Mayu Shono: It's Not Proposals That Move Regions

"If this Kuri-kanoko (chestnut paste) were cute, maybe more people would learn about the charm of Obuse Town."

This thought, which I had while a student at SFC, led to the founding of Hapikira FACTORY—a company that makes regional products "cute" to promote and sell them. This year marks our 12th year of activity.

My involvement with regional areas began in the summer of 2010, when I participated in a town-building 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 town-building mainly referred to urban planning and architectural initiatives. In the midst of that, I fell in love with the town of Obuse through the internship I happened to join. I began promoting and selling Obuse's famous confection, "Kuri-kanoko (Obusedo)," by making it "cute" for my own generation.

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

"Marron University," which started in the 2018 academic year, is a program where I work with current SFC students as a Project Assistant Professor at the Keio University Graduate School to engage in regional manufacturing while utilizing the students' perspectives. Last year, in collaboration with Tokyo Kaikan, we developed products using Obuse apples as amuses-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 while their planning and proposals may be somewhat unrefined, their straightforward passion is what truly moves regions and society. This year marks my 10th year since graduating from SFC, and compared to my student days, I have gained experience and become capable of a certain level of ingenuity.

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