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Ritsumeikan University entered into a collaborative agreement with Shima City in Mie Prefecture and Mie University in August 2013, and through this agreement, Ritsumeikan is providing learning experiences for Ritsumeikan University and High School students that make the most of the countryside forest/ocean, and is carrying out activities contributing to the fishing and agriculture 6th industry human resource development project/community development projects.

In 2015 as a part of these activities they implemented agricultural experiences and product development/trial product selling by Ritsumeikan University students with the theme of the local traditional food “kinkoimo”.

“Kinkoimo” is dried sweet potato made from sweet potato named “hayatoimo”. To make this traditional food, people in Shima, Mie Prefecture for many years have dried hayatoimo sweet potatoes in the sun during their cold, dry winters. It is very sweet, with a soft texture, and it used to be a regular food/snack for people in the Shima area. However, due to a decline in producers in recent years, it is becoming a rare food.