Keio Water

2016/06/06

"Keio Water" was launched in August 2013. The bottle features an eye-catching, elegant, and simple design based on the Sanshokuki (the three-colored flag), with a thin red line on a navy blue background, The Pen Mark in the center, and The Pen Mark also on the cap.

This "Keio Water" was proposed and brought to life by Keio students from SFC as one of the measures to foster human bonds and culture through the water from the foothills of Mt. Fuji. This initiative was based on a partnership agreement concluded in 2007 with Yamanashi Prefecture and Fujiyoshida City, with the students conducting research on regional revitalization utilizing local resources. Furthermore, research by the Keio students has revealed that the water is of high quality, mildly alkaline, and rich in vanadium, having seeped into Mt. Fuji from an altitude of approximately 2,000 meters and emerged as spring water after about 30 years. It has a very soft mouthfeel and a hint of sweetness.

To bring the Keio students' project to fruition, faculty and staff members joined in its development. A key focus was to imbue "Keio Water" with multiple meanings, as suggested in the students' proposal. Specifically, while commercializing a local natural resource is one form of regional contribution, other goals included allocating the sales revenue to Keio University's scholarship fund and having the manufacturing company contribute through its sales to a foundation that supports the environmental conservation of Mt. Fuji and regional revitalization. Incidentally, this community fund (Fujiyoshida Minna no Chokinbako Foundation) was also established based on a proposal from the Keio students. The product is manufactured by Fuji Mineral Water Co., Ltd., which was founded in 1929 and was the first company in Japan to sell mineral water. In addition to being served as table water at events with official guests, it is also available at long-established restaurants and other establishments.

The design of the plastic bottle was selected from 16 proposals after a review by approximately 40 faculty and staff members and feedback from Keio students. The design was conceived with the idea that it could be used in any setting, drawing inspiration from the designs of mineral water bottles used in hotels both in Japan and abroad. The result is a design with a color scheme that instantly conveys the Keio identity, possessing an elegance that is accepted by a wide range of generations. The significance of this water is also described on the back of the bottle.

"Keio Water," created through the collaboration of Keio students, faculty and staff, and the local community, has thus become a distinctive product with two significant purposes: its sales revenue is allocated to the scholarship fund, and it also contributes to regional revitalization and environmental conservation with the cooperation of the manufacturer.

It is now widely used and appreciated in many settings, such as at events hosted by the Juku, as table water at Mita-kai gatherings, and distributed during open campus events. In addition to being sold over the counter and by mail order, it is also available in vending machines on each campus, and many visitors purchase it as a souvenir of their visit.

(Erika Kuroda, Office of Alumni Affairs)