“I want to spotlight the people who are working hard in the community and introduce them to the children.”
With this sentiment, the “Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.1” was published in 2021.
It was published by the Kasaoka Education DMO, a general incorporated association.
The Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.1 featured people working in Kasaoka City, Okayama.
Then, after more than a year since Vol.1, the “Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.2” was completed in January 2023.
The second edition, “Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.2,” focused on 10 current members of the Kasaoka Community Revitalization Cooperators and their seniors.
We conducted an interview about the “Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.2,” which is filled with the charm of adults engaged in various activities.
The information provided is based on the article published in March 2023. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the “Kasaoka Education DMO” that published the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.2?
Kasaoka Education DMO was established in June 2020.
It is an organization that mainly supports community collaboration activities through “problem-solving learning” and “collaborative learning” with high schools in Kasaoka City.
While engaging with middle and high school students in Kasaoka City, it aims to realize a sustainable community by enhancing the local human resource development capacity.
To help middle and high school students learn more about the adults working in Kasaoka City, the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.1 was published.
Then, in January 2023, Vol.2, which focused on the Kasaoka Community Revitalization Cooperators, was delivered to middle and high school students in Kasaoka City.
Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.2 focuses on 10 members of the Kasaoka Community Revitalization Cooperators
Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.1 featured various individuals active in Kasaoka City.
Vol.2 highlights 10 current and former members of the Kasaoka Community Revitalization Cooperators.
Let’s introduce them in the order they appear.
- Iseki Ryuhei - Owner of Rokushima Hama Brewery
- Muyayumi - Owner of Saishoku KUa
- Dono Hiroyuki - Representative of Free School Hagukumi
- Osuga Tomoya - CEO / Co-founder of Pairdata LLC
- Terada Iori - Current cooperator / Representative of KakeruX Co., Ltd.
- Hiraoka Kenji - Current cooperator / Representative of NPO Hitomachi Studio
- Takei Hironobu - Current cooperator
- Takei Shiori - Current cooperator
- Kondo Koji - Current cooperator
- Okamoto Mamiko - Current cooperator
There are 6 current Community Revitalization Cooperators and 4 former cooperators who are now active in Kasaoka.
These 10 individuals are energetically active in their respective fields.
The booklet includes reasons for coming to Kasaoka, future prospects, and messages for middle and high school students.
The words backed by experience will surely resonate with middle and high school students.
Interview about the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia
Regarding the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia, we spoke with Terada Iori, the representative director of the Kasaoka Education DMO, Imai Tomoki, an intern from the Kasaoka Community Revitalization Cooperators who played a central role in creating Vol.2, and Okamoto Mamiko, who was responsible for the design of Vol.2.
Imai Tomoki is the current high school student and president of Ligula Co., Ltd.!
He is a high school entrepreneur who came to Kasaoka City as a limited-time intern for the Community Revitalization Cooperators from Kyoto for three months starting in November 2022.
Expanding future options for middle and high school students through the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia
Could you tell us about the background of creating the “Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.1”?
Terada (no honorific)
When middle and high school students think about their future, they often don’t know what kind of adults are in the community they live in.
I thought that by getting them to know the adults who are working hard in their community, they might develop a desire to meet such people or hear their stories, thus connecting them with the adults living in Kasaoka City.
When we discussed creating something that could be distributed in schools as a means to introduce these adults, the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia was born.
What was the response to Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.1?
Terada
We produced 3,000 copies of Vol.1 and distributed them to middle schools and high schools in Kasaoka City, community centers, and town development councils.
The individuals featured in Vol.1 were not well known to middle and high school students, but many expressed that it was good to learn that there are interesting adults doing activities in Kasaoka by reading the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia.
Why did you decide to feature the Community Revitalization Cooperators in Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.2?
Terada
When introducing people active in the community, I thought that the Community Revitalization Cooperators could be one of the categories to highlight.
Since each Community Revitalization Cooperator has different fields of activity, they may know people in their own field but not others.
To help more people in the community and middle and high school students learn about them, we decided to feature the Community Revitalization Cooperators in Vol.2.
A character encyclopedia created in a very short period
After deciding to feature the Community Revitalization Cooperators, when did you start preparing for Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.2?
Terada
The concept of focusing on the Community Revitalization Cooperators in Vol.2 had been in place for about a year, but the actual preparation began in November 2022.
I decided to create it with high school students I was connected with.
Two high school students participated in the editing.
The “Student Support Free Magazine” SIIP (Sheep) is also a booklet created mainly by high school students, but unlike SIIP, the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia was handled by the student organization CREN.
In addition to the two from CREN, Imai-kun also participated as he is a high school student, making a total of three high school students who took the lead in the production.
While Vol.1 was mainly produced by the Community Revitalization Cooperators, Vol.2 can be said to be a booklet published by high school students with Imai-kun as the leader.
Starting in November, it must have been quite challenging to begin the booklet production and have it published in January 2023?
Terada
The three high school students worked hard on the overall design and structure of the booklet, as well as conducting interviews and writing.
The cover design was created by Okamoto Mamiko, a designer from the Community Revitalization Cooperators.
Since we actually started moving in November, it was quite hard...
