JAL PAK, a member of the JAL Group, is holding the “Travel Academy,” a program to experience local communities through travel and learning, where participants can find hints for their lives from rich lifestyles in Japan and abroad. At the Travel Academy, lecturers are invited who are engaged in activities rooted in the local community, and they give lectures from various angles to those who are considering emigrating or starting a business, including the current situation and future prospects. In addition, the tour also includes a visit to the local area and an exchange program, and is gaining popularity as a tour that allows participants to learn more about the region from the knowledge they have acquired through classroom lectures and from the sensory experience they have gained through their five senses. This time, three lecturers who are engaged in regional revitalization and business creation in Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture, will teach “Introduction to ‘Local Side Business’ to Make the Most of Yourself in the Region: Creating Another Place to Live and Another Role to Play. The second lecturer was Hima Furuta, president of umari. Mr. Furuta has been involved in a number of regional productions and corporate branding projects, including “Marunouchi Morning University.” He is also involved in the “UDON HOUSE,” an inn that conveys Sanuki Udon noodle culture, and is creating mechanisms to connect Japan and other countries.
A local perspective, not a global one, is important. Mr. Furuta says that a unique perspective is important when doing business outside of cities, such as in regional development or contributing to local communities. If one tries to start a business based on global logic, it is necessary to consider the scale of the business in units of 100,000 people, and even a spectacular start can eventually lead to withdrawal. What is needed is a way of thinking that emphasizes the importance of community. Communities tend to be dismissed as small businesses, but from a global perspective, even a low-value mountain can be a treasure trove for some people. It is important to dig out what is interesting and attractive there and communicate it to those who need it, rather than appealing to or preparing for many directions. Don’t you think that’s what we should be doing in the community? I think that is what we should be doing in our community,” he explained.
Mr. Furuta explained that it is important to find a value that is different from others, as high value alone is not enough to sustain a business. This means that there is a value that is different from others. As a reference example, he cited his “Sanuki Udon Gifted Education Kit,” a package that makes 10 servings of Sanuki udon, and comes with a picture book-like workbook so that even children can enjoy making udon. The passion and love for udon among the people of Kagawa Prefecture is unbelievable, and this is matched by the desire to pass this on to the children of sons and daughters who have left for places like Tokyo and Osaka, and orders from grandparents with grandchildren are coming in one after another. There, he introduced this as an example that fits perfectly with the respective needs of parents for food education through experience and grandparents for communication through the kits.
Mitoyo City, where people began to gather through a mutual aid system, has become a center of attention. He has since deepened his relationship with the local community through his involvement in the establishment of the “UDON HOUSE,” an inn that promotes Sanuki udon culture. He explained that what he wanted to convey to the participants this time was the importance of building a relationship of “mutual aid. During the high-growth period, people’s lives were supported by self-help and public assistance, but as the population declined, large corporations withdrew, and governments consolidated, it became difficult for residents to continue their lives. However, when the population declined, large companies withdrew, and the government was forced to consolidate and close down, residents found it difficult to continue living. Complaining that politics was to blame or that companies were negligent did not solve the problem, so they tried to solve it through mutual assistance to the extent that they could. One example of mutual aid is Chibogahama Beach, a popular tourist destination. Chabogahama Beach, now called the Salt Lake Uyuni of the Seto Inland Sea, was a sandy beach covered with garbage 30 years ago, and a land reclamation plan had been launched with a view to attracting factories to the area. A volunteer group of seven people who opposed the plan began cleaning up the beach and continued to do so in a small way, but now the entire town engages in weekly cleanup activities. As a result, various changes took place, and people began to work together to make business possible, and various stores opened in the surrounding area. He explained that this is the result of a system of mutual aid.
© Source travel watch
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