A group of people enjoy weekend farming every Sunday in the village of Fukui in Nishikamaku, Niigata City. The best breakfast of their lives: 'Makidoki Village'. After renting a field in Fukui village and working in the fields, the group cooks rice in the kamado of an old house in the village, the Fukui Old Headman Sato House, and everyone eats breakfast together. 2016 marked the 18th year of this activity. Participants range from junior high school students to people in their 50s. The largest number is in their 30s. This is followed by university students and people in their 20s.

Makidoki Village activities run from April to November each year; 2016 also began in April! The first activity this year started with helping with community activities: on 3 April, from 6am, we took part in the river fumoto, going into the canal and helping with dubu-sawai. Afterwards, we cooked breakfast together and then participated in the preservation activities of the NPO Fukui Old Headman Sato Family Preservation Society, which maintains and manages the old house.

Yamada, a university student making firewood

They helped with cleaning, chopping wood for hearths and cutting thatch for thatching roofs. More than 10 young people from outside the community came together to help with community activities. After the work, we had lunch with local people. It's fun to talk to the grandfathers!

Socialising after working up a sweat

Life lessons from local grandfathers.

Field work started in earnest on 10 April. Seed potatoes from last year's crop were selected and planted. Three girls participated for the first time that day! The field is planted with strawberries, onions, fava beans, potatoes and leeks.

Planting potatoes

After working in the fields and making breakfast, rice cooked in the kamado was enjoyed by everyone around the hearth.

On this day, the rice was cooked by an experienced person, so no mistakes were made!

A new member cooked a meal for us.

The Makidoki Village is going to be lively in 2016 with new participants, but we have some sad news. Mr and Mrs Kuwabara, who used to run the morning vegetable market where we all went to buy vegetables every time, have decided not to run their shop from this year. It seems that they will prepare pickles if you order them, but it is very sad that we will no longer be able to hear the cheerful greetings of Mr and Mrs Kuwabara at .......

The youngest students of the day were junior high school students!

This year, Makidoki Village will continue to hold regular Sunday field work and breakfast cooking sessions every Sunday. You can come and go as you please, and you are welcome to join just once! If you want to join us, we will meet at the former headman Sato's house in Fukui at 6am! If you need a pick-up, please contact us via the Facebook group. We will also be helping out with local events, including a stall at the Firefly Festival in June, an event at the Sato family's house, and this year we will also be able to help out with the rice paddies in the village.

There are goats in the village this year!

The Makidoki Village is a place where many connections are likely to expand in 2016! If you want to spend a relaxing weekend incorporating agriculture into your life, why not join us?

Makitoki Village: https://www.facebook.com/groups/162407573931639/

Former headman of Fukui, Sato family: http://sato-ke.neoniigata.com/