What comes to mind when you hear the word “research institute”?
A place where researchers devote themselves to their work every day and confront the unknowns of humanity. Some people may have the impression that there is something secretive about it.
The Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University, is an agricultural research institute located close to the Bikan Historical Area. It opens to the public once a year, so I went to take a look.
Here is a report on the institute’s inner workings, which are not usually open to view, and the many exhibits and experiments that pique intellectual curiosity.
The information presented was current when this article was published in June 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About the Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University Open Day
The open day was held on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
With “The Wonders of Plants” as its theme, the event featured many activities for adults and children alike, including introductions to research findings, experiments involving familiar plants, and tours of the institute’s fields.
Fields
Places where crops are grown. Here, this refers to rice paddies and fields.
About the Institute
The Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University, traces its origins to the Ohara Agricultural Research Institute, established in 1914 as a private agricultural research institute by Ohara Magosaburo, who founded the Ohara Museum of Art and Kurashiki Silk Textile Co., Ltd. (now Kuraray), among other ventures.
The Ohara family were prominent landowners in Kurashiki. They believed an agricultural research institute was needed to improve the welfare of the farmers working in their rice paddies, and established this institute.
After the war, the institute’s assets were halved under the Agricultural Land Reform Act. In 1952, it donated the assets needed for research to Okayama University and began anew as an institute affiliated with a national university.
As its name suggests, the Institute of Plant Science and Resources currently conducts basic research on staple grains and crops such as barley and rice.
The Day’s Events
Various parts of the institute hosted introductions to research findings and tours on the day.
Here are some of them.
Research on the Effects of Soil on Crop Growth
Have you ever heard the saying, “Rice growing starts with building good soil”?
Soil has a significant impact on the growth of crops, including rice, and has long been a subject of research.
Here, researchers presented findings on how adjusting soil nutrients and other properties affects the growth of rice and barley.
Another section introduced research into ways to give plants tolerance to acidic soil at the genetic level. An estimated 30–40% of the world’s farmland has acidic soil, so developing crops that can grow under these conditions could also help improve food security.
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) Observation Tour
The institute also has many expensive pieces of experimental equipment that people do not usually get to see.
A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is one such instrument. It allows us to observe a microscopic world that cannot be seen with an optical microscope.
This time, we observed the surface of an ant. It is fascinating how completely different things look when viewed through a microscopic eye.
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
Unlike a conventional optical microscope, which captures light directly, this microscope uses an electron beam instead of light and detects reflections from an object to create an image. It can observe the fine structures and shapes of an object’s surface at high resolution. It is useful not only for observing plants, but also surfaces such as metal.
Free Tasting of Barley Tea Made with Barley Grown at the Institute
There was also a booth in the courtyard offering free samples of barley tea made with barley grown at the institute.
Various varieties of barley were also displayed around the courtyard.
Comparing the original variety with the improved varieties, you can see that selective breeding has increased the size of the ears.
This also makes it possible to harvest more barley.
Quiz Rally
A quiz rally was also held inside the institute, with visitors solving questions placed throughout the building.
The answers can be found by looking closely at the exhibits. It’s an activity that lets you deepen your knowledge while having fun.
Complete the quiz rally to receive plant seeds (one of the following: sunflower, balloon plant, or Glass Gem corn).
Archives
The archives on the grounds are hosting the special exhibition “Ohara Agricultural Research Institute” Records: Carrying on the Legacy to coincide with this public open day.
On display were valuable materials, including cameras and microscopes used when the institute first opened, other experimental equipment, and letters addressed to Ohara Magosaburo.
I got a sense of just how much the founder, Ohara Magosaburo, had invested in this institute.
From the Writer
Although I often pass by the institute, I had never been inside before, so it was, in a sense, a facility that was close by yet felt far away.
The research was introduced in an easy-to-understand way for children and the general public, including work that could help improve food supplies, an issue also related to the recent surge in rice prices. This helped me deepen my understanding of the research.
I was also struck by the fact that the researchers come from many countries, with a particularly large number from Africa.
It warms my heart to think that, after returning home, they may play a part in improving food supplies in their home countries.
From Kurashiki, agricultural innovation continues, as researchers pursue their never-ending challenge to enrich people's lives.
2025 Okayama University Institute of Plant Science and Resources Public Open Day Information
| Name | 2025 Okayama University Institute of Plant Science and Resources Public Open Day |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, May 10, 2025 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. |
| Location | 2-20-1 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free admission |
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