When you think of Mizushima, located in the southern part of Kurashiki City, what comes to mind?
You may have a strong image of it as an industrial area.
In fact, Mizushima is a vibrant area with many residential neighborhoods and commercial facilities, and about 90,000 people live there.
Meanwhile, the reality is that more and more shops in the long-established shopping district have closed their shutters over time.
In 2008, a group of adults came together to bring Mizushima to life.
They are the Mizushima Revitalization Team, which continues its activities in Mizushima.
They plan and run events themselves, making everything by hand. Their events are always a great success and have earned them the deep trust of local residents.
They set a concept for every event and all the team members work together toward it.
What kind of concepts do they have, and what kinds of events do they hold?
Let’s take a look at the events organized by the Mizushima Revitalization Team, one by one.
The information presented here is current as of the article’s publication in March 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the Mizushima Revitalization Team?
The Mizushima Revitalization Team is a volunteer group formed by local residents who came together to energize the town of Mizushima in Kurashiki City.
Formed in 2008, the group has planned and run numerous events on its own.
Their foremost motto is to have fun themselves.
Believing that they cannot make those around them happy unless they are having fun themselves, they always throw themselves into having a good time.
Today, around 20 team members work hard every day, aiming to become people children look up to.
Events organized by the Mizushima Revitalization Team
Since its formation, the Mizushima Revitalization Team has organized a variety of events in cooperation with its members and local organizations.
There have even been years when they ran four events in a single year.
- Lectures (2008–present)
- Mizushima Music Festival (2015)
- Mizushima Water Gun Festival (2013–2018)
- Mizukon PARTY (2014–2023)
- Isu-1 Grand Prix Mizushima (2015–2019)
- Mizushima Twilight Garden (2016–2019, 2022)
- Ablaze Garden Mizushima (2023)
- Miracle Christmas BBQ (2023)
Now, let’s look at the kinds of events the Mizushima Revitalization Team has organized.
Lectures
This was the first event and the catalyst for forming the Mizushima Revitalization Team.
The original team, which initially consisted of three people, hit it off over the idea, “Let’s bring Japan to life,” and apparently discussed how they could make Japan more vibrant.
In 2008, they invited a lecturer called Tentsuku Man, who travels all over Japan, to Kurashiki and planned a lecture.
They sold tickets themselves and handled everything by hand, from emceeing and setting up the venue to reception.
In the end, more than 400 people gathered at a venue with a capacity of 300, and the lecture was such a huge success that some people had to stand.
They continued holding lectures to energize local residents for two or three years, and apparently also held one at the local Mizushima Ai-ai Salon.
In addition to donating the profits from the lectures, they bought items such as computers and illustrated reference books and sent them to a children’s home.
Mizushima Water Gun Festival
First held in 2013 as part of the Mizushima Port Festival, this event was conceived to revitalize the Mizushima shopping district.
With the concept of giving children of the indoor generation an exhilarating experience and letting them play wholeheartedly beyond their usual limits, they planned and held a water gun festival where adults and children faced off in earnest.
This event has an epic story.
Once a year, an island called Mizushima Island appears in Mizushima.
A dragon god lives on the island, and the idea is that everyone must defeat the Four Heavenly Kings who guard it before they can meet the dragon god.
The team made a dragon god out of plastic corrugated board and set up various contraptions. Dressed as pirates and playing the Four Heavenly Kings, the team members held a full-on water gun festival with the children, using 2,000 liters of water.
During the competition, sponsoring companies provided the children with juice and ice cream. After the festival, they held a nagashi somen event using real bamboo. They successfully created a realistic event that would leave the children with lasting memories and brought excitement to summer in Mizushima.
Isu-1 Grand Prix Mizushima
Isu-1 Grand Prix is an endurance race in which teams of three race for two hours while straddling a single chair.
The event originated in Kyoto Prefecture and was started to revitalize shopping streets lined with shuttered shops.
In 2015, a team member told the others, “There’s this really fun event—why don’t we try it in Mizushima, too?” They all discussed how to make it happen and brought the idea to life.
The concept was to introduce Mizushima to people across Japan and get as many people as possible to visit.
This event is held across Japan. In some areas, it can be held with as few as 30 or 40 teams at most, but in Mizushima, more than 80 teams gathered, making it Japan’s largest Isu-1 Grand Prix.
True to its concept, many people came from outside the prefecture, and TV stations and celebrities also took part. The Isu-1 Grand Prix raised Mizushima’s profile.
Many companies from the Mizushima Industrial Complex also took part, and some incorporated the Isu-1 Grand Prix into their new employee training.
Although the event is currently on hiatus, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is one of the events that many people are hoping will resume.
Mizushima Twilight Garden
Mizushima has many bars, and apparently some people used to have a negative image of the area as a rough place.
In reality, however, it is very pleasant to live in, and there are plenty of delicious restaurants.
With the aim of improving Mizushima’s image, supporting businesses working hard in Mizushima, and encouraging as many customers as possible to visit, they began holding a market in 2016.
As the sun began to set and dusk fell, members of the Mizushima Revitalization Team lit up the park and set up sofas on the lawn.
The team members asked local residents for unwanted sofas, collected them, and recycled them for the event.
The members worked together to create a venue full of handmade touches, projecting a slideshow of Mizushima’s night scenery and having local high school students write the event sign through a calligraphy performance.
At the venue, local business owners working hard in the community set up special stalls just for the event.
Visitors enjoyed delicious drinks and food, spending a relaxing time with friends and family to the background music of live performances by professional bands.
Hundreds of people visited this event every year, making it a popular event that became a fixture in Mizushima.
Mizukon PARTY
Mizushima matchmaking parties (commonly known as Mizukon) have been held since 2011 as a project commissioned by Kurashiki City.
