Key Facts
• July 2, 2025: Livestock competition held in Daisen City, Akita Prefecture.
• 22 rabbits from Daisen City and Misato Town were showcased.
• Rabbits ranged from a few months old to nearly 50 cm in length.
• Top prize awarded to a female rabbit, “Akari,” bred by 78-year-old Kiyokazu Takahashi.
• Local high school students from Omagari Agricultural High School entered 4 rabbits.
• The school focuses on “Hataya Rabbits,” a white-coated jumbo rabbit variety.
• Hataya Rabbit breeders in Misato Town have dwindled to just 2 households.
• Rabbits are sold for approximately 10,000 yen each, primarily as pets.
• Breeding efforts aim to raise awareness and increase the number of breeders.
Summary
A livestock competition in Daisen City, Akita Prefecture, showcased the region’s unique jumbo rabbits, alongside efforts to address declining breeder numbers. Twenty-two rabbits, including four raised by Omagari Agricultural High School students, were judged on fur, body shape, and flexibility. The top prize went to “Akari,” a female rabbit bred by Kiyokazu Takahashi. The school focuses on preserving the Hataya Rabbit, a white-coated variety, as breeders in Misato Town have dwindled to two households. Efforts to promote awareness and increase breeders continue, with rabbits sold for around 10,000 yen each.
