Specialties of Oita prefecture

Hello, everyone!  Today I will write specialties of Oita prefecture.

The number of the One Village One Product Movement ( OVOP ) products throughout the prefecture was 143, but 20 years later the figure had increased more than two-folds to 336.1)

This map shows specialties through the OVOP Movement in every area.

Today I will give you some quizzes. I want to introduce the specialties of the OVOP Movement with three quizzes.

< No.1 >  




The bamboo work in Beppu city

The specialties which the amount of production exceed a billion yen have seventeen products. It is White leek and Bungo beef ( Bungotakada city ), Sunqueen mandarins ( Tsukumi town ), Ooba ( Oita city ), yellowtail ( Saeki city ), dried fish ( Yonozu village ), flatfish ( Kamae town ), pear ( Hita city ), Shochu spirits ( Usa city ) and so on.

Which one is not the product which the amount of production exceed a billion yen?



A.    Barley syotyu, Nikaido ( Hiji town )

B.    Ume ( Oyama town )

C.    Bamboo work ( Beppu city )

The answer is B. Oyama town’s specialty which amount of production exceeds a billion yen is the enoki mushrooms. Ume is a famous specialty in Oyama town, but it is produced bit by bit and sold in limited areas.

< No.2 >

The specialties are not only common products to cities, towns and villages of Oita prefecture, such as Bungo beef, but also products made in the limited cities, towns and villages of Oita prefecture. For example, Seki brand horse mackerel and mackerel ( Saganoseki town ), Shiroshiitake flounder ( Hiji town ), Kuruma prawns ( Himeshima village ).



Seki brand horse mackerel and mackerel 
at departmentstore in Oita city 



Which one is not the product of the city, town, and village?

A.    Suppon in Ajimu town

B.    Dojyo in Usuki city

C.    Mamushi in Kiyokawa village

The answer is B. Usuki city facing the Beppu bay is the famous place for a blowfish.

< No.3 >

The OVOP Movement is not only specialties but also events, institutions and activities of regional community. Examples of the events, institutions and activities of regional community are Ootsunahiki (大綱引き) of Yamakuni river ( Nakatsu city ), International the bamboo raft race ( 国際竹イカダレース, Kunimi town ), Kennan comic storytelling association ( 県南落語組合, Saeki city ), Japan’s largest waterwheel ( Honjyo village ), Kujyu ice ceremony ( Kokonoe town ), University of Jiyuunomori (自由の森大学, Hita city ) and so on.

Which one is actually held a event?

A.    Eat beef and shout festival( 牛食い絶叫大会, Yuhuin town )

B.    Eat the charcoal festival( すみ食い祭り, Ume town )

C.    Drink the Doburoku festival( どぶろくはや飲み競争, Oota village )

牛食い絶叫大会　in Yuhuin town

The answer is A. This festival started in 1976 is held once a year. The participants eat beef at the barbecue party in highland of Yuhuin town. Then the participants shout the words that they have freely thought in front of the measure. A participant has shouted with the loud voice is recognized.

I will go to Oita this weekend because my friend will get marriage. Have a good weekend!

1)    Website, www.ovop.jp

Local yet Global

Hello!  This morning I have been difficult to go to school by bicycle because it snowed yesterday.

Today I will write third of the One Village One Product Movement’s principles ; Local yet Global. It is creating globally accepted products that reflect pride in the local culture.

< Local diplomacy of Oita prefecture >

The One Village One Product Movement ( OVOP ) has promoted making human resources and held actively events for exchange between community and community. Consequently the OVOP Movement was introduced to home and abroad.  

Mr.Hiramatsu;a pioneer of the OVOP Movement

The OVOP Movement was introduced to abroad for the first time in 1983. Mr.Hiramatsu ( a pioneer of the OVOP Movement and Oita governor in those days ) was invited to the mayor of Shanghais in China. Then Shanghais city started to the One Factory One Product Movement (一廠一品運動). In 1984 other area in China started also the One Village One Product Movement (一郷一品運動, Jiangsu) and the One Village One Treasure Movement(一村一宝運動,Wuhan). President of the People’s Republic of China visited Oita prefecture after several years. The OVOP Movement was introduced to Asia in 1990 and started in Malaysia(1991), Philippine(1993) and Indonesia(1995).

