Some people may feel that they want to get involved in activities related to local culture or learn about local issues, but have no idea where to start.
The Takahashi River Basin Marche and F Festival, held on September 4, 2022, at the plaza of Geibunkan Hall, is an event bringing together organizations working on regional development and social issues in Okayama.
Booths run by local organizations lined the venue, where each group held workshops and performances to introduce their activities.
Here we introduce the Takahashi River Basin Marche and F Festival, an event where you can meet in person the organizations working with passion to make Okayama a better place.
The information presented was current when this article was published in October 2022. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Introduction to the Takahashi River Basin Marche and F Festival
What is an outdoor event that brings together local organizations like?
Overview of the Takahashi River Basin Marche and F Festival
The Takahashi River Basin Marche and F Festival (the F Festival) brings together organizations working on regional development and social issues, and introduces their activities through workshops and performances.
It was held on September 4, 2022, at the plaza of Geibunkan Hall and in the Ai Theater event hall.
The event was organized by the Fukutake Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture, which provides grants to organizations working on regional development and social issues in Okayama Prefecture.
With the cooperation of the Takahashi River Basin School, which promotes the culture and history of the Takahashi River Basin, local organizations active in the Bitchu area also took part.
A marche event featuring food vendors who operate mobile shops in Okayama Prefecture was also held at the same time.
The Takahashi River Basin Marche and F Festival is an event where you can enjoy food while learning about the activities of organizations working on local initiatives and social issues in Okayama Prefecture.
Organizations participating in the Takahashi River Basin Marche and F Festival
The F Festival brought together 15 local activity organizations active in Okayama.
Organizations that usually work in their own separate locations rarely get together face-to-face.
A distinctive feature of the F Festival is that local activists gather in one place.
▼The organizations that participated in the F Festival are as follows.
| Organization | Activity |
|---|---|
| NATURE TALK | Exhibition of newspapers on nature and animal conservation |
| Edible Education Okayama Study Group | Making bird calls |
| Niimi Wooden Toy Association | Hands-on experience with building-block toys |
| MSB30 | Disaster preparedness workshop |
| Yakage Elementary, Junior High, and High School Children’s Association (YKG60) | Shaved ice sales |
| Oedo Tamasure Okayama Chikufukai | Oedo Tamasure performance |
| Fukiya design | Making bamboo flutes |
| Konohitokan General Incorporated Association | Making time capsules using empty cans |
| Notre Dame Seishin University Everyone’s Shopping Street Project Team | Introduction to examples of vacant house utilization |
| Hoshi no Sato Bisei Meister & Star Guide® (Associate Sommelier) Aya Matsushima | Sales of original goods from Bisei Town, Ibara City; introduction to Bisei Town and astronomy |
| Kokeshi Marche | Mainly accessory sales |
| jam tun | Sales of clothing from Africa |
| Kibi Takumi-kai NPO | Bento sales |
| Takahashi River Basin School | Beverage sales |
Vendors participating in the marche event
The marche event was another highlight of the F Festival.
Seven food vendors that enliven marche events across Okayama Prefecture set up shop.
▼The food vendors at the F Festival were as follows.
| Vendor | Products |
|---|---|
| Tsuchiya Cola | Craft cola sales |
| Kurashiki Cheese Kobo Harupal | Cheese sales |
| Nash Curry American | Curry sales |
| Bread Cafe Atelier | Bread sales |
| Kitchen Mori no Kuma-san | Hamburger sales |
| Yakitori Nacchan | Yakitori sales |
| Le Vert | Western-style confectionery sales |
Booths run by local activity organizations
What kinds of workshops and performances did organizations working on regional development and social issues hold?
Here are the workshops the writer tried out.
“Yakappy shaved ice” by the Yakage Elementary, Junior High, and High School Children’s Association
At the booth of the Yakage Elementary, Junior High, and High School Children’s Association, commonly known as YKG60, shaved ice inspired by “Yakappy,” the mascot of Yakage Town in Oda District, was on sale.
The shaved ice recreated Yakappy’s signature green with muscat-flavored syrup or matcha, and its beak with potato chips.
