Experience
Beekeeping at Kankitsuzan
Experience Nature Through the World of Honeybees
At Art and Agriculture, we offer a beekeeping experience that invites participants to spend time with honeybees and witness how honey comes into being in the natural surroundings of Kankitsuzan.
The raw honey harvested at Kankitsuzan has been enjoyed by visitors to the Enoura Observatory.
Beginning in April 2026, we introduced this small-group experience to offer more people the opportunity to discover the connection between plants, people, and honeybees through direct experience.
The Story Behind the Kankitsuzan Beekeeping Experience
Why We Created This Program
Our lives are sustained by the gifts of nature and the food it provides. Yet opportunities to truly experience the cycles that sustain them have become increasingly rare.
Agriculture and the natural world are often seen as distant—something left to specialists. There are fewer opportunities to understand the changing seasons and the rhythms of ecosystems through direct experience.
At the same time, growing awareness of environmental issues and sustainable agriculture has created a desire not only for knowledge, but for experiences that foster a deeper understanding.
Through the familiar yet remarkable presence of honeybees, this program invites participants to rediscover the living connections between plants, people, and nature through all five senses.
What We Value
Through the continuous process of observing, experiencing, discovering, tasting, and engaging with nature’s cycles, the program goes beyond simple observation or hands-on activities. It encourages each participant to recognize—and express in their own words—how their daily lives are connected to the natural world.
What Makes This Experience Unique
The defining feature of this program is that it does not present honeybees, plants, and people as separate subjects. Instead, it invites participants to discover the connections that unite them.
By bringing together flower observation, observing bee activity at the hive entrance and looking inside the hive, a short workshop on how honey comes into being, and honey harvesting and tasting as one continuous experience, participants come to understand nature’s cycles as an interconnected whole rather than as isolated pieces of knowledge.
The program also intentionally preserves the natural distance between the flowers in bloom and the honey being tasted. As nectar takes time to be transformed into honey within the hive, the blossoms before participants’ eyes are not always the source of the honey they are tasting. By experiencing this subtle passage of time, participants are invited to discover the rhythms of the seasons and the unique character of the land—its terroir.
By deliberately keeping activities and stimulation to a minimum, the program leaves space to slow down, observe, and reflect. This thoughtful balance between learning and quiet discovery is one of the defining qualities of the Kankitsuzan Beekeeping Experience.
The Experience
１．Observing Flowers and Honeybees
Walking through the orchard, participants observe seasonal blossoms, pollination, and the pollen baskets carried by honeybees, discovering how plants and bees are connected throughout the changing seasons.
２．Hive Entrance and Hive Inspection
Participants observe bee activity at the hive entrance and look inside the hive, gaining a closer understanding of the colony’s condition and natural rhythm.
３．Mini Workshop
Together, we explore how honey comes into being, and consider its relationship with plants, the changing seasons, and the work of honeybees.
４．Honey Harvesting and Tasting
Participants harvest honey from the hive and taste its distinctive character, discovering how seasonal changes and different nectar sources shape its flavor.
※Please note that honey harvesting is carried out only when weather conditions and the well-being of the honeybees make it appropriate to do so.
５．Choosing a Nectar Plant to Take Home
To conclude the experience, participants choose a nectar plant to take home, extending their connection with nature into everyday life.
Program Details
Season
April – September
Frequency
1–2 sessions per month (typically 7–10 sessions per year)
Group Size
Up to 10 participants per session
Duration
Approximately 4–5 hours
Location
Kankitsuzan Orchard
Upcoming Schedule
In harmony with the natural rhythms of Kankitsuzan, the following beekeeping experiences are scheduled.
2026 Schedule:(Sessions are generally held on the first and third Saturdays of each month.)April 18May 2, 16June 6, 20July 4August 1
September 12, 19
※Availability is updated regularly.
※Program content and dates may be adjusted depending on weather conditions and the well-being of the honeybees.
How to Participate
The Kankitsuzan Beekeeping Experience offers two ways to participate: as a Member, for those who wish to engage with the program on an ongoing basis, or as a Guest Participant, for those who would like to experience it for the first time.
Member
Membership is designed for those who wish to engage with the Kankitsuzan Beekeeping Experience on an ongoing basis.
Members receive exclusive updates on the progress of the apiary, seasonal changes in nature, and advance information about upcoming sessions.
Annual Membership Fee：10,000円
※Membership is generally registered on an individual basis. However, family members living in the same household may participate under a single annual membership of ¥10,000.
Participation Fee (per session)
Adult ¥10,000
Child ¥3,000
※Children (elementary through high school age) may participate when accompanied by a parent or guardian and are expected to share the experience together.
※As each session is intentionally kept small, participation fees are non-refundable in the event of cancellation by the participant. Whenever possible, we will be happy to arrange a transfer to another scheduled session.
Guest Participant
Ideal for first-time participants, Guest Participation offers a simple way to experience the program without an annual membership.
Session Fee
Adult ¥15,000
Child ¥5,000
※No annual membership fee is required.
※Children (elementary through high school age) may participate when accompanied by a parent or guardian and are expected to share the experience together.
※As each session is intentionally kept small, session fees are non-refundable in the event of cancellation by the participant. Whenever possible, we will be happy to arrange a transfer to another scheduled session.
Registration
If you would like to join the Kankitsuzan Beekeeping Experience, please proceed to the registration form using the button below.
Once we have received your application, we will review the details and send you payment instructions by email.
Member
Please register individually, or as a family living in the same household.
Guest Participant
One representative may submit the application on behalf of the entire group.
Questions & Inquiries
If you have any questions about the program or would like to discuss your participation, please use the Contact form below.
We will review your message and respond by email.
Beyond the Experience
The ultimate purpose of this program is not simply to offer a one-time experience, but to nurture a community of people who continue to engage with nature.
By returning to Kankitsuzan throughout the seasons, witnessing its ever-changing landscape, and growing nectar plants in their own daily lives, participants gradually deepen their relationship with the natural world. What begins as a single experience becomes an ongoing connection.
Rather than offering fixed answers or simply sharing knowledge, we hope to foster a sense that each of us is part of nature’s cycles. We believe this shared awareness forms the foundation of a sustainable agricultural community.
It is our hope that these small moments of understanding, accumulated over time, will become a quiet force that supports both the local community and the future.