Hands-on Events Bringing Seafood Closer to Everyday Life

Nissui wants younger generations to learn more about fish and to eat more of it. To mark “Ii Sakana no Hi” (Good Fish Day, November 3–7), a period designated by the Fisheries Agency, Nissui hosted an event featuring Ficchurros—a novel sweet made with its flagship products Osakana no sausage (fish sausage) and Oishii Mono wo Chotto Dake (fish cake). Visitors were also invited to share new food ideas that would inspire people to eat more fish.
Additionally, Nissui set up booths at a soccer event in Nagano Prefecture and a market festival in Osaka Prefecture, where participants could take part in the “Oishii Osakana Quiz” (Delicious Fish Quiz). Many joined in, enjoying the chance to learn facts such as that surimi-based products are made from fish. Through initiatives like these, Nissui is giving younger generations opportunities to feel a closer connection to fish and want to eat more, ultimately helping to promote fish consumption.

Visitors enjoying Ficchurros

Scene from the “Oishii Osakana Quiz”

Coho Salmon Meetings

Nissui Salmon Corporation of the Nissui Group, in cooperation with Sakaiminato-shi, Tottori Prefecture, has been holding “Coho Salmon Meetings” every year as part of food education activities to increase the interest in local foodstuff since 2013. Previously, Yumigahama Suisan had visited nursery schools and held picture-card shows to read out each step involved in delivering Sakaiminato Salmon to the dining table, from the egg stage. In FY2020–FY2021, however, the shows were held by teachers at each nursery school at Yumigahama Suisan's request. The children enjoyed learning about the farming of coho salmon through picture-card shows and videos, and were full of smiles as they enjoyed the flavor of coho salmon served as part of their school meal.

The Children Listened to the Story

We hope that becoming familiar from childhood with how foods are made will encourage an interest in monozukuri (manufacturing). We also hope that children will learn the importance of diet and become more fond of eating fish. With these hopes, we have opened our four food manufacturing plants—Hachioji General Plant, Himeji General Plant, Anjo Plant and Tobata Plant—to local elementary school children for factory visits to learn about food. (We do not conduct tours for the general public.)

Tour of Anjo Plant

Visiting an Elementary School to Give a Lesson (Himeji General Plant)

On November 25, 2025, the Himeji General Plant welcomed 13 third-grade students from a nearby elementary school for a plant tour. Dressed in lab coats, the students handled ingredients for fish cakes such as Alaska pollock, surimi and fish paste, and observed the production process. They also experienced baking fish cakes using dedicated equipment. They enjoyed tasting freshly made fish cakes and spring rolls that they had baked themselves. At the end of the tour, sausages and promotional items were given to the students as souvenirs. Later, the Himeji General Plant received thank-you letters from the students, which are now on display inside the facility.

　　 　　

Tour of Himeji General Plant

Saiki City, Oita Prefecture, where the Oita Marine Biological Technology Center is located, has always had a thriving fishery industry. The Oita Marine Biological Technology Center, which specializes in aquaculture, has been established in such an area, and in order to better acquaint the community with this research facility, it accepts elementary school children on educational field trips and offers workplace experience to junior high school students. The program has been designed so that it will motivate children to take an interest in fishery and aquaculture, in the hopes that future researchers will be born from those who take part.

Field Trips for Elementary and Junior High School Students

The Oita Marine Biological Technology Center welcomed local elementary and junior high school students for a program designed to provide hands-on experience with the Center's research activities and fish feeding. The program began with an overview of aquaculture research and a fish quiz. Many children demonstrated familiarity not only with Japanese amberjack and tuna but also with freshwater prawns—as would be expected of Saiki kids! During the observation of feed plankton under a microscope, reactions ranged from “cute” to “gross,” while the fish feeding activity captivated everyone and became the highlight of the day. Although the tour lasted only about two hours, many children expressed a desire to stay longer, thoroughly enjoying their hands-on experience with fish.

Workplace Experience Programs and Company Orientation Sessions for Junior High School Students

On July 8, 2025, three students from Saiki Municipal Tsurumi Junior High School participated in a workplace experience program. They engaged in activities like the daily management of live feed (plankton for fish), fish feeding, and practical lab work including measurements and dissections of test fish. They learned about the daily tasks critical to biological research and how data analysis from cultivation tests can lead to new insights. Their keen interest in feeding, recording data, and performing dissections showed their potential as budding researchers.
On February 27, 2026, Nissui participated in a local company orientation held at Saeki Municipal Tsuruya Junior High School.

