Hokkaido's first successful trial cotton cultivation in Japan's northernmost region

Takahashi Farm, which is supported by Niseko Town as part of its "Business and Tourism Promotion Project," has succeeded in growing purely domestic cotton outdoors in Hokkaido, a place that was previously thought to be difficult to grow.
 
Commercial cotton cultivation is unprecedented in Hokkaido, and open-field cultivation is the northernmost in Japan. This marks a significant improvement over Miyagi Prefecture, which was previously considered the northernmost in Japan. Niseko Town will showcase its new appeal with "NISEKO SNOW COTTON™ (*1)," which is similar to the powder snow produced at some of the world's leading ski resorts.
Cotton cultivation once flourished in Japan, but the country's current cotton self-sufficiency rate is estimated to be nearly 0% (*2), making purely domestic cotton increasingly rare. Even in Hokkaido, where cultivation has long been considered difficult due to recent climate change, it has become possible to produce cotton by applying the melon cultivation techniques that Niseko Town has cultivated over many years.
Takahashi Farm produces and sells melons, a local specialty. In 2023, they began trial cultivation of cotton in greenhouses and outdoors, and after three years, both trials were successful. In 2026, the 100th anniversary of their founding, they plan to release cotton products in collaboration with local businesses in approximately five stores in the town. In the future, they plan to work on revitalizing the region and promoting sustainable agriculture through cotton, such as planning workshops and harvesting experience events, and will attempt to create a new brand for the town.

（※1）「NISEKO SNOW COTTON™」は、現在商標登録出願中です
（※2）日本オーガニックコットン協会
https://joca.gr.jp/about-organic-cotton/#cultivation-history