Exploring Hemp Opportunities in Japan

Exploring Hemp Opportunities in Japan

Author: Eric Hurlock, Digital Editor October 9, 2024 Duration: 38:18

This week on the Hemp Podcast, we travel to Japan.

Not literally, but vicariously.

Our three guests recently attended the inaugural Tokyo International Hemp Conference last month and toured an 8th generation hemp farm and processing facility called Golden Hemp that makes sacred ropes used in Shinto temples.

On this episode we will talk to Jean Lotus, Robin Destiche and Patrick Atagi.

The trip was organized by the National Industrial Hemp Council of America and was funded by USDA's Regional Agricultural Promotion Program.

Lotus, the publisher of Hemp Build Magazine, was fascinated to learn about the ancient traditions and processing methods that are still in use today, and thinks Japan will embrace hemp building practices.

"I really see some opportunities there with hemp building materials just because of the decarbonization," she said. "The Japanese have really embraced all of the United Nations sustainability goals for construction."

Robin Destiche, a co-founder of American hemp seed company KonopiUS, said he sees the potential for growth, but doesn't expect it overnight.

"Like many things in the hemp industry," he said, "I can see it maybe in three to five years, but it definitely feels like there's traction, there's development."

Patrick Atagi, the president and CEO of the National Industrial Hemp Council, organized the trip in conjunction with the Thailand Industrial Hemp Trade Association.

"Our goal is to market and create a market for hemp domestically and globally," he said.

Learn More:

National Industrial Hemp Council of America

Hemp Build Mag

KonopiUS

Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP)

Texas Hemp Building Event: Architect/Builder Training and Tour, San Marcos, TX October 24-25

Greenbuild 2024

News Nuggets

US Hopes Green Construction Awakens Japan's Hemp Industry

Honeywell and SGP BioEnergy to develop plant-based biochemicals, reducing industry's reliance on fossil fuels

Thanks to our Sponsors!

IND HEMP

Americhanvre

Forever Green and the KP4 Hemp Cutter


There’s a quiet revolution happening in fields and factories, and it’s centered on a single, versatile plant. Industrial Hemp Podcast, guided by Eric Hurlock, the Digital Editor at Lancaster Farming, moves beyond the headlines to explore what’s actually happening on the ground. This isn’t just theoretical discussion; it’s a direct line to the people driving the industry forward. Each episode features conversations with the farmers who are planting and harvesting these crops, facing very real agronomic challenges and opportunities. You’ll also hear from researchers, processors, and policy experts who are shaping the future of hemp for fiber, grain, and other industrial applications. The dialogue digs into the practicalities-from planting techniques and harvesting equipment to market trends, regulatory hurdles, and technological innovations that are changing the game. It’s a clear-eyed look at an agricultural sector finding its footing, reported by journalists with deep roots in farming communities. For anyone curious about the business, science, and sheer hard work behind industrial hemp, this podcast serves as an essential, grounded resource. Tune in for honest talk that cuts through the hype and gets to the root of this growing field.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Industrial Hemp Podcast
Podcast Episodes
The Winds of Cansayapi (Part Three) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:31
Welcome to part three of our Cansayapi Trilogy in which we explore the 13th International Hemp Building Symposium, held Oct. 3-5, 2025, at the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Southwestern Minnesota. Part Three opens wher…
Voices from Cansayapi (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:32
On this episode we continue on our journey with host Eric Hurlock to Cansayapi, the place where they paint the trees red, the Lower Sioux Indian community, the home of the Medewakantan Band of Dakota people in Southweste…
The Road to Cansayapi (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:43
This week on the Hemp Show, you are stowing away with me as I retell the tale of my trip to the 13th International Hemp Building Symposium, which was held for the first time ever in the United States — and specifically o…
USDA Hemp Report: Garbage In, Garbage Out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:10
This week on the Hemp Show, we're talking to Brad Truman, a data analyst with CannaMarkets Group, about his recent deep dive into USDA's hemp import data. His report, published in HempToday under the title When the Numbe…
Inside Cornell AgriTech: Germplasm, Robots and Hemp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:36
On this week's podcast, we continue our trip to Geneva, New York, for part two of the Cornell story. I spend some time with Christine Smart, director of Cornell AgriTech, and her husband Larry Smart, professor of plant b…
Grain & Fiber Hemp Field Day at Cornell 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:32
On this week's podcast, host Eric Hurlock travels to Geneva, New York, on the top of Seneca Lake to take part in Cornell's Hemp Field day, held Thursday, Sept. 11. This episode covers both the morning and afternoon sessi…
In Search Of: A Pennsylvania Hemp Textile Supply Chain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:41
This week on the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast, we're chasing down the beginnings of a Pennsylvania hemp fiber supply chain. We start the day in southern Lancaster County at Steve Groff's farm, standing in th…