YKG60 is an organization where elementary, junior high, and high school students attending schools in Yakage Town work together on local activities.
Students came all the way from Yakage Town in Oda District to sell shaved ice at the F Festival.
Despite the sweltering heat, Yakappy shaved ice was a big hit.
The students in charge of sales cheered when all the shaved ice had sold out.
Making cardboard stools with MSB30
MSB30, which plans events where people can learn disaster preparedness skills through hands-on activities, held a workshop on making cardboard stools.
MSB30 is an organization established by local junior high school students to support the recovery of Mabi, which was hit by the heavy rains in July 2018.
It runs Mabikko Frog Caravan, an event where people learn about disaster preparedness.
The high school student who taught participants to make cardboard stools at the booth had been affected by the heavy rains in July 2018 and experienced firsthand how difficult it was to sit on the floor for long periods in an evacuation shelter gymnasium.
They explained, drawing on their own experience, how useful cardboard stools are because they can be quickly made from the cardboard that arrives with relief supplies.
NATURE TALK’s newspaper on nature and wildlife conservation
At NATURE TALK (Nature Talk), a junior high school student creates a newspaper on the effects of climate change, poaching, and other issues on wildlife, all by themselves.
The booth displayed newspapers they had made, and visitors could learn about the realities facing endangered wildlife such as tigers, elephants, and rhinos.
They also held a workshop where participants drew tiger stripes.
The worksheets showed changes in tiger populations, making this a workshop where participants could learn about the plight of endangered tigers.
Interview with Hiroko Wada, organizer of the Takahashi River Basin Marche and F Festival
We spoke with Wada Hiroko, who oversees the Takahashi River Basin Marche and and F Festival on behalf of the Fukutake Foundation for Education and Culture, about the event.
Here, we introduce the ideas behind the Takahashi River Basin Marche and and F Festival.
What stood out to you at today's event?
Wada (honorific omitted)
What stood out to me was seeing our foundation, organizations affiliated with the Takahashi River Basin School, and restaurants active across Okayama Prefecture all gathered together.
Until now, there have been opportunities for exchange among grant recipient organizations, such as at our foundation's project report meetings, but there have been no opportunities to connect with other organizations.
With the cooperation of the Takahashi River Basin School, and F Festival made it possible to hold an event with local activity groups and restaurants from the Bitchu area taking part.
It seems that many groups had never had the chance to talk before, despite knowing about one another's activities, and were able to speak for the first time at and F Festival.
I feel that creating a place for activists to connect across areas and affiliated organizations was a major achievement.
Did the event lead to any meaningful connections?
Wada
The groups at and F Festival were engaged in activities with a strong affinity.
For example, the African fabric brand jam tun and NATURE TALK, which independently produces a newspaper about wildlife conservation, seem to have a lot in common.
The junior high school student who represents NATURE TALK is interested in overseas countries, including developing nations, and there is probably a lot they could learn from jam tun's representative, who has experience working in Africa.
Seeing people who had never met before visiting one another's booths and enjoying themselves gave me a sense that new value could emerge.
Would you like to continue holding and F Festival in the future?
Wada
Many activists came together, and we were able to create a place for them to connect, so I feel that and F Festival was a success.
Connections across areas and affiliated organizations may lead to new projects and new value.
I hope to hold events in other areas as well, not just the Bitchu area, where activists can meet face to face, and bring new culture and value to Okayama.
A visit to the Takahashi River Basin Marche and F Festival
Many people may want to take part in local activities but not know where to start.
At and F Festival, you can meet in person people working to make Okayama more fun and more vibrant.
If you hear about the ideas that inspire these activists, you'll surely discover something you'd like to do yourself.
Why not visit and F Festival as a gateway to local activities?
Photo courtesy of: @86ikachan_photo
Takahashi River Basin Marche and F Festival details
| Name | Takahashi River Basin Marche and F Festival |
|---|---|
| Dates | Held irregularly |
| Location | 1-18-1 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Website | Fukutake Foundation for Education and Culture |
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