Workplace Visit Day for Employees' Families

On December 27, 2024, the Oita Marine Biological Technology Center hosted a workplace visit day for employees’ families. The event featured a presentation by the Center Director on Nissui and aquaculture research, a lecture given by three researchers, and a facility tour. Afterwards, attendees enjoyed tasting various Nissui products, including Kurose Buri (Japanese amberjack) and Shirahime Ebi (whiteleg shrimp). The family members were impressed by seeing their loved ones at work, which sparked conversations that continued long after they returned home.

Participation in the “Research Meeting” Junior EXPO 2025 Education Program

As part of the Junior EXPO 2025 educational program (Note), Nissui participated for the fifth consecutive year from FY2020 to 2024 in the “Research Meeting” program as a company committed to the SDGs. These Research Meetings, in which junior high school students from across Japan and company representatives exchanged ideas and opinions, were conducted entirely online in FY2024. After the introduction of initiatives that participating companies were taking towards achieving SDGs, a question-and-answer session was held with the students, followed by a sharing of viewpoints.

(Note) Junior EXPO 2025 Educational program:
Outline: This program is implemented for the purpose of making children, who will be forging our future, participate in initiatives toward Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, Japan before its launch through classes to learn about SDGs and discover local and social issues by themselves, and in the process, make them come up with ideas for the Expo's theme "Designing Future Society for Our Lives." It also aims to heighten their curiosity and interest so that they will actually want to go to the Expo venue in 2025.
Program organizer: Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition

Since 2002, Nissui has welcomed Maori trainees from New Zealand to Japan.

In Front of Te Waleo Tangaroa, a Maori Deity Figure Symbolizing Tangaroa―the God of the Sea and the World He Governs―at the Entrance of the Tokyo Innovation Center

Training at an Aquaculture Company

Origin and Objectives of the Training Program

Training Program Background

Sealord Group, Ltd. joined the Nissui Group in 2001. It was at that time that the decision was made to initiate this training program in partnership with TOKM (Te Ohu Kaimoana: Treaty of Waitangi (Note 1) Fisheries Commission) (Note 2), with the aim of contributing to the development of the fisheries industry among the Maori, the Indigenous people of New Zealand.

(Note 1) Treaty of Waitangi: A peace treaty signed in 1840 between the indigenous Maori people and the British monarchy.
(Note 2) TOKM: Body that oversees the Maori fishing quota.

Purpose

1. 1. To provide Maori with the opportunity for international training and instruction in the seafood industry, enabling them to acquire specialized knowledge and skills.
2. 2. To foster deep and broad interpersonal relationships between the Maori and the Nissui Group, while establishing a long-term, sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship between the Nissui Group and Te Ohu Kaimoana.

Training Details

The training program consists of a comprehensive curriculum lasting approximately six months, including lectures, practical field training, and other activities conducted in relevant departments of Nissui and its Group companies, tailored to the trainees' areas of interest.

Achievements and Career Paths upon Completion

During the period from 2002 to 2025, a total of 24 graduates from 17 training cycles have successfully completed the program. Upon completion, the majority of the trainees have gone on to actively contribute to the industry and many have embarked on successful careers in government agencies related to the fisheries sector, TOKM, MOANA NZ, Sealord, and other relevant organizations.

Support for Training Costs

Nissui support amount: approx. 4.0 million yen/person

Nippon Marine Enterprises, Ltd., a Nissui Group company, provides operations and management services for research vessels and other assets owned by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). The company supports advanced marine observation activities through operations including the research vessel Kaimei, operation and maintenance of the manned submersible research vessel Shinkai 6500, and unmanned exploration vehicles, and subseafloor structural research in seismic zones primarily around Japan.
In April 2024, Nippon Marine Enterprises, through a consortium with NYK Line, established the “Akita School of Wind and Sea,” a comprehensive training center for offshore wind power generation. This training center, established through industry-government-academia collaboration, utilizes part of the training facility at Akita Prefectural Oga Marine High School and the adjacent former Oga City Funakawa South Elementary School to provide GWO Basic Safety Training (GWO BST) for offshore wind power technicians, STCW Basic Safety Training for seafarers, and simulator-based vessel operation training using state-of-the-art systems. The simulator is also made available to students of Oga Marine High School, and facility tours are offered to local elementary and junior high school students, with the aim of nurturing the next generation of maritime professionals. The project is being promoted in collaboration with local government, with the aim of establishing long-term roots in the region and contributing to the local community.

Training Pool

Firefighting Drill

Ship Operation Simulator