(Representatives of the lab: Prof. Mikako Hayashi and Prof. Takashi Maeno)
At Nakano Farm
"Rural and urban symbiosis" is an important concept in the revitalization of rural areas. The Agricultural Laboratory was established to promote research, penetration, and education of local revitalization through "rural and urban symbiosis". Prof. Takashi Maeno and Prof. Mikako Hayashi and others are involved in the activities.
Research on revitalization through rural-urban symbiosis
Prof. Hayashi conducts the monthly Agriculture Seminar on the Keio campus. Each participating master's, doctoral, or research student engages in research for the lab to which they are assigned at SDM as well as cross-sectional research in the Agri Lab. They visit farms in Hokkaido to conduct field research on topics such as "community supported agriculture," "biomass energy," "dietary education" and "plant factories."
The Japan Association of Regional Development's Best Local Revitalization Award was presented to Mr. Hiroaki Murase (D2), Prof. Takashi Maeno and Prof. Mikako Hayashi for their paper titled "A Study of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Regarding Regional Development". They will present the paper at the Regional Revitalization Forum in the National Lifelong Learning Forum held on November 22 in Kochi Prefecture.
Local revitalization forum using rural-urban symbiosis
The annual forum is hosted by SDM and Noutokyousei Kenkyukai, a civic group led by Prof. Hayashi that promotes rural-urban symbiosis.
This year the forum will be held in Tobetsu town, Hokkaido on November 13 with the theme of "Eco-friendly Agriculture, Rural and Urban Symbiosis".
- Noutokyousei Kenkyukai website:
http://www.noutokyousei.jp/ - "Fieldays in Japan 2010 Eco-friendly Agriculture, Rural and Urban Symbiosis" website :
http://fieldays08.blog39.fc2.com/
Activities to promote rural-urban symbiosis
Prof. Hayashi writes the annual "Agri Lab Report". She has also authored "Tips for rural-urban symbiosis" (Japanese title: Noutokyousei no Hinto) and "Let's visit farming villages" (Noson he Dekakeyo), both published by Jurosha.
Prof. Maeno and Prof. Hayashi appeared on "Agriculture Island", a radio program aired by FM Hokkaido in September 2009 to introduce the activities of the Agriculture Laboratory and Agriculture Seminar.
- Agri Lab Report:
https://www.sdm.keio.ac.jp/news/2010/03/25-093229.html - Hokkaido Entertainment Portal Site "Mono Globe" :
http://www.monoglobe.jp/blog/nogyo/
Farming experience and research on Keio SDM's contract farm in Hokkaido
The annual Hokkaido farm visit, in which laboratory members experienced farming and interviewed at SDM's contract farm, Nakano Farm (Takikawa City) and Mitamura Noen (Yuni town) was made in September. Both farms provided detailed data, including past agricultural production and farming instructions for non-farmers, which are helpful in our research.
The Agriculture Laboratory and Agriculture seminar are open to anyone interested in "rural - urban symbiosis" and "the future of agriculture and farming communities"
At SDM's contract farm, Mitamura Noen
Students watching rape oil press
Students farming
Students listening to instructions at Mitamura Noen
Prof. Takashi Maeno worked as a researcher at Canon, Inc. and became a visiting industrial fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, a visiting professor at Harvard University, and a professor at the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University. He has been a professor of the Graduate School of System Design and Management since 2008. His specialties are system design and management methodology, robotics, and science and technology studies.
Special Research Prof. Mikako Hayashi is a television announcer and eco-life journalist. She worked as an announcer at Sapporo Television Broadcasting before becoming a freelance television journalist. At SDM, she is in charge of several courses including System Environment, Communications, and the Agriculture Seminar, which conducts research on agriculture and the environment from various perspectives. Her specialties are community building, rural and urban symbiosis, environment, and communication.
