Mayu Shono: It's Not Proposals That Move Regions

2023/06/20

"If this Kuri Kanoko were 'kawaii,' maybe more people would discover the charm of Obuse Town."

The activities of Hapikira FACTORY, a company that makes local products "kawaii" to promote and sell them, began with this idea I had while a student at SFC and is now in its 12th year.

My involvement with local regions began in the summer of 2010, when I participated in a community development internship in Obuse Town, Nagano Prefecture, through an introduction from Professor Yuichiro Shimizu of SFC.

At that time, the concept of "regional revitalization" did not yet exist, and community development mainly focused on urban planning and architecture. In the midst of that, I fell in love with the town of Obuse, which I encountered through an internship I happened to join. I then began making Obuse's famous confection, "Kuri Kanoko (Obusedo)," "kawaii" for my generation to promote and sell.

Since then, Hapikira FACTORY's activities have expanded beyond Obuse Town, giving us opportunities to make local products "kawaii" all across Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Saga Prefecture in the south. When I first started the company, I was strongly committed to creating things with my own hands, but since then, I have gradually changed how I engage with regions—such as by training people who can create products and building organizations—and I continue my activities today.

"Marron University," which began in fiscal 2018, is a program where I work with current SFC students as a Project Assistant Professor at the Keio University Graduate School to engage in local manufacturing while leveraging the students' perspectives. Last year, in collaboration with Tokyo Kaikan, we developed products using apples from Obuse as amuse-bouches for "Restaurant Prunier," which earned one star in the "Michelin Guide Tokyo 2023," and as items for "Sweets & Gifts."

Working daily with current students, I feel that although their planning and proposals may be a bit unrefined, their straightforward passion is what truly moves regions and society. This year marks my 10th year since graduating from SFC, and compared to when I was a student, I have gained experience and become capable of a certain level of ingenuity.

However, precisely because of where I am now, seeing the students makes me feel strongly once again that I want to cherish that straightforward passion for the regions and for society.