Reiwa 8 Kurashiki City Matchmaking Support Project "Kurashiki Koi Meguri" ~ There are also events you can join casually for 500 yen. Why not take the first step?

You’re thinking about getting married locally, but there aren’t many opportunities to meet people, and even when you do meet someone, you don’t have the courage to take the next step.

If you live or work in the Takahashi River Basin, including Kurashiki City, and have ever thought about this, why not attend a matchmaking event hosted by the local government?

The Kurashiki Relocation and Settlement Promotion Office holds matchmaking events every year, and this fiscal year (2026) the program has been given the name “Kurashiki Love Journey.” It seems a little different from previous years.

We spoke with representatives of the Kurashiki Relocation and Settlement Promotion Office, the event organizer, and e-lamp. Inc., which runs the program.

What is the 2026 Kurashiki City Matchmaking Support Program, “Kurashiki Love Journey”?

“Kurashiki Love Journey,” Kurashiki City’s matchmaking support event, is the collective name for matchmaking events hosted by Kurashiki City in fiscal year 2026. Three main types of seminars and events will be held this year.

• Experiential matchmaking event “Kura-Kon”
  A “double-talk” format featuring small groups and one-on-one conversations
• “Kura-Kon Light” for relaxed conversation
  Each 90-minute session is conversation-only. A small-scale matchmaking event with six men and six women.
• Skills seminar and networking event
  A networking event where participants can enjoy themselves while learning skills useful for future matchmaking through a seminar.

Of these, “Kura-Kon Light” is the highlight of fiscal year 2026.
With the theme “Making excitement visible,” a compatibility-matching system using Heart Date, heart-rate visualization technology, will be introduced. It was developed by e-lamp. Inc., a startup founded at Keio University that operates the program.

See the image below for details, including dates.

Interview with the planners of “Kurashiki Love Journey”

We spoke with Matsumoto Kazuya and Takami Sachiko of the Kurashiki Relocation and Settlement Promotion Office, which plans and runs “Kurashiki Love Journey,” and Tsuda Shoya of e-lamp. Inc.

Could you tell us about the thinking behind “Kurashiki Love Journey”?

Takami (honorific omitted)

Kurashiki City holds matchmaking events every year, and this year we have prepared three programs—“Kura-Kon,” “Kura-Kon Light,” and a matchmaking seminar—to provide everyone with opportunities to meet people.

“Kura-Kon” is an experiential matchmaking event. Participants enjoy sightseeing and other event activities while getting to know one another, and take part in matching at the end.

“Kura-Kon Light” is a conversation-focused event for people who aren’t comfortable socializing in large groups. Participants gather around a theme, such as hobbies, and can freely exchange contact information without matching, making it easy to join.

The “matchmaking seminar” is an entry point for taking part in events. Participants learn from an instructor how to introduce themselves and what to keep in mind, followed by a networking event where they can put what they learned into practice.

What is different from last year, and what is the highlight this year?

Matsumoto (honorific omitted)

Actually, the program’s main pillars—the experiential event and seminar—haven’t changed much from last year.

Casual opportunities to meet people, such as “Kura-Kon Light,” were also introduced last year. This time, we’re focusing on attracting participants to “Kura-Kon Light” and enhancing its content.

We heard that you’ve given this program the name “Kurashiki Love Journey.” Could you tell us what you hope to convey with the name?

Tsuda (honorific omitted)

Kurashiki City’s matchmaking program has three pillars, and we envision them connecting as a series of experiences—for example, learning at a seminar before taking part in an event.

We chose the name together with our company’s representative, Yamamoto Ayumi, to express our hope that what participants learn will truly benefit them as they “journey through” (cycle through) the events.

What are the features of “Kura-Kon Light”?

Tsuda

“Kura-Kon Light” is a small-group event with six men and six women per session. Each of the 10 sessions has a theme, such as travel or sports enthusiasts.

Each session lasts 90 minutes, and the participation fee is a flat 500 yen, making it very light in terms of both time and cost, and easy to join. Some sessions use board games to help get conversations started.

What our company is most focused on is offering an experience that is a “hybrid” of dating apps and traditional matchmaking parties. Drawing on our strengths as a Keio University startup that has researched communication, we will introduce wristband-style heart-rate monitors and a dedicated app.

If you enter a brief profile in the app beforehand, it will offer tips such as “You have this in common with this person” and “This would be a good question to ask,” helping even those who find communication difficult to have a natural conversation.

The app also provides recommendations after the event, such as “Why not message them about this?” or “How about asking them on this kind of date?” A key feature is that it supports you in building a relationship afterward, too.

Finally, do you have a message for our readers?

Takami

We’ve prepared a wide range of options to meet diverse needs, from beginners to those with experience. We’re sure there’s an event with a theme that interests you, so please feel free to join, either on your own or with a friend.

Also, as a special benefit, those who attend the matchmaking seminar will receive a coupon for 500 yen off the fee when they later attend “Kura-Kon”, so please make use of it.

Tsuda

First, just sign up for whichever event you like and come along. No special preparation is needed.

Our technology and staff support will help you feel that you “had a good conversation” and “had fun.” Just go with the flow and come ready to enjoy yourself.

From the Writer

I’ve never attended a matchmaking event, but I imagined they would be expensive and long, and that they would require a fair amount of preparation and commitment.

Of course, some people may prefer that.
But an event like “Kura-Kon Light,” which is inexpensive and short, may help some people take the first step by letting them try it out casually.

There are also initiatives that use modern tools such as apps.
If you’re interested, including in trying out this kind of technology, why not take part?

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