After the period of measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, it seems that there is an increasing value placed on activities that "connect people" and "create spaces," and more people engaged in these efforts are being highlighted.
In Okayama Prefecture, the "Traveling Human Development and Town Development Forum" is held several times a year at venues that energize the community, with keywords like "human development" and "town development."
The venue for the forum on July 20, 2025 (Sunday) will be an area starting from the Tamashima Seishin-cho Shopping Street.
We will introduce the reasons why Seishin-cho Shopping Street was chosen as the venue for the forum and the highlights of the day.
What is the "Traveling Human Development and Town Development Forum"?
The Traveling Human Development and Town Development Forum aims to take a step towards a better community through the introduction of practices that align with the characteristics and challenges of each region and through interaction among participants.
The forum started in 2021, organized by the Okayama Prefectural Board of Education, but since 2023, it has continued without interruption, changing its organizing body to the "Human Development and Town Development Forum Executive Committee," composed mainly of education-related members.
The biggest feature is that, as the title suggests, the forum is held at venues that travel throughout Okayama Prefecture.
The venue for the forum on July 20, 2025 (Sunday) in Kurashiki City, Tamashima, will be the seventh location.
Focusing on the area around Seishin-cho Shopping Street and the Tamashima Community Center Room 2, the following programs are planned.
- Town walk (Seishin-cho Shopping Street)
- Practice presentations (Tamashima Community Center)
- Networking time (Tamashima Community Center)
Please check the following images for details.
Participation is free, but pre-registration is required.
Interview with the Executive Committee
We spoke with Kawasaki Yoshimi from the Human Development and Town Development Forum Executive Committee about the reasons for choosing Tamashima's Seishin-cho Shopping Street as the venue for the forum and how to enjoy the day.
Please tell us why you chose Tamashima as the venue for this forum.
Kawasaki (no honorifics)
In Tamashima, there has been an initiative called "Tamashima Innovation Meeting - A Meeting to Consider the Future of Tamashima and Businesses" since 2021, where young local entrepreneurs gather. Currently, a project called the Tamashima Revival Project (hereinafter referred to as "Tamari Project") is underway, which aims to effectively utilize the site of the public bath "Minato-yu," which closed 12 years ago, in collaboration with local students.
I became interested in Tamashima after attending the presentation of the Tamari Project's results in January 2025, which was very intriguing.
Tamashima has educational resources from kindergarten to university, creating an environment where people of various ages can engage with the community.
The local residents also live in a way that connects people and provides spaces in the Seishin-cho Shopping Street. I wanted more people to know about these efforts, which is why I chose Tamashima as the venue.
What kind of participants have attended the past six venues?
Kawasaki
Participants have included middle and high school students to people in their 60s who are interested in social education, town development, and space creation.
There is a wide age range, and it seems that there are about equal numbers of men and women from various age groups.
Many participants are repeat attendees, coming not only from within Okayama Prefecture but also from the Chubu, Kansai, and San'in regions.
The flow of the day is the same at every venue, starting with a town walk in the morning, followed by practice presentations and a networking event in the afternoon. However, this forum allows participants to experience the region where the practice presentations are being held on foot, so there should be new discoveries at each venue.
Are there any unique plans for the Tamashima venue?
Kawasaki
The town walk held in the morning is likely to be unique.
The spots introduced in the afternoon's practice presentations are all within walking distance, so participating in the morning town walk will make the afternoon presentations feel more real. I hope many people will join the town walk.
In past events, the town walk has been very well received.
Additionally, at the forum venue in the afternoon, high school students from Tamashima will sell local sweets called wagashi.
Tamashima, which prospered as a port town for the Kitamae-bune (Northbound ships), has a culture of tea and wagashi that has been passed down from the tea ceremony culture of Kyoto, and this culture of enjoying tea and wagashi still remains.
Please enjoy the wagashi from Tamashima.
What kind of topics will be discussed in the practice presentations?
Kawasaki
The first topic will be about the Tamari Project.
There will also be practice presentations from the shopping street association president of Seishin-cho Shopping Street and individuals involved in physical expression art in the shopping street.
Saito (no honorifics)
I will be presenting the second topic.
I moved to Tamashima from Aichi Prefecture due to marriage, and I currently operate a rental space in Seishin-cho Shopping Street and serve as the shopping street president.
Seishin-cho Shopping Street has a retro appearance, but many new businesses are emerging that utilize the existing buildings, making it a very interesting shopping street.
I want to share the charm of Seishin-cho Shopping Street with all the participants.
What do you want participants to feel through this forum?
Kawasaki
It is rare for a forum to be held in a "traveling" location.
I hope participants will enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime encounters that arise from actually visiting the region and interacting with others.
Moreover, the beauty of Tamashima's town development lies in the focus on "how to use what already exists."
Seishin-cho Shopping Street may seem like an old town, but there are many new initiatives that utilize the old buildings.
The practice presentations this time will all be about efforts to effectively utilize things that have existed in Tamashima for a long time, involving people of various ages in the community.
I hope participants will take lessons from Tamashima's human development and town development and apply them in their own regions.
Please give a message to the readers.
Kawasaki
This forum will be held for the seventh time.
Once again, it will be a program full of substance, allowing participants to touch upon the history and culture of the Tamashima region and the thoughts of those active in this area.
Please come to Tamashima and experience the "Traveling Human Development and Town Development Forum."
Conclusion
Previously, I was invited by an acquaintance to attend a local event held in Seishin-cho Shopping Street.
When I think of shopping streets, I have the impression that they are strongly tied to long-standing communities, and it can feel somewhat difficult to enter if you live in other areas of Kurashiki City.
However, when I actually spoke with the community members, I was surprised to learn that people from various backgrounds, including those living outside the shopping street, newcomers, and those involved in education and art, gather with the desire to energize Tamashima.
This time as well, the town walk will be led by architects, and the practice reports will feature university professors, newcomers, and people involved in art, making it a forum with diverse perspectives on the charm of Tamashima, which is very interesting.
For those who are "nervous because it's their first time attending," please feel free to approach the executive committee members wearing light blue T-shirts.
They are all professionals involved in "human development," such as in education, so you can feel at ease.
Why not take a step towards a better community by traveling to Tamashima?
Data on the Traveling Human Development and Town Development Forum in Tamashima
| Name | Traveling Human Development and Town Development Forum in Tamashima |
|---|---|
| Date | July 20, 2025 (Sunday) 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM |
| Location | 1-10-1 Agasaki, Tamashima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture (Tamashima Community Center Room 2) |
| Participation Fee (Tax Included) | Free |
| Website | Traveling Human Development and Town Development Forum |