We conducted interviews in 20 days and designed it in 10 days, and then printed it at the beginning of the new year.
After the interviews, they also had to write the articles.
I think the three high school students felt quite pressured (laughs).
The interviews and writing were entrusted to the three high school students, while Okamoto-san handled the cover design and layout, listening to the requests of the high school members to finalize the layout.
As a representative of the pressured high school students, Imai, did you feel any difficulties or challenges while conducting interviews and writing articles?
Imai
When it comes to writing an article, I have to write what the interviewee truly thinks, but it was really difficult to understand and capture their feelings within the short interview time and then write as if I were that person.
I really felt the difficulty of someone else writing what another person thinks.
However, I think it would be amazing to develop the ability to understand others' feelings.
Even though you are all high school students, how did you communicate and progress with the other two students from different schools while creating the booklet?
Imai
We did consult online, but we mostly met in person to discuss and move forward.
I met the other two for the first time when we started making the character encyclopedia, but since we are in the same grade, it felt like creating it with friends.
Were most of the interviews conducted online?
Imai
Yes, the interviews I conducted in person were with Terada-san, Kondo-san, and Okamoto-san.
The other interviews were conducted online.
How did you feel when the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia was completed after the intense editing period?
Imai
I felt like shouting, “We did it!” and I was filled with a sense of accomplishment and relief (laughs).
It was a whirlwind editing period, but it was really fun!
I had no idea about the Community Revitalization Cooperators before, but each person has a story, and it felt like I was interviewing them as if I were watching a drama.
About the cover design of the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia
The cover of Vol.2 features a design of colorful human shapes on a white background.
We asked Okamoto Mamiko, who was responsible for the design, on a different day.
What were your thoughts while designing it?
Okamoto (no honorifics)
Kasaoka has unique characteristics, culture, and history for each region and island.
Moreover, the members of the Kasaoka Community Revitalization Cooperators are diverse individuals with various lifestyles and thoughts.
I expressed the attractive Kasaoka City, where such diverse colors of regions and people come together, as a single character (following the text of the character encyclopedia).
Since it is a booklet aimed at students, I aimed for a design that is visually pop and exciting.
I heard that you also considered the layout of the articles and images. What are the key points regarding the layout?
Okamoto
Manabe Island is red, Shiraishi-jima Island is blue, etc., so I color-coded the regions where each member of the Community Revitalization Cooperators is active to make it easy to understand.
Additionally, I chose natural photos with beautiful smiles that convey the warm atmosphere of the cooperators, their activities, and their enjoyment of life.
While designing, I learned that “there are such ways of thinking and feeling,” so I believe this will broaden the perspectives and values of those who read it.
The future of the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia
Please tell us about the future developments of the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia.
Terada
As the Kasaoka Education DMO, we are considering publishing the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia once a year.
I think the next one will be around January 2024, but the high school students who were involved in editing Vol.2 will be in the middle of their exam season, so I think we will proceed while recruiting new members.
I would be happy if high school students who want to participate raise their hands.
Kasaoka Community Revitalization Cooperators and Kasaoka from the Perspective of Interns
Imai, while creating the character encyclopedia, I think you interacted with many people living in Kasaoka.
After living in Kasaoka for three months, how do you feel about Kasaoka?
Imai
I really like Kasaoka as a city.
How should I put it, it feels very fitting, like a sense of being local.
I occasionally return to Kyoto, but when I come back to Kasaoka from Kyoto, I feel a sense of relief (laughs).
This local feeling is like a second hometown.
Terada, you have been active in Kasaoka for quite a long time, so what is your impression of Kasaoka now?
Terada
I feel that it is a city that is easy to challenge.
When I listen to stories from other cooperators and migrants, it often starts with building relationships, and many people end up quitting halfway through because they couldn't do what they wanted to do due to various constraints.
I had heard that, so I was prepared when I came (laughs).
But I didn't experience that at all.
Kasaoka has quite a few players, and those people are already active, so I feel there is no resistance to doing something new or different.
Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Expands the Horizons of Middle and High School Students
The Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia Vol.2, which features the Kasaoka Community Revitalization Cooperators, was published in 3,000 copies and distributed to middle and high school students in Kasaoka City.
- "I want them to know that there are many different ways to work."
- "I want them to know that there are many interesting adults doing things in Kasaoka City."
Mr. Terada from the Kasaoka Education DMO said this.
I felt that it has great significance to create a booklet for high school students to convey to middle and high school students that there are diverse ways of working and that there are many players in Kasaoka.
The phrases that resonate with students gain power when edited by high school students of the same age.
"Not in the online world, but deliberately conveyed on paper."
Because it is on paper, by taking the time to hold it and read it again, they will be able to receive the feelings of the community revitalization cooperators that are between the lines.
I hope that the Kasaoka Character Encyclopedia will continue to provide hints for students who feel, "I don't know what to do."
Kasaoka Education DMO, General Incorporated Association Information
| Name | Kasaoka Education DMO, General Incorporated Association |
|---|---|
| Location | 1-2831 Kasaoka, Kasaoka City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Homepage | Kasaoka Education DMO, General Incorporated Association |
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