Tokushima

Tokushima is located on the eastern side of the mountains of the Shikoku region, characterized by a topography where the Yoshino River flows east through the center of the prefecture and empties into the Kii Channel. About 75% of the prefectural land is mountainous or hilly, and flatland is concentrated in the Yoshino River Plain along the Yoshino River and the alluvial plain around Tokushima City. The southern part facing the Pacific Ocean (Kaifu and Naka regions) is warm and rainy due to the influence of the Kuroshio Current, with annual precipitation exceeding 2,000 mm, while the northern area around Naruto City has a relatively warm and low-rainfall Seto Inland Sea climate. Cultivation of Lotus Root, taro, and Naruto Kintoki (sweet potato) is active using water from the Yoshino River, and the areas around Naruto City and Itano District are the main production areas. Sudachi (citrus) is a representative agricultural product of the prefecture, ranking 1st nationally in production volume (about 6,420 tons produced in 2023), and is also cultivated in mountainous areas such as Kamikatsu Town and the Kito area (Naka Town). Around the Naruto Strait, aquaculture and fishing of Naruto wakame (seaweed) and Naruto tai (sea bream) are conducted taking advantage of the fast tidal current environment, and the formation of production areas utilizing the local topography and water environment is progressing in both agriculture and fisheries.

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

Tokushima's agriculture is centered around the two major brands of Sudachi and Naruto Kintoki, both characterized by a high degree of production area concentration. Sudachi is an effectively monopolized item with Tokushima handling over 90% of national production, making it a rare agricultural product with almost no competition from other production areas. On the other hand, Naruto Kintoki has a history of differentiating itself from Kyushu-produced sweet potatoes through sandy soil conditions and the Naruto brand. In the middle basin of the Yoshino River, leafy vegetables and Lotus Root are grown, while in the mountainous areas, Sudachi and Kito yuzu (citrus) are grown; this clear arrangement of items according to elevation and topography, and the high diversity of production items despite the small prefectural land area, is a structural strength of Tokushima's agriculture. In recent years, the Irodori business (leafy garnishes and floral materials) in Kamikatsu Town has gained attention as a model for adding value to regional agriculture, and the construction of production area brands in a direction different from mass production is progressing.