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Edamame Harvest Begins in Hokkaido

HOKKAIDO - The edamame harvest has begun in Nakasatsunai, Hokkaido, one of Japan's leading production areas, with favorable weather supporting strong growth and farmers expecting about 3,000 tons of the local specialty to be harvested by mid-September.

At Sato Farm in Nakasatsunai, large harvesting machines are moving through fields filled with plump edamame pods as this year's crop reaches maturity.

Nakasatsunai is known for producing particularly sweet and flavorful edamame, helped by the large difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures in the area.

Weather conditions have been favorable in 2026, and the crop has developed smoothly, with farmers reporting that the beans have filled out well inside their pods.

Takumi Sato of Sato Farm said, "There were plenty of pods and the beans had filled out nicely, so the crop felt promising. When people think of Nakasatsunai, they think of edamame, so I hope everyone enjoys eating them."

Harvesting will continue through mid-September. JA Nakasatsunai expects farms within its jurisdiction to produce around 3,000 tons this season.

The freshly harvested edamame will be shipped to markets across Japan and will also be available at direct-sales outlets in Nakasatsunai.

Source: HBCニュース 北海道放送

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