All of the honeybees that worked hard to harvest honey in Hokkaido during the summer have now returned to Kumamoto.

This "bee-removal" work, which takes place every year around early November, is also undertaken by all the beekeeping staff.

This year, we loaded a two-ton truck full of beehives and returned to Kumamoto from Hokkaido.

The distance was about 2,400 km and the journey took 72 hours.

The truck arrived at 4:30 in the morning, while the stars were still shining.

A total of approximately 1,050 hives were moved this time.
The beehives, weighing approximately 13.5 tons (assuming each box weighs approximately 13 kg), have returned to Kumamoto after about six months.

The returning bees have been safely installed in beekeeping facilities around Kumamoto Prefecture and are now preparing for winter.

The honeybees that were in Kumamoto during the summer spend the summer in the cooler Aso area to escape the heat, but during the winter they move their hives to the slightly warmer city of Kumamoto to spend the winter there.

Beekeeping staff set up traps in hives to combat hornets, which still remain a threat.

He is also skilled at driving in the stakes to hook the trap.

To ensure that the bees are living in a comfortable environment, the beekeeping staff inspects the hives every day.

We will support them in conserving their energy during the winter in preparation for next year's honey harvest.