For two decades, the Ladies Farm School in the Hokkaido town of Shintoku has been offering a unique opportunity for women interested in agriculture to gain first-hand experience and know-how through apprenticeships with local farmers.
Over 160 women had completed programs as of the 2014 school year and about 60 of them are currently engaged in farming or other related activities in Hokkaido — the food basket of the nation.
But interest in the boarding school established appears to be ebbing as it marked its 20th anniversary, with only two women graduating on March 23 in the just-ended academic year.