Kick-off Event for Kitahiroshima City's 30th Anniversary Commemorative Project! Featuring a Film Screening and Talk Show with Hiroyuki Morisaki!

About the 30th Anniversary Commemorative Project

Since the city was incorporated on September 1, 1996, the year 2026 marks its 30th anniversary. To honor the legacy and contributions of our predecessors who have developed this town since the initial settlement from Hiroshima Prefecture in 1884, and to express our hopes for the future development of Kitahiroshima City, we will be holding commemorative ceremonies and designating various city projects as part of this 30th-anniversary celebration.

About the Kick-off Event

The history of Kitahiroshima City is deeply intertwined with the promotion of agriculture. In the early Meiji era, in regions north of southern Hokkaido where rice cultivation was considered impossible due to the cool climate, a man named Kyuzo Nakayama succeeded for the first time in the stable cultivation of rice using the "Akage" (Red Hair) variety. By distributing these seeds to pioneers free of charge, he helped spread rice cultivation throughout Hokkaido, making this the birthplace of cold-climate rice farming.

For this kick-off event, we have invited Hiroyuki Morisaki, who has appeared on the agriculture-themed television program "Agri Kingdom Hokkaido" (currently "Agri Kingdom Hokkaido NEXT") since 2008. He will host a screening of the film version of the program, for which he served as the navigator, followed by a talk show. As this is an independently distributed film, this is a rare and valuable opportunity to view it.

We planned this event to allow everyone to reflect on the wonders of agriculture and the identity of Kitahiroshima City through the film, and to look forward to the city's future together with the bright and positive talk of Mr. Morisaki, the leader of "TEAM NACS," who also celebrates his 30th anniversary in March 2026, just like Kitahiroshima City.

The roots of Hokkaido rice! Cold-climate rice cultivation started in Kitahiroshima City!

Introduction to the Agri Kingdom Hokkaido Film Version

"Agri Kingdom Hokkaido NEXT," a television program themed around Hokkaido's agriculture and livestock industry that has been broadcast on Hokkaido Broadcasting (HBC) since 2008, was adapted into a film in 2025, its 18th year, and premiered at the Hokkaido Foodie Festival.

The documentary records the rich land of Hokkaido and the passion of its producers, focusing on five traditional vegetables of Sapporo: Sapporo-ki (onion), Sapporo-daikyu (cabbage), Sapporo-midori (lettuce), Sapporo-daicho-nanban (pepper), and Sapporo-shiro-gobo (burdock). The navigator is Hiroyuki Morisaki (TEAM NACS). Appearing as the chef is the renowned Sapporo chef Hiroyuki Tsukada. Chef Tsukada visits producers, handles vegetables in the fields, and travels across Hokkaido, encountering traditional vegetables, Shihoro beef, and Furano vegetables, ultimately fusing them all to create the "ultimate dish." It is a "food story" that not only conveys the appeal of the ingredients but also incorporates the thoughts of the producers, the history of the land, and hopes for the future into a single plate. Through the screen, this film allows you to rediscover the blessings of Hokkaido's land and the value of its food culture.

Hiroyuki Morisaki, who gives lectures across the country on the wonders of Hokkaido agriculture and the importance of food education.

Kitahiroshima City 30th Anniversary Commemorative Project: Kick-off Event - Film Screening & Talk Show

Date and Time: Saturday, April 25, 2026

Film Screening: 10:30 – 12:05

Talk Show: 12:20 – 13:00

Venue: Kitahiroshima City Arts and Culture Hall

Film: Agri Kingdom Hokkaido: The Reason Why a Certain Chef's Cooking is So Delicious

How to Apply: Apply via the application form by Monday, April 13.