For the three years through 2013, they were apparently organized by the Association for Thinking About Mizushima’s Future.
When planning the fourth event in 2014, the Mizushima Cheer Squad was approached.
When they received the offer, they asked if they could put on the event with content they had devised themselves, even though it was their first attempt. They held meetings almost every day, thinking about how they could make the participants happy.
With the concept of countering the declining birthrate in mind, they created an original matchmaking event for the Mizushima Cheer Squad, supporting young people who are shy around others and being considerate of their feelings.
Their efforts paid off: many people took part, and at times the coupling success rate exceeded 80%. Some participants even got married.
In 2023, the 12th year of the event, they planned a new event, Mizukon PARTY: B-Side, called “Miracle Christmas BBQ.” With an idea unique to the Mizushima Cheer Squad, they achieved a 100% coupling rate.
About the Mizushima Cheer Squad leader
The first leader was Ozaki Katsunari.
As of February 2023, the leader is the second-generation leader, Ueda Mitsuhiko.
He is full of leadership and initiative, and draws people in with his natural cheerfulness.
Ueda is persuasive when he speaks, and his fellow members call him “Aniki, Aniki” (“Big Brother”), placing immense trust in him.
We spoke with Ueda about the Mizushima Cheer Squad.
Interview with Mizushima Cheer Squad leader Ueda Mitsuhiko
Ueda Mitsuhiko leads the Mizushima Cheer Squad.
What passionate feelings inspire him to carry out the squad’s activities?
We interviewed him.
How the Mizushima Cheer Squad was formed
Could you tell us how the Mizushima Cheer Squad came to be?
Ueda (surname only)
Fifteen years ago, I was having coffee at a cafe in Mizushima called Milk Crown with two friends I was close to at the time.
- “Young people in Japan seem so down lately.”
- “I want to bring some energy back to Japan.”
- “But first, we should liven up our hometown of Mizushima.”
- “All right! Let’s start there!”
That was how we hit it off and got started.
We then began working to hold a lecture event, and as like-minded friends gradually came together, we formed the “Mizushima Cheer Squad.”
Over the past 15 years, we have planned and carried out a variety of events, sometimes juggling four events in a single year.
You’ve held so many events. Is there anything that particularly stands out in your memory?
Ueda
The Mizushima Cheer Squad began with a lecture event, and I ended up serving as the emcee.
I thought it would be rude to meet the speaker for the first time on the day of the event, so after work I took a ferry to Shodoshima to meet “Tentsuku Man,” who was traveling all over Japan. I had only a little information and didn’t even know if I’d be able to meet him.
Fortunately, I got to meet him briefly. I said, “I’m Ueda, and I’ll be emceeing the lecture event we’re holding in Kurashiki. I look forward to working with you!” As I was about to leave after saying just that, “Tentsuku Man” called out to me, “Aniki! You’re fired up!” That moment has stayed with me.
I feel like that passionate spirit is our starting point.
About the Mizushima Cheer Squad members
What kind of people are the Mizushima Cheer Squad members?
Ueda
The Mizushima Cheer Squad is a free-spirited group that is an organization, but not an organization.
Our members come together of their own accord, so when we hold an event, everyone does what they can, within their own capacity.
We’re a special group full of unique individuals, each with their own special skills: people who are good at making things, people skilled in internet-related work, people strong in printing and public relations, people who are good at emceeing, and people with a talent for planning.
We want children to think, “I want to be an adult like that”, so we put our whole hearts into everything and have a great time doing it.
Recent events
What kinds of events have you worked on recently?
Ueda
We received requests to hold parties for middle-aged and older people, not just young people, so as a new initiative we planned “Miracle Christmas BBQ,” the B-Side of Mizukon PARTY.
The event was open to single men and women in their 40s to 60s. Rather than focusing solely on finding a marriage partner, we held it as an opportunity to meet people and enrich their lives going forward.
Participants enjoyed a barbecue at a stylish hideaway and spent a fun, lively time together. They left satisfied, with a 100% coupling rate.
We hope to continue holding events that local residents want.
What motivates you to work hard for the community?
What motivates you to work hard for the community, Ueda?
Ueda
Doing volunteer work can sometimes be challenging.
Others may wonder why we go to such lengths.
But I feel that through these experiences, I am learning so much.
Of course, we do this for the town, for everyone, and to contribute to society, but in fact, it is all benefiting us ourselves.
We get to experience things we couldn’t experience even if we paid for them.
The more you engage in community activities, the more enjoyable they become. You develop your skills and grow as a person.
Through our work with the Mizushima Cheer Squad, we have also met irreplaceable friends who share the same goals.
I think that is a treasure for life.
Looking ahead
Is there anything you have in mind for the future?
Ueda
Going forward, we’d like to have more young people take part, while we provide support behind the scenes.
We’d like high school and university students to join the squad and gain experience that helps them step up, both for the community and for themselves.
But ultimately, our desire to bring energy back to Japan remains unchanged.
With selfless love that asks for nothing in return, we will continue activities that bring joy to local residents and children.
From the Writer
When we spoke with another member of the Mizushima Cheer Squad, he replied, “The Mizushima Cheer Squad’s activities are my comfort.”
By working together with friends to accomplish activities for the community and its people, those activities can in fact become a place of emotional support and a driving force in life.
I felt that the Mizushima Cheer Squad not only carries out activities for the community, but also builds bonds and friendships among its members.
Many volunteer groups are active in the society we live in.
By taking on a challenge close to home within your means, or by joining a group, you may discover an enjoyable future that’s different from your everyday life.
What would you like to know about Kurashiki?
Enter a search term to find articles on this site
