are bound by standards, but direct sales allow you to bring out the personality of the strawberries. It’s interesting that even with the same Beni Hoppe variety, the taste differs from field to field. I want vegetables to be like that, too.
Individual farmer ingenuity is important, but I believe that by working on it as a company, we can achieve agriculture that makes better use of individuality.

Me:
I hope this way of thinking spreads further.

—The “fun agriculture” born from this place is about to change the future of the town.

10. The next “Light-Bearer” is—

Me:
Are there any new challenges you want to take on?

Mr. Matsumoto:
Right now, I am working on building a system to 'deliver directly' the strawberries that have been increasing.
While preparing a direct-managed sales outlet, I am also simultaneously searching for people and working on store renovations. Honestly, there are parts that are hit-or-miss, but strangely, people have been gathering, and I feel truly blessed with these connections.

Me:
It feels more like destiny than coincidence.

Mr. Matsumoto:
I am truly grateful. Even at the stage where the sales destination wasn't decided, people reached out saying they 'wanted strawberries,' and things are moving as if they are falling from the heavens. I have nothing but gratitude.
Strawberry picking isn't quite ready yet, but I hope to enjoy the process of it taking shape little by little with everyone.

Me:
It would be great if it becomes a place created together with the local people.

Me:
Then, finally. Who is the next “Light-Bearer”?

Mr. Matsumoto:
I am just about to make the offer, but

—I would like to introduce the students and their advisor from the Women's Sumo Club at Shinwa University.

They have appeared in the media, but they are surprisingly unknown, and they are also attracting attention as a “Sumo club without a dohyo (ring).” I really want people to know about them.

Me:
Thank you.
I’m happy to hear about a new encounter!
Since it’s Shinwa University, they are students aspiring to be teachers, right?

Mr. Matsumoto:
Yes. Many of them have been doing sumo since high school and are from the prestigious Tottori Johoku High School. It’s a school that has produced many professional wrestlers like Yokozuna Terunofuji, but they have chosen Shinwa University, which has no dohyo, specifically because of their desire to 'become teachers.'
Since they are also local students, I hope the local community will support them.

Me:
Shinwa University really does have students gathered from many different regions, doesn't it?
I hope they expand their activities to the local area as well.

Mr. Matsumoto:
I think some children will become teachers in Kobe, so I would be happy if this leads to that.

Me:
That was a very exciting story. Thank you very much.

Mr. Matsumoto: Thank you.

There is a view that can only be seen because we are still on the path.
I want to continue watching the journey of what kind of light the cycle born from this place will radiate from now on.

Tomoshibito Record 3: Yakumo Farm Mr. Matsumoto
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Photography: sakusakuphoto
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