Kagoshima Remote Islands Trade Fair to be held in Tenmonkan, featuring businesses from 7 islands
Mon-de-banana by Nakanoshima Agricultural Production Union
On March 4, the “& island – Kagoshima Remote Islands Trade Fair” will open at the Unitement Garden on the fourth floor of Maruya Gardens.
The event is co-hosted by Kagoshima Prefecture and Island Company, based in Satsumasendai City. The company formed the Kagoshima Remote Islands Cultural Economic Circle (Ritolab) in 2019 and supports remote island community development projects and product development. In addition to products developed through Ritolab’s projects, businesses from the islands belong to Kagoshima Prefecture, such as Shishijima, Kamikoshijima, Tanegashima, Yakushima, Iwojima, Nakanoshima, and Takarajima, will exhibit their products at the fair.
This year, Ritolab is rolling out “DESIGN TUG,” a project that employs young designers in Kagoshima Prefecture to support product development and solutions to respective regional issues. Through this project, Ritolab has developed “mon-de-banana,” a smoothie made from the dwarf bananas produced in Nakanoshima, Tokara Islands, and “Tobikkiri, Tobi-meshi,” ready-made mixture of ingredients for a rice bowl using flying fish from Yakushima. These products will be launched at the event.
Kenta Yamashita, the president of Island Company, said, “We are not just developing products, but also working with designers to develop sales strategies based on the issues and current conditions of the islands, considering what kind of value will be delivered to consumers and how to envision the future of the islands beyond that.”
On the 4th, there will be a talk event to introduce Ritolab’s project and product development case studies, which will be streamed live online (6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.).
Yamashita added: “We hope that through the products, people will become familiar with the ideas of the islanders and the landscape of the islands and that it will provide an opportunity for people to think about these remote places of Kagoshima. Please come and enjoy.”
The fair is open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (until 7:00 p.m. on the last day) until March 6. Free admission.