Festival of wishing for special konjac rich harvest Gunma Shimonita-cho January 19 13:30
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The Konjac Daikokuten Festival was held in Shimonita Town, Gunma Prefecture, where the production of konjac potatoes is thriving.
Gunma Prefecture is the nation's largest producer of konjac potatoes, especially in Shimonita town where many farmers and processors are gathered.
For konjac potatoes, seed potatoes are planted around May each year, and those grown over two to three years are harvested around November.
On the 19th, at the local Suwa Shrine, the Konjac Daikokuten Festival was held to pray for the good harvest of konjac konjac potatoes, and about 100 people, including farmers, participated.
An altar set at the shrine's precinct was provided with an oversized konjac potato, 40 cm wide and weighing about 14 kg.
Konjac oden was served on the shrine grounds, and people gathered to eat deliciously while tasting hot oden.
Last year, the temperature did not rise until around July, causing the growth of potatoes to fluctuate, and the effects of Typhoon No. 19 slowed the harvest and lowered prices.
Atsushi Koyama, president of Konnyaku Raw Materials Industry and Industry Cooperative, Gunma Prefecture, said, "Last year was a tough year for farmers, so there was no disaster and there was a good harvest, I'm glad if you get the price back. "