Players responsible for revitalizing local areas across Japan come together!

■ The theme is "A device that creates a cycle that will connect to the next 100 years"

In Japan, where the population is declining, we believe that interactive revitalization of each region, rather than the concentration of resources in Tokyo, is an essential theme. The previous "Watamachi Summit" held in Oga City, Akita Prefecture, showed that the involvement of resources from outside the region in positive challenges within the region could be one way of "future town development" through the expansion of related population. Nozawa Onsen Village, Nagano Prefecture, where this summit will be held, is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the opening of its ski resort. In this land with potential, practitioners of town development from both inside and outside the region will gather under the theme of "a device that creates a cycle that will connect to the next 100 years" to explore the form of "future town development" that should be connected across generations. This is a public event for people who are challenging local revitalization all over the country, and for those who are interested in the challenge.

■ Watamachi Summit Executive Committee

Nozawa Onsen Kikaku has been working on the development of Nozawa Onsen with the vision of "making Nozawa Onsen a village the world admires," Mitsubishi Estate has launched the "Megurumeku Project" with the aim of building rich relationships between regions and cities through agriculture and food, and Mitsubishi Jisho Design has been working on projects in various cities and regions with "urban development" as its identity. The three companies are holding this summit to bring together their shared passion for "future urban development." They aim to bring back the ideas and concepts gained from this summit to the development of Nozawa Onsen, and to continue this initiative in other regions, following Oga City in Akita Prefecture and Nozawa Onsen Village in Nagano Prefecture.

Nozawa Onsen Planning Co., Ltd.

Nozawa Onsen is a village loved by many fans for its nature, blessed with mountains, greenery, and water, and its rich culture of skiing, hot springs, and festivals. However, it also faces many challenges, such as the closure of guesthouses due to the aging population, and tourism being concentrated in the winter. Nozawa Onsen Planning is creating a system to pass on culture and nature to the next generation in a sustainable way through town development. To do this, it is important for people from both inside and outside the region to work together to co-create businesses. This time, in collaboration with Mitsubishi Estate and Mitsubishi Jisho Design, we have planned an event to interact with top town development runners from all over Japan and talk about the future of Nozawa Onsen. Please take this opportunity to experience the charm of Nozawa Onsen.

Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd.

Mitsubishi Estate plans to set up a business and industry support facility related to food and agriculture in the "Uchikanda 1-chome Project (Tentative name)," scheduled for completion in 2025. Prior to the opening, the company has launched the "Megurumeku Project" to support the challenges of local producers and processors who will be responsible for the future food, agriculture, fisheries, and livestock industries. We believe that positive players from all over the country will gather in one region, create a chemical reaction, and that energy will spread across the country, leading to the creation of rich relationships between the region and the city. We hope that the Watamachi Summit will expand the possibilities for sustainable urban development in the region.

Mitsubishi Jisho Design Inc.

Today's urban development is becoming more and more important amid rapid and complex social changes. The approach is also changing dramatically against the backdrop of post-COVID era and the transition to a mature society. Mitsubishi Jisho Design has been involved in urban development in various cities and regions both in Japan and overseas, including the Otemachi, Marunouchi, and Yurakucho areas. In order to further develop the awareness and potential of "regional urban development" gained through the "Watamachi Summit" held in Oga City, Akita Prefecture in March 2023, we will be involved in the secretariat, planning and management of the second event in Nozawa Onsen Village. We hope to create a place where diverse interactions can take place in the city and participants can come into contact with the origins of urban development.

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