JA Group "ITADAKIMASU: Bringing the Bounties of Nature to the Table"

The JA Group’s outlet in the Farm & Food Village at GREEN×EXPO 2027 is officially named “Itadakimasu” wo umu chikara in Japanese; its English site presents the concept as “ITADAKIMASU: Bringing the bounties of nature to the table.” In the Expo Association’s terms it is a themed commercial outlet: an exhibitor builds an outdoor space (a garden or plaza) together with a business facility and runs its own food and retail operation in line with the Expo’s concept. Starting from itadakimasu, the phrase said before every meal, it highlights Japanese farm produce and the value of the farming behind it.

Highlights and exhibits

According to the exhibition details the JA Group published on its special site on September 30, 2026, the area has four parts:

• Indoor Exhibition: titled “Beyond ‘Itadakimasu’,” it conveys the present and future of Japanese food and agriculture through sight and sensation.
• Farmers’ Market: seasonal produce from all over Japan. In an interview published by the agricultural newspaper JAcom on June 2, 2026, JA-ZENCHU President Yoshito Shinno said JA groups from about 30 prefectures are expected to take part.
• Fresh Stand: fresh juices and smoothies made from Japanese fruit.
• Food Trucks: menus built around domestic ingredients.

Menus, prices and the market’s regional schedule had not been announced as of October 2026.

About the exhibitor

The JA Group is a network of Japan’s agricultural cooperatives and their federations, providing farming support, sales and purchasing, financial and mutual insurance services. JA-ZENCHU (the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives) announced the group’s participation, and President Shinno attended the groundbreaking ceremony on July 27, 2026. In the JAcom interview he also mentioned the rice paddies and fields run inside the venue by the Kanagawa JA Group. According to the Association, the Kanagawa JA Group supports crop cultivation at the organizer’s outdoor exhibit “Aizawa River,” which is separate from the themed outlet; a rice-planting ceremony was held there on May 20, 2026.

Timeline

• March 19, 2025: The Expo Association names four provisionally selected themed commercial outlets, including the JA Group (Association press release)
• March 19, 2026: The Association publishes the outline and rendering of the four outlets
• April 1, 2026: The JA Group launches its GREEN×EXPO 2027 special site (JA-ZENCHU notice)
• June 2, 2026: JAcom publishes the interview with President Shinno
• July 27, 2026: Groundbreaking ceremony for the JA Group facility at the venue (special site, posted August 24)
• September 30, 2026: The special site adds the exhibition overview (indoor exhibition, market, fresh stand, food trucks)

On social media

The special site links to the JA Group’s food and farming accounts on X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Facebook. Public posts about the outlet itself were still few as of October 2026.

Before you go

• Location: Farm & Food Village. On the Association’s venue map (June 1, 2026 edition) it is in the northern part of the site, near the Kanagawa Prefecture exhibit and the main event venue.
• Reservations: The Association has not yet announced which exhibits will use same-day viewing reservations (as of October 2026).
• Admission: Under the Association’s recruitment guidelines for themed commercial outlets (updated December 2024), charging admission for the outlet area is prohibited. Food and goods are paid for separately.
• Not yet announced: Menus and prices, participating prefectures, activities for children and accessibility details.

Sources

• JA Group GREEN×EXPO 2027 special site (English) (checked 2026-10-04)
• JA Group: Groundbreaking ceremony for the JA Group facility (checked 2026-10-04)
• JA-ZENCHU notices (special site launch, April 1, 2026) (checked 2026-10-04)
• JAcom interview with JA-ZENCHU President Yoshito Shinno, June 2, 2026 (Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)
• Noson News: “JA Group to open an outlet at GREEN×EXPO 2027,” April 7, 2026 (Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)
• Expo Association: Village and themed commercial outlets, with venue map (Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)
• Expo Association press release, March 19, 2025 (corrected March 21, Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)
• Expo Association press release, March 19, 2026 (Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)
• Kanagawa JA Group and Expo Association press release on the Aizawa River rice-planting ceremony, May 29, 2026 (Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)
• Expo Association: Recruitment guidelines for themed commercial outlets, updated December 26, 2024 (Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)
• Expo Association press release on visit-date and viewing reservations, August 27, 2026 (Japanese) (checked 2026-10-04)

*Exhibit details and highlights will be updated as official announcements are made.