Japanese Soccer Players in Hirosaki Take to Apple Orchards to Increase Future Career Options

HIROSAKI, Aomori — Two soccer players from Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, have taken on jobs at apple orchards to enhance their career prospects after retiring from professional soccer. Blancdieu Hirosaki FC, a fifth-tier league team, secured these players, who see farming as an alternative career path after their playing days are over.

Their employer connections facilitated their job placements. The orchard owners are pleased with the arrangement, as the players provide additional labor and offer their supporters the opportunity to witness the apples' cultivation. Shota Shimogami, a 25-year-old midfielder, spent late September at Seino Farm, picking Toki apples under the guidance of his colleagues.

He emphasized the arduous labor involved in growing apples and developed a newfound appreciation for the fruit. Koji Seino, the farm's 46-year-old president, anticipates positive influence from the athletes, given their muscular strength. Meanwhile, Mamoru Kamisasanuki, a 27-year-old player from Tokyo, has been working for Red Apple, a company specializing in apple production and sale, since May.

The Hirosaki city government has been actively promoting agricultural careers among sports organizations and other groups, aiming to tackle the region's workforce shortage and graying workforce.