The university held a commemorative ceremony for the Institute of Plant Science and Resources at Kurashiki Geibunkan Hall on October 2nd commemorating its 100th anniversary. Besides President Kiyoshi Morita and the faculty of the university, an approximate 260 people including local persons concerned and researchers celebrated the milestone. Professor Yoko Yamamoto, Director of the said institute, extended a greeting and said, “I would like this institute to continue functioning as a research center where people both domestic and overseas can actively interact, and I would like to continue fostering young researchers.”

In the early-evening of the same day, a party of commemoration was held at the Kurashiki Ivy Square. Dacquoise made with barley, “Haruna Nijo HKI” that our university developed and commemorative beer were given to the attendees.

The Institute of Plant Science and Resources was established as Ohara Institute for Agricultural Research in 1914 by Magozaburo Ohara a resident of Kurashiki. After the transfer of control to Okayama University, it continues to function as a research center for plant science in Japan.