【Plan1】Sweet Potato Digging in Makuhari and Historical Exploration of Chiba

Harvest sweet potatoes grown in Makuhari! You can also take them home.
　

A must for Chiba history lovers! Strolling around Makuhari, famous for its connection with the god of sweet potatoes

Come dig up sweet potatoes and take a history tour in Makuhari, the home of Aoki Konyo, “the god of sweet potatoes”

Did you know that Makuhari is the birthplace of sweet-potato starch? The person who started it was Aoki Konyo (1698-1769), who expanded the cultivation of sweet potatoes from Makuhari to all parts of Japan is still known as Imogamisama, “the god of sweet potatoes”. To know all about it check site. This autumn, a new plan features harvesting sweet potatoes raised in this area and touring the historical sites of Makuhari with an expert guide. Come learn the deep history of Makuhari and enjoy the harvest in the autumn! Participants will also receive various limited-edition souvenir snacks made with Makuhari sweet potatoes.

▲A good harvest!

▲Turn the sweet potatoes into baked sweet potatoes or imo-kenpi (candied sweet potato), and eat them as a snack.
　

▲Visit and pray at Konyo Shrine where “the god of sweet potatoes” is enshrined!

▲A guide will give a funny and interesting introduction to the history of Makuhari

▲Greeting the god of sweet potatoes, the hero of the Edo Period

The Makuhari area and the history of sweet potatoes

Aoki Konyo, a scholar of Western studies in the Edo period, cultivated sweet potatoes as an emergency crop to relieve famine and expanded the cultivation to the whole country. The very first place he raised them in the Kanto area was Makuhari. Konyo was respected as Imogamisama, the god of sweet potatoes, for saving people from the famine, and Konyo Shrine was built to enshrine that god.

All sorts of souvenir snacks!

+ Sweet potato shochu (distilled liquor) made from sweet potatoes grown in Makuhari, Shichinen Matsuri
・Sweet potato shochu (small bottle, 180mL)
・Sweet potato shochu cake
+ Various kinds of sweets made from sweet potatoes
Patisserie Tarbes: Konyo /
Confectionary studio C’est La Vie: 　/ La Maison Bleue:
+ The sweet potatoes you dug yourself
(Participants will receive one serving per person. Minors will not receive sweet potato shochu goods. The amount of sweet potatoes that can be taken home is limited to 2kg per adult and 1 kg per child. No snacks will be provided for pre-school children.

　
　
■Plan Number
1

■Designated Dates
(Sat.) Oct. 3, (Sat.) Oct. 10, (Sat.) Oct. 17, 6 times each day in the morning/afternoon

■Time
Morning session 　 9：00～12：00
afternoon session 13：30～16：30

■Registration deadline
17:00, 3 days before

■Prices
Adult (junior high school students and above): \2,000 / Elementary school students: \1,180 / Preschool children: Free
*Includes roundtrip tickets from Keisei Makuharihongo Station to Keisei Makuhari Station. A large bottle of Shichinen Matsuri sweet potato shochu (720mL) with an original label is available at the special price of \1,200 (usually \1,550) – advance order required

Tour schedule

1.Reception
2.Explanation of the tour schedule, lecture on the history of Makuhari
3.Relocation to the sweet potato field to dig sweet potatoes
4.Return to the hotel to taste the sweet potatoes dug at the field
5.Visit to the monument and Konyo Shrine
6.Distribution of souvenirs snacks at the hotel and dismissal

▲This year the Shichinen Matsuri (Seven Years Festival) in the name of the sweet potato shochu will be taking place. I hope many visitors will fully appreciate the history and charm of Makuhari! (Guide, Mr. Shinozuka)
　

Basic Info

■Minimum participants: 3 / Maximum participants:15(in order of registration)　　　　　　
■Required time: 3 hours
■Things to bring: suitable clothes for digging sweet potatoes (work gloves, rubber boots, towel, plastic bag, something to drink)
■Meeting spot: Maple Inn Makuhari, 1F, Front desk
■Parking: Available (free). Please bring the parking ticket to the front desk. Spaces are limited.
■Access: Approx. 2-min.walk from Makuhari-Hongo Station (JR Sobu Line, Keisei Line)
■Note: In case of cancellation, visitors will be notified by17:00 the day before.

【Reservations】MJCO Group Inc. (Makuhari information blog: Makusuta)

Reservations

MJCO Group Inc. (Makuhari information blog: Makusuta)
TEL　043-275-6611
Hours: 9:00– 17:00 Closed on Sundays and national holidays

The Plan was terminated