Agricultural Demonstration Facility “Honda Sun×ENOWA FARM LAB” Opens
On May 27, 2026, Honda Sun held a press conference to mark the opening of Honda Sun×ENOWA FARM LAB, an agricultural demonstration facility established in Yufuin, Oita Prefecture. The event, held at the new facility, was attended by 30 representatives from 16 media outlets, primarily from Oita.
Presenting at the event were Honda Sun President Jun Yamaguchi and former President Masahito Kamada; ENOWA YUFUIN founder Junki Hirakawa and Executive Chef Tashi Gyamtso; HiRAKU representative and former captain of Japan’s national rugby team Toshiaki Hirose; and Teruhisa Ishiwari, President and Representative Director of Shimaishi Co., Ltd., who supervises the agricultural activities at Honda Sun×ENOWA FARM LAB. Each spoke about how the facility came to be established and the vision behind its future development.
At the beginning of the press conference, Honda Sun President Yamaguchi explained the background and objectives behind Honda Sun×ENOWA FARM LAB. He described how the initiative grew from Honda Sun’s desire to apply the experience and expertise it has accumulated in creating workplaces for people with disabilities to the new field of agriculture, with the aim of making it an industry where everyone can work comfortably.
ENOWA YUFUIN founder Hirakawa explained that crops grown and harvested at Honda Sun×ENOWA FARM LAB would be served at ENOWA YUFUIN, which is not simply an accommodation facility but a place that explores coexistence with the local community through agriculture and food. Crops grown at the FARM LAB would become ingredients in restaurant dishes and part of the overall guest experience, conveying the character, background and seasons of Oita and Yufuin. Looking further ahead, Hirakawa also expressed an interest in offering Honda Sun tours for guests staying at ENOWA YUFUIN.
Hirose, who brought Honda Sun and ENOWA YUFUIN together, spoke about the potential created by combining the different areas of expertise of the two organizations. By bringing together their respective experience and know-how to create something that has never existed before, he believes the initiative could eventually spread beyond Oita and Yufuin to other parts of Japan. He also expressed hope that, once established, the initiative could have an impact not only on people with disabilities but also on children.
The press conference also included the unveiling of an original system developed by Honda Sun for growing strawberries outdoors.
Conventional outdoor strawberry cultivation requires workers to lower themselves or crouch down to get close to the plants. Because Honda Sun×ENOWA FARM LAB is designed with workers with disabilities in mind, Honda Sun developed a dedicated pallet stand at a height that allows people to work while remaining in their wheelchairs. The two-tier structure can also be rotated, making effective use of limited space and providing twice the cultivation area within the same footprint.
The system draws on expertise Honda Sun has developed over many years in its manufacturing operations, including process design, work improvements and jig development based on adapting tasks and working environments to people. It is one example of Honda Sun’s philosophy of creating “a way of working that works for everyone.”
Ishiwari, who supervises agriculture at Honda Sun×ENOWA FARM LAB, explained the characteristics and advantages of greenhouse cultivation, which makes it easier to plan work processes without being as heavily affected by weather conditions. He also noted that Honda Sun’s rotating pallet workstand not only enables people with disabilities to work from their wheelchairs, but can also improve the economic viability of agricultural operations. Going forward, Honda Sun×ENOWA FARM LAB will therefore also examine the long-term viability of the initiative as a sustainable business.
The press conference marked the first step in Honda Sun’s challenge in agriculture and generated considerable interest among the attending media. The question-and-answer session brought numerous questions, with many participants expressing an interest in continuing to follow Honda Sun’s involvement in agriculture as the initiative develops.
With the strong support of ENOWA YUFUIN, Honda Sun’s challenge in agriculture has now taken its first tangible step in the form of Honda Sun×ENOWA FARM LAB. And this first step is also a step toward Honda Sun’s broader goal of helping people with disabilities achieve greater independence in society.
