Start a Research of my Hometown by SIT

From October of 2021, the architecture laboratory of Associate Professor Michiko Okano (also a practitioner architect), Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT) will conduct a research on the theme of declining birthrate and aging population and vacant house problems in Iwawada, Onjuku Town from a concrete approach and architectural perspective that will lead to regional revitalization 🙏🙏🙏

Greetings in advance

Prior to the start of the lab activity in October, I went to the preliminary greetings to the related places with an associate professor Okano today.
First of all, we went to the Onjuku Town Hall and greeted the mayor of Onjuku-town.

Associate professor Okano said,
“No way you can meet Michael Graves’ architecture here” 😲

After that, we moved to Iwawada and gave a greeting to the head and managing director of the fishery cooperative, and at the end to the mayor of Iwawada.
This time, I had set a schedule of 15 minutes each on the premise of a light greeting, but when we started talking, all of us were not able to stop talking.. so it was half a day full of schedule.

Even so, we were able to hear their thoughts and hopes for Iwawada and received warm support.
I am looking forward to the activities from October.

Walkthrough rehearsal in Iwawada

After a series of greetings, Yuriko and Chika, the members of Onjuku Gardening Club joined us and we rehearsed walking around Iwawada district.

It’s an aging village, so if you walk in the middle of the road with four girls chatting loudly, you’ll get a lot of attention.

Dear local residents,
We would like to introduce the activities to you in the near future.

Visit airbnb place

Mr. and Mrs. Yasuda agreed to meet us willingly even though I suddenly contacted personally through the airbnb site. Mr. Yasuda is from Tokyo and Mrs. Yasuda is from Nagano, and both of them surf, so it was the decisive factor that they moved to Iwawada.

The building was renovated by themselves and it is beautifully finished as shown in this photo. They are very good with their hands such as peeling off tatami mats, putting floors on them, and painting walls. Mrs. Yasuda was excited to talk about surfing with Yuriko. Although I was born and brought up here, I can’t surf, so I was a little jealous😂

I was very happy to see that the circle of friends at Onjuku has expanded a little today.
Also, in October, we will visit them with the students again.

Schedule ahead

Next, on October 5th, Associate Professor Okano and her students will come to Iwawada.
I am looking forward to discovering new things and meeting new people by walking around the area together and talking with the residents.

This lab activity is scheduled from October 2021 to February 2022.