JICA noticed the local diplomacy of Oita prefecture, held the workshop purposing support to Malawi in Africa. Afterward the OVOP Movement started in Malawi in 2003. The workshop has initiated into government of Japan and held partnership with The United Nations, The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and The Work Bank and so on.

The OVOP Movement by JICA expanded in Africa. I will write the OVOP Movement in Malawi the week after next.

< Mr.Hiramatsu received a Asian Nobel prize >

Mr.Hiramatsu received a Asian Nobel prize ( It’s called “Magusaisai prize” ) in 1995 because he contributed independence and development of region economy in Asia. He was also gave a “友誼奨” by China government in 2002. He has held the summit for exchange between country in Asia and Kyusyu area in Japan, discussing about the environmental problems, human development and how to activate the region economy and so on. He had aimed at making a free trade zone ( FTZ ) between countries in Asia and Kyusyu area in Japan.

The Oitakenjinkai ( 大分県人会 ) has eight countries in Asia, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippine, Indonesia. It has held ‘the Asia Oitakenjinkai summit’ once a year, considering of exchange between countries in Asia and Oita prefecture.

Many foreign presidents and mayors have visited Oita prefecture since the OVOP Movement started. Mr.Hiramatsu had also been invited to lecture about it by many foreign governor. Oita airport had first international airline by this background in 1992.



the university of Ritsumeikan Asia Taiheiyo



Then Oita prefecture had university of Ritsumeikan Asia in 2000, receive many overseas students. And Oita prefecture was chosen as the soccer game place in the World Cup 2006.



Oita people has aimed exchange with every countries in the world through this movement, had a slogan “Think Globally, Act-Locally”.

Self-reliance and Creativity



in department store in Oita city



Hello!　Where did you go winter vacation? I went to my hometown ,Oita prefecture( ONSEN prefecture ). I relaxed with my family and my friends , and saw some specialties through the One Village One Product movement( OVOP ) in department store in Oita city. In Oita Nadeshiko JAPAN will visit training camp next month. Oita people have been looking forward to seeing them.

Today I will write second of the OVOP Movement’s principles ; Self-reliance and Creativity. It’s about realization of the OVOP Movement through independent actions utilizing potential of region. The OVOP Movement is activity that people live in each cities, towns and villages in Oita prefecture find the valuable local resources which can boast of nationally, and raise value through processing, sale, marketing, and so on.

 < The number of the OVOP Movement products > 

The OVOP Movement was initiated autonomously in 58 cities , towns and village of Oita prefecture. In the year of its introduction, the number of the OVOP Movement products throughout the prefecture was 143, but 20 years later the figure had increased more than two-folds to 336.　The OVOP Movement wasn’t always met with success, and there were many trials and errors along the way.1)  They have treasured characteristic of each regions and thought of technical guidance and distributional measure.

 Examples of products developed under the OVOP Movement are ‘White spring onions’ ( Bungotakata city ), ‘Kabosu’ ( Taketa city ), ‘Bungo beef’ ( Yufuin town ) and ‘Shochu spilits’ ( Usa city ) and so on.

< Support of the prefecture government >

The prefecture government never attempted to provide subsidies for the OVOP Movement. This movement isn’t a project but regional movement, so it is important that people live in each cities, towns and villages think of ideas and act. The prefecture governor supports it. The prefecture government established some laboratories and have researched and coached regional people for production and processing technology. For example, Oitaken nougyou gijyutu center ( Oita prefecture Agricultural Technology Center ), Oitaken tikusan shikenjyou (Oita prefecture Stockbreeding Experiment Station ), Oitaken kinoko kenkyuu shidou center ( Oita prefecture Mushrooms Research And Guidance Center ) and Oitaken kaiyousuisan kenkyuu center ( Oita prefecture Marine and Fisheries Science Center ) and so on.

 Distribution routes were opened and expanded by the efforts of the prefectural government and the then governor Mr.Hiramatsu himself, who organized numerous fairs in major Japanese cities and abroad, where he personally advertised Oita’s prospective products.1)

Budget of the prefecture used publicity of the OVOP Movement and exchange between human and human. The other was covered by community. The OVOP Movement is covered by private organization at present. Because they feared that such assistance would only hamper self-reliance and prevent lasting success of the OVOP Movement. Instead, the government assisted in product development and distribution. Moreover, groups and individuals with outstanding achievement in the OVOP Movement were honored with reward.1)

 It snowed much today. Please be careful not to slide on road next morning. Thank you!

1) Website ,www.ovop.jp