Shohei Imamura
Born in 1986
From Hokkaido
My Journey in the Vertical Farming Industry
My interest in the vertical farming industry began while working as a sales representative at a securities firm after graduating from university. At the time, vertical farming was widely touted as “the next big thing in agriculture.”
As someone in the securities industry, I frequently encountered such catchy slogans designed to spark investment enthusiasm. I was easily swayed by the hype and decided to “give this industry a shot.”
My Initial Impressions of the Industry
In 2011, I was fortunate to receive a job offer from a vertical farming company and jumped into the industry headfirst.
The interior of the first vertical farm I saw was like something out of a science fiction movie. It was truly awe-inspiring to see rows upon rows of lettuces growing under artificial light, stretching as far as the eye could see.
However, as I learned more about the industry, I realized that the productivity of vertical farms depended far more on the “people” operating them than on any cutting-edge technology. This realization has been foundational to my subsequent thinking.
Supporting the Launch and Revitalization of Other Farms
Starting in 2015, I joined Farmship, a company specializing in vertical farming, and began working on supporting the launch and revitalization of vertical farms.
For 1-2 years at a time, I lived on-site and immersed myself in the work, walking hand-in-hand with clients until their farms were operating stably. As the manager of the support team, I’ve had the opportunity to experience a wide variety of farms, from those boasting Japan’s top production volume to uniquely designed farms employing their own systems.
Looking Back, There Have Been Many Experiences
There have been some hiccups along the way. During the launch of one farm, there was a combination of staffing shortages and inadequate training that led to a major problem on the day of the initial harvest.
The first harvest coincides with the start of other tasks like trimming and packaging, resulting in a significant increase in workload. However, we hadn’t been able to gather enough personnel, and training was insufficient. To make matters worse, the vegetables grew larger than expected, making them too big to fit in the packaging bags.
As a result, our work was significantly delayed. The packaging task was particularly challenging, as no one on the team could operate the packaging machine. I ended up having to handle it all by myself. It was a trial-and-error process that continued throughout the night, with limited progress.
This situation persisted for three days, leaving me with no choice but to work on packaging for nearly 60 hours straight, only taking breaks for the restroom and light snacks. This experience taught me firsthand the critical importance of crisis management during the initial launch phase.
Involvement in the Operations of Over 10 Vertical Farms
However, such major issues have been rare.
Since 2011, I’ve been involved in the operations of over 10 vertical farms, both large and small. This includes several farms with top production volume in Japan. I’ve gained experience on the frontlines of each facility.
Beyond managing the day-to-day operations, I’ve also been actively involved in educational activities, including multiple training programs for team members. I’ve interacted with over 600 staff members in total.
When launching and supporting facilities, I’ve focused especially on improving production efficiency and data analysis. By analyzing project requirements and revising production processes, I believe I’ve contributed to improving productivity.
Through these experiences, I’ve gained confidence in my ability to master the “real-world know-how” needed to succeed in this field.
Please also check out my column, where I write about my experiences in the field and the various situations I’ve encountered.
About your job request
I am currently working on a freelance basis.
I accept online and local support and education jobs, mainly through this website, and would love to hear from you.
Other types of work are also available upon request. Please feel free to contact us through our contact form.