Kagawa

Kagawa is located in the northeastern part of the Shikoku region, facing the Seto Inland Sea, and is the prefecture with the smallest area in Japan. The Sanuki Mountains run through the southern part, and the Sanuki Plain in the northern part is the central agricultural zone. The annual average temperature is about 16℃, and the annual precipitation is about 1,100 mm. This is a Seto Inland climate with little rain compared to the rest of the country. To deal with water shortages, many reservoirs were built, and currently about 12,200 reservoirs support agricultural water. The largest agricultural product of Kagawa is olives, and Shodoshima (Tonosho Town and Shodoshima Town) is the largest production area in Japan. The olive production volume of Kagawa maintains 1st nationally, and most of the domestic olive oil is produced in Kagawa. In the Sanuki Plain, wheat for Sanuki udon (Sanuki no Yume and Hokushin lineage) is cultivated, and it is positioned as an agricultural product supporting the udon industry. On the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, citrus fruits and asparagus are cultivated taking advantage of the warm climate, and Sanuki no Mezame (asparagus) is distributed as a high-quality brand. In the Seto Inland Sea, yellowtail (hamachi) and mature yellowtail (buri) aquaculture is prominent, and the hamachi aquaculture in Hiketa (Higashikagawa City) operates on one of the largest scales in Japan.

Source: MAFF Crop Statistics (Reiwa 5 / 2023), JMA historical weather data

The agriculture and food industry of Kagawa is characterized by diversity concentrated in a small prefecture. While having the smallest area in the country, it has multiple products known nationwide, such as olives (1st nationally), hamachi aquaculture (one of the largest in Japan), and the Sanuki udon industry. Olives go beyond the framework of mere agricultural products, and the entire Shodoshima functions as an integrated brand of tourism, food, and agriculture, expanding into an industry with olive parks, olive oil processing, and cosmetic raw materials. In addition, reservoir agriculture in Kagawa is an accumulation of farmers' adaptations to an environment with scarce water resources, and 14,000 reservoirs still function as agricultural infrastructure today. The wheat cultivation supporting the Sanuki udon industry is also an example where agriculture is directly connected to food culture and the food industry. In Kagawa, agricultural products forming an industrial chain as the foundation of regional industries is a structural strength different from other prefectures.