26 Years of Giving Back to the Mountains: Hakuba Goryu Alpine Botanical Garden Wins Environmental Minister's Award

The Hakuba Goryu Alpine Botanical Garden, operated by Goryu Co., Ltd. (based in Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture; President: Hideki Ito), was awarded the Environmental Minister's Award at the '80th Bird Week: FY2026 Wildlife Conservation Contribution Awards' held on May 10, 2026.

The award recognizes their continuous efforts in alpine plant seed banking and propagation since 2017, as well as their cooperation in the ptarmigan protection and breeding project since 2020. The botanical garden serves as a critical hub for ex-situ conservation and the supply of alpine plants for endangered species. Additionally, they provide technical support and lead public awareness campaigns. In October 2025, the garden was also certified as a 'Nature Positive' site by the Ministry of the Environment.