Seyamitsu Lab: Enriching Local Nature and Economy with Flowers and Honey

Seyamitsu Lab is a general incorporated association operating in Seya Ward, Yokohama City, with the goal of revitalizing the community through honeybees. It was launched in May 2022 by local young people eager to invigorate their town through beekeeping.

The initiative began with a plan to create a new “souvenir” for Seya Ward. As the ward will host the venue for the International Horticultural Expo in 2027, which is expected to attract about 10 million visitors, the founders wanted to turn Seya into a flower‑filled honey‑producing area. In September 2022 they raised more than ¥1.5 million through crowdfunding and harvested 15 kg of honey in their first year.

Seyamitsu Lab regards beekeeping as part of town‑building, creating a virtuous cycle by placing honeybees, an environmental indicator species, and the honey they produce at the core of its activities. Residents of Seya Ward take the lead, using honeybees to enliven the International Horticultural Expo and, from Seya, to energize the whole of Yokohama.

1. Circular town‑making through beekeeping

Seyamitsu Lab enriches the local natural environment while boosting honey yields by planting flowers around the district to increase nectar sources. Selling the honey as a regional product contributes to the local economy, realizing an ideal circular‑economy model that benefits the environment, society and economy alike.

2.Creating social impact with education and welfare organizations

Beekeeping not only enhances the natural environment but also forges new human connections. Participants span a wide age range and include local residents, ward‑based businesses, shopping streets, primary and secondary schools, and NPOs, all exchanging ideas on community revitalization through honey. Furthermore, welfare workshops assist with bottling, establishing an agriculture‑welfare collaboration model. Seyamitsu Lab generates social impact by linking beekeeping and product development with education and welfare.

3. Branding a sustainable Seya Ward

Seya Ward faces challenges common to rural Japan: an ageing rate of 25.5%—the highest in Yokohama—and a population decline for five consecutive years. To ensure interest in Seya continues beyond the 2027 Expo and to make it a place where residents want to keep living, the project aims to build a town comfortable not only for people but also for honeybees, promoting a community brimming with flowers and smiles.