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"Help Yourselves!" A Massive Potato Harvest at a Tokachi Kindergarten Goes Viral!
A post by a resident of Hokkaido about a massive potato harvest at a kindergarten in Tokachi is gaining a lot of attention on social media.
The poster, Dera, is a father of two living in Tokachi, Hokkaido. His surprising post about a huge harvest of potatoes being given away for free went viral, receiving nearly 40,000 likes.
十勝の幼稚園パネェっす pic.twitter.com/0xnbrbmhpe
— でら(十勝で子育てどうでしょう) (@aerolitkurofune) August 28, 2023
A kindergarten in Tokachi giving away a massive amount of harvested potatoes for free. We spoke to Dera himself about this post.
Can you tell us about the situation and your feelings when you made this post?
As someone who moved here from another part of Japan, I was shocked that kindergarteners could harvest so many potatoes and that they were being given away for free. I wanted people living outside of Hokkaido and in the cities to share this surprise and excitement, and to know about the wonderful place that is Tokachi, so I decided to post it.
ご新規さんもだいぶ増えたので、
— でら(十勝で子育てどうでしょう) (@aerolitkurofune) August 17, 2023
自己紹介がてら我が家の日常の一コマを。
娘（年中）と一緒に、毎朝庭で野菜の収穫するが、日課です😊 pic.twitter.com/z1L4Oj5TwQ
It seems Dera also has a vegetable garden at home! The wonder of Tokachi is that children can experience nature up close, both at kindergarten and at home.
How do you feel about the response you've received?
Receiving comments and interview requests from so many people made me realize once again how amazing this sight and Tokachi truly are. I've also received many messages of empathy from people in Hokkaido, saying things like, "Our kindergarten did that too." And, just as I had hoped, I was very happy that so many people got to learn about Tokachi. The response was so huge that my brother and mother in Kanagawa contacted me saying, "We saw you on the online news!"
I saw a comment saying that kindergartens in Tokachi are about the size of a baseball field.
Of course, the playground alone isn't the size of a baseball field, but if you include the school building, playground, parking lot, and other areas, I think it's about that big. It's not just kindergartens; in Tokachi, nothing is built on a small scale, so kindergartens naturally tend to be that size.
Could you tell us about the "potato digging culture" in Tokachi?
Tokachi is the potato kingdom, after all, so potato digging is especially popular. Another characteristic of Tokachi might be that the community, including the local agricultural cooperative (local farmers), is involved in food education and nurturing the next generation. It's a common sight in Tokachi to see children learning about local industries and specialties through firsthand experience from a young age.
What are some of the appeals of raising children in Tokachi?
In the town where I live, I feel a strong sense that "the whole community watches over and raises the children together." As someone who moved here, I'm raising my children without any friends, acquaintances, or relatives nearby, but I don't feel isolated. The biggest appeal for me is being able to raise my kids with the peace of mind that if I'm in trouble, my neighbors will help me.
最後の大根収穫。
— でら(十勝で子育てどうでしょう) (@aerolitkurofune) October 15, 2022
今年の畑もおしまい！
今年も、ミニトマト、中玉トマト、ズッキーニ、大根、人参、小松菜、ほうれん草、水菜…と大豊作でした✨
偉大な十勝の自然よ、今年もありがとう！ pic.twitter.com/JB3iP5pnLS
We hope the children continue to grow up strong and healthy like this daikon radish in this rich environment!
Here are some exchanges from social media!
Comment: "I'd feel bad taking some if I'm thinking about everyone else..."
Poster: "What's surprising is that nobody really takes them (lol). Maybe they're used to it, or they get them from somewhere else (lol)."
Comment: "I've never seen so much to take home!"
Poster: "And this is just from the 4-year-olds (lol)."
Other comments included:
"That's Tokachi for you!"
"It's like they're a commercial supplier!"
"The scale is on another level!"
"'Help yourselves' is the best!"
and many more.
This kindergarten's "potato digging" event was beyond imagination. It was an episode that truly showed the grand scale of Tokachi.
