The World's First Aquaponics of a Phantom High Quality Fish & Bananas! High school students in Okayama take on the challenge! Crowdfunding Starts to Expand Facilities

Higashi-Okayama Technical High School in Okayama Prefecture has been conducting research on next-generation aquaponics (an agricultural method that simultaneously cultivates saltwater fish and hydroponics) for the past four years since 2025. Currently, we are constructing and operating a system to cultivate the mysterious "tamakai," a high-end fish, and hydroponically grow domestically produced "bananas. If these efforts lead to a harvest, it will be the first attempt of its kind in the world (according to our school's research). In addition, as an advanced SDG initiative, we are also researching and developing a "complete recycling" system to produce saltwater fish food from waste food.

We have launched a crowdfunding campaign to expand our facilities.

Crowdfunding LP

https://camp-fire.jp/projects/811123/preview

Project Image 1

[Research Summary

Our school's efforts quickly attracted attention when we started "Aquaponics using Optimal Environmental Water," for which Okayama University of Science provided us with the technology. Optimal environmental water is like a thin layer of seawater, and it is a mysterious kind of breeding water that can be used to raise both freshwater and saltwater fish. This makes it possible to circulate water while cultivating saltwater fish and growing agricultural products hydroponically. Generally, aquaponics is used in combination with freshwater fish, but at our school, we grow saltwater fish, which have a high market value.

Examples of past efforts

Farmed fish: Mebaru, flatfish, tiger puffer, sea bream, kingfish, prawn, mokuzu crab, etc.

Plants: Bananas, strawberries, lettuce, ice plant, crown daisies, tomatoes, melons, etc.

Cultivation equipment ... Plane-type hydroponic cultivation equipment, drum-type hydroponic cultivation equipment, auto-siphon type equipment, etc.

However, none of them are going well. With the cooperation of various people, including Okayama University of Science, we were finally able to ship "Mebaru" to restaurants in the prefecture in the winter of 2024.

The first shipment of mebaru farmed on land by high school students, including a tasting of sashimi before shipment.

https://youtu.be/jVh6kFCUfTA

The world's first challenge.

Currently, we are raising "tamakai," a fantastic high-end fish. The tamakai is the largest fish in the grouper family and is rarer than the kue, which is also in the grouper family.

The hydroponic side grows "bananas," and if the school's "Next Generation Aquaponics of Saltwater Fish and Bananas" succeeds, it will be the first attempt of its kind in the world (according to our research).

Current Status.

With the growth of Tamakai, there is an urgent need to expand the facilities. We are also planning to expand the hydroponic cultivation area of bananas. We would like to utilize crowdfunding to introduce state-of-the-art aquaculture research equipment.

[To enhance the learning environment].

Our school is a public high school, and we are developing educational activities on a limited budget. Nevertheless, we will take all possible actions to enhance the learning environment, improve the quality of learning, and create human resources for the future.

This is the first time for a public technical high school in Japan to challenge crowdfunding, and the first time in Okayama Prefecture for an educational activity (according to our school's research).

Project Summary

Project name: Cultivating high-end fish and growing domestic bananas!

　　　　　　　　　 ～Project Name: Aquaponics Expansion Plan by Technical High School Students

Period: Monday, March 17, 2025 - Saturday, May 31, 2025

URL ： https://camp-fire.jp/projects/811123/preview

About Returns:

Support Plan A: 3,000 yen and up: Thank you e-mail, activity report, e-book (from 10,000 yen plan), etc.

Corporate Support Plan A] 200,000 yen and up: Naming plates, company name back panels, company badges sewn onto work clothes, etc.

Past media coverage

Our efforts to date have been covered by many media organizations.

Local: Sanyo Shimbun, RSK Sanyo Broadcasting, KSB Setonaikai Broadcasting, etc.

Nationwide: Gaia no Yoake (TV Tokyo), THE TIME, (TBS)

Major Awards

On Tuesday, October 29, 2024, we won the Science Ecology Award at the Business Plan Contest (sponsored by Okayama Gas Company, Okayama Prefecture, and Okayama Chamber of Commerce and Industry).

On Saturday, January 25, 2025, we won the Grand Prize at the prefecture's largest presentation competition on the SDGs (the 5th BeLive Presentation Event). (Organized and managed by "BeLive" Executive Committee, co-sponsored by Okayama Association of Corporate Executives)