03/09/2026
Lively LLC, alongside Niko Niko Farm, a universal farm where everyone can engage with nature with dignity, held a Kikuimo harvesting event on Sunday, March 1, 2026, as the second installment of our hands-on farming program focused on regenerative agriculture.
A total of eight participants (7 adults and 1 child) took part in the event. Activities included Kikuimo harvesting, a lunch featuring vegetables grown at Niko Niko Farm, an explanation of regenerative agriculture, and a tour of Niko Niko Farm’s farming practices.
Participants shared feedback such as, “Since I don’t usually work with soil, this was refreshing,” and “I got to experience harvesting, had a satisfying meal, and took home some new knowledge!” This farming experience, co-hosted with Niko Niko Farm, followed up on the previous seed-planting event and received high overall satisfaction ratings.
This event was held as the second installment of our farm work experience program, co-hosted with Niko Niko Farm. Lively was involved in every step of the process, from planning the event with Niko Niko Farm to managing operations on the day of the event.
Niko Niko Farm was established by its founder, Inoue-san, who sought to create a farm where diverse people could engage organically with nature. After exploring various approaches, the farm now practices a form of regenerative agriculture, a method that is currently gaining attention.
Regenerative agriculture is not just about reducing environmental impact, it is an agricultural approach that regenerates soil and guides ecosystems toward a healthier state. At Niko Niko Farm, they foster connections with the natural environment and local community and create a positive impact through practices such as no-till farming, integrated poultry farming, and hosting trainees. By holding this farming experience at Niko Niko Farm, we provided a valuable opportunity for participants to touch the soil with their own hands and experience the connection between nature and people.
Furthermore, given Japan’s low food self-sufficiency rate and the current concerns surrounding food waste, we wanted participants to experience how their daily meals are connected to nature and the people who produce them. This event included an opportunity to eat the vegetables they harvested themselves. Additionally, aiming to provide knowledge that participants could take home beyond the hands-on experience, we conducted a tour of the farm and explained regenerative agriculture, incorporating the specific practices of Niko Niko Farm.
Title: Regenerative Agriculture Kikuimo Harvesting Experience Program: Part 2
Date and Time: Sunday, March 1, 2026, 10:00 – 13:00
Venue: Niko Niko Farm, field next to the Koyukai Entrance bus stop (Uchimodori, Fujisawa, Kanagawa), Niko Niko Farm, Dassho Field (1234-1 Dassho, Fujisawa, Kanagawa)
Organizers: Niko Niko Farm, Lively LLC
Facilitators: Mayuka Numajiri, Chiho Kajitani (Lively LLC), Hiroteru Inoue (Owner, Niko Niko Farm)
The event featured a program designed to help participants experience the connection between food, nature, and people by interacting with one another, digging up the soil to harvest Kikuimo, and then sharing a lunch together. Additionally, drawing on the farming practices implemented at Niko Niko Farm, participants had the opportunity to learn about regenerative agriculture.
・Kikuimo Harvesting
At the field next to the Koyukai Iriguchi bus stop, participants took part in a Kikuimo harvesting experience led by Inoue-san of Niko Niko Farm. Kikuimo have been growing wild in that field even before Niko Niko Farm acquired the land. The farm takes no action other than maintaining a soil environment conducive to their growth, digging them up only during harvest season. This allows for the harvest of the Kikuimo while preventing them from spreading to adjacent fields. Meanwhile, some Kikuimo are left in the field to grow naturally the following year, creating a symbiotic relationship between the plants and the farm. Led by Inoue-san, discussions about topics such as how the “inulin” found in Kikuimo improves gut health naturally fostered interaction among the participants. We also harvested carrots from the field adjacent to the Kikuimo patch.
・Lunch featuring vegetables from Niko Niko Farm
We moved to the Satsugo Farm and enjoyed lunch with the participants, gathered around a table set with dishes such as rice balls and miso soup made with Kikuimo and carrots harvested at Niko Niko Farm. The rice used in the rice balls was grown by a former trainee at Niko Niko Farm who now runs their own farm. The seasonings, such as miso, were made from soybeans grown at Niko Niko Farm.
We received comments such as, “It was fun digging up so many Kikuimo,” “Experiencing the harvest made me feel even more grateful for our food!” “Lunch was delicious, it really let us savor the flavors of nature,” and “It was an experience I rarely get to have.”
According to the survey results, every respondent rated their overall satisfaction with the event as a “5” on a 5-point scale, indicating a high level of satisfaction.
Our second farming experience with Niko Niko Farm was made possible thanks to the tremendous support of Inoue-san and everyone at Niko Niko Farm. Lively is grateful to have co-hosted this event with the aim of reducing food waste and promoting regenerative agriculture.
For this Kikuimo harvesting experience, we placed greater emphasis on providing participants with hands-on time and planned and operated the event in collaboration with Niko Niko Farm. By touching the soil with their own hands, digging up the Kikuimo, and tasting them, participants were able to experience the connection between food, nature, and people through all five senses, including the sounds and scenery of the moment.
Furthermore, by incorporating an explanation of regenerative agriculture based on Niko Niko Farm’s practices, we believe participants will be able to take this experience home with them and share it with others.
We are planning to hold a multi-session program starting around May, where participants will be able to plant, harvest, and eat the vegetables they have grown themselves. Details will be announced at a later date on Lively’s official website and other channels.