PROFILE
Actor and president of "AGRIKO Inc." He has appeared in 10 consecutive terrestrial TV dramas, attracting much attention. He has appeared in the movie "My Happy Marriage", the TBS drama "The King's Dedication", and the TV Asahi drama "Hayabusa Fire Brigade", etc. He starred in the BUMP distributed drama "Today, You Burn", which has been distributed since December 2022 and has received more than 300 million views in total. He played the lead role in the She also starred in the drama series "18 Years Old, New Wife, Having an Affair" which started in October this year. (Kanto: TV Asahi, every Saturday from 26:30 / Kansai: ABC TV, every Sunday from 23:55). In addition to his acting career, he founded "AGRIKO Inc." after a family member became ill. Certified by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as a "Technical Supporter of Agriculture and Fortune Cooperation," he operates "AGRIKO FARM," a recycling-oriented farm for agriculture and fisheries that is friendly to the natural environment and people.
Instagram: @ryoko_kobayashi_ryoko / @agrikofarm
AGRIKO Corporation Official Site
Once again, we unravel "AGRIKO FARM".
-Today, we shot while touring two "Agrico-Farms" in Sakurashinmachi and Shirokane. When you were explaining the hydroponics system and the products, you had the very face of a business owner, but when you were shooting, you naturally had the face of an actor. Are you aware that you are using both sides of yourself?
Kobayashi:Until now, there was a part of me that separated my personalities as an actor and a manager, but recently I have been assimilating them. Now that I have a manager who works with me on these jobs, I feel that I am the same person in both situations. Just because I am an actor does not mean that I am no longer the representative director, and vice versa.
-What was the impetus for this?
Kobayashi:This summer we opened our second farm (in Shirokane), and as we entered our third term as a company, I found myself taking the business for granted. In the words of Mr. Aigle, it is truly a "living close to the soil. Farming is woven into every day, including weekends.
-I read in your past interviews that you once said, "There was a time when I wanted to wear nice clothes and live in a nice house. I think he meant that he wanted to sell more as an actor and gain more exposure, but wasn't it quite a drastic decision to embark on farming, which has a strong behind-the-scenes image?
Kobayashi:When I started farming nine years ago, I had an image of farming as a way to refresh and relax. However, farming is really a daily battle against nature, and the people who work there are extremely energetic, regardless of age. Seeing this, I simply thought it was cool. Sure, the only glamorous part of the day is the harvest day, and the daily work may be simple, but I never had the impression that I was working behind the scenes.
-I understand that you became interested in farming when you helped your father's friend with his rice fields in Niigata.
Kobayashi:Yes, I did. I went to help out in an aging terraced rice field area and could not forget the taste of the rice I had there. Not wanting to lose this delicious taste and wanting to sustain it for as long as possible, I started my own business with the goal of sustainable, barrier-free agriculture. By the way, the other day we had a barbecue on the hearth in the house, and the rice was so delicious that I ended up eating more grilled rice balls than meat (laughs).
-Is it a marginalized area there?
Kobayashi:Once a marginal community, it was merged with another town.
-What was the background behind the development of your current business, which incorporates support for people with disabilities and 6th industry (an attempt to integrate agriculture, forestry, fishing, manufacturing, and retail), rather than just buying farmland in Niigata and starting a farm there?
Kobayashi:I used to go to Niigata during the busy farming season, but one day my family became ill and I could no longer go to the terraced rice fields. This made me realize that we need to create a system that allows the elderly and disabled to continue farming. To do so, it is necessary for me to make friends with other people, and it is also necessary to get more people interested in farming through the media. I realized that even if I started farming on my own, it would not be sustainable.
-He said that keeping agriculture going is not that simple.
Kobayashi:Yes, it is. Nowadays, there is talk of using drones and other technology to make farm work smoother. My family members are also qualified, and of course it can be convenient, but even with farm equipment and technology, it does not cover everything, so in the end we need manpower to compensate for that. Or, if I am not always involved and in control of a rental farm, the land will fall into disrepair if the person who rented it suddenly quits one day. In other words, it has to be done systematically with proper members. This is not the same as saying, "I'm going to a fun harvest festival just for today," so it was necessary to create a system that could be sustained as a company. I decided to start in Setagaya, where I was born and raised, within the limits of what I could manage.
-The fish are then fed on the water, which is then purified by the plants and returned to the fish tanks. The water is further purified by the plants and returns to the fish tanks. Once again, could you tell us what you are currently producing at the farm?
Kobayashi:We have about 8 varieties of herbs and leafy greens at any given time, as well as a few vegetables that turn into berries for harvesting and pop-ups. We also farm fish.
-You have made syrups from herbs in the past, do you plan to focus on developing such products in the future?
Kobayashi:Yes, that's right. Urban agriculture produces only a small number of products, so we believe that sixth industrialization is indispensable to convey the appeal of agriculture to a large number of people. For example, even if it is difficult to convey the appeal of herbs by themselves, more people will pick them up if they are made into syrup. The syrup is actually delicious when made into lemon sour. Also, at the sweets festival held at Rikkyo University in October of this year (ufu.fes 2023 "I want to drown in sweets.) At the festival, we collaborated with Ms. Hatsuhime Takahashi of TIRPSE (a pastry chef who worked at the world's fastest Michelin-starred restaurant) to create a lemon verbena-scented Kintoki sweet potato Mont Blanc. We intend to continue our activities with an emphasis on communicating the appeal of agriculture through delicious food.
- "Agrico" is staffed mainly by housewives and people with disabilities. Also, "Agrico Farm" practices "building-product-building-consumption" where vegetables and fish harvested at the farm are served in the building's restaurant.
Kobayashi:There is nothing in particular. The hurdles to renting farmland in a city are extremely high, so when we were looking at various candidates, we came across "OGAWA COFFEE LABORATORY SAKURASHINCHO" and they agreed to rent the rooftop of their building. I originally named the company "OGAWA COFFEE LABORATORY SAKURASHINCHO" with the declaration that I would be a child who would take over agriculture! I wanted to enrich the food and agriculture of this town with "Agrico Farm" as a starting point. We started the "building production for building consumption" with the cooperation of "OGAWA COFFEE LABORATORY SAKURASHINCHO" so that people in the town would be interested in agriculture, rather than just completing the project by ourselves.
The star of the show is a fleece jacket that gives a sophisticated impression with its pockets made of different materials in the same color. While it would not look out of place worn in the city, it also has functions suitable for work on a farm and is made of recycled materials. It is a garment that embodies one of the most important themes of our time, "recycling. Aigle〉Blouson ¥30,800, skirt ¥19,800, hat ¥9,900, long boots ¥31,900 (all from Aigle Customer Service), vintage shirt ¥29,700 (Pitts)
-Agricofarm is also famous for its full commitment to the 17 SDGs. Did you have any personal feelings about the SDGs?
Kobayashi:It wasn't my goal to have a full 17 item commitment from the beginning either. When I started farming, I was tired myself and my family had health problems. So naturally, "sustainability" became a major theme in my life, including my physical condition and financial matters. As I was thinking about specific ways to be sustainable, I felt that the 17 SDGs were important and as a result, I became fully committed.
