On January 29th, the final session of the “Yanominami Project” was held! For this third and final session, the children completed the pieces they had been working on throughout the earlier classes! Specifically, they hammered in the components while adjusting the overall balance, decorated the plywood base, and attached the letters. The base used a material resembling grass, and the children were thrilled to work with this unusual material. It was impressive to see them decorating with such enjoyment.
For the lettering, they carved the project name “Time and Space’s Annual Rings,” which the children themselves came up with, onto the table leg components. They also attached the letters “YANOMINAMI”! The design turned out incredibly cute, featuring a brilliant idea from an elementary school student: turning the ‘O’ in “YANOMINAMI” into a clock!
The completed work will be installed in the school’s entranceway. We hope it will be cherished not only by the children involved in its creation but also by future students who will enroll here!
In the latter part of the class, we held a roundtable discussion-style lecture featuring professionals from various fields: university professors, furniture craftsmen, carpenters, designers, architects, filmmakers, and university students.
Through this project, we students also gained much inspiration from the children’s sensibilities and the skills of the professional artisans. This project is a continuous effort spanning three years. While this year’s activities have concluded for now, we look forward to continuing our collaboration with everyone at Yano Minami Elementary School next year and beyond, aiming to build on this success for even better activities.
The second session of the “Yanomi Project,” conducted with Yano Minami Elementary School and Sakura Saku, took place on January 16th. During the first session, we dismantled surplus desks and chairs together with the elementary school students. In the second session, we progressed with creating artwork by securing the dismantled furniture parts to pre-made bases using nails and screws.
This time, approximately 40 elementary students were divided into six groups. Similar to the previous session, they worked in groups focused on dismantling furniture, attaching parts to the base, and designing the letters for the artwork. After some dismantling and securing of parts was completed, it was wonderful to see the students happily enjoying the workshop, each choosing their favorite task!
What started as a simple circular base transformed as the students attached numerous pieces. By the end of the session, it had become an impressive and beautiful piece. It was memorable seeing the students happily using tools they rarely get to handle, like impact drivers and pneumatic nailers, under professional guidance!
Finally, the design team proposed names for the piece, and after a vote by the elementary students, it was named “The Rings of Time and Space”! Production will now continue with the university students and Sakura Saku, with completion planned for the third and final session! We can’t wait to see the finished piece!
On 23rd December, we held the Kakura Stone Wall Seminar’s year-end party! With new lab members joining us this year and third-year undergraduates also attending, it became our largest year-end gathering ever!
It’s heartwarming. Next year too, we intend to enjoy university life together, faculty and students alike, working hand in hand.
2026 is just around the corner. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!!
We enjoyed delicious meat and vegetables while spending a lively and fun time together. This time, we also got to use the pizza oven and tried our hand at various dishes like roasted sweet potatoes!
Additionally, the filmmaker who has been supporting the Yano Minami Elementary School project joined us. We had the opportunity to hear fascinating stories not only about furniture but also about the world of filmmaking.
Gathering around the bonfire, we had many conversations. This not only deepened our connections with the people involved in the Yano Minami Elementary School project but also allowed us to thoroughly discuss how to proceed with future projects. It was an extremely fruitful day.
This project began in 2022, and last fiscal year marked the completion of renovations to the former police officers’ quarters. This fiscal year, under the theme “A Place to Make Your Dreams Come True,” we are conducting trial operations, including holding events and workshops approximately once or twice a month!
As part of these efforts, we held an exterior wall painting workshop in September and an interior wall plastering workshop in October, further transforming the building beyond its original state!
Additionally, at the event held in December, we hosted a collaborative exhibition by emerging artists and food sales, welcoming our highest number of visitors to date. Throughout this past year, we are truly delighted to have felt a strong connection with so many people. ✨
12月 一階の様子12月 二階コラボ展の様子
今後とも本活動へのご理解と応援を、どうぞよろしくお願いいたします!
We sincerely appreciate your continued understanding and support for our activities!
On 16 December, we held the third workshop for Chugoku Electric Power’s Energia Research Institute ABW Implementation Project! This time, we held it at Hiroshima University’s Higashi-Senda Campus for a change of scenery. It was a calm, warm space – a place that really sparked ideas.
Building on ideas from previous workshops, participants formed three mixed teams of employees and students. They discussed specific concepts, zoning, functions, and circulation plans, culminating in presentations by each team.
In this project, the implementation of ABW itself is not the objective; rather, it must serve as a means to foster the unique innovation that arises from bringing together specialists from diverse fields within this institute. To this end, we engaged in vigorous discussions involving both staff and students, translating abstract concepts into concrete plans while anticipating actual usage scenarios.
Some teams focused on comprehensive ideas, while others centred on employee development, with each group producing distinctive outputs. During the latter part of the workshop, all teams freely brainstormed points of interest and ideas they wished to explore using models. The key sticking point for future discussions remains how to utilise the large central void…
At last, the full picture of our renovated office is coming into view! Keep an eye out for what happens next!!
On December 12th, we held a workshop with elementary school students from Yano Minami Elementary School to disassemble school desks and chairs! This was the first joint class for our furniture upcycling project, and while it was the students’ first time disassembling furniture, they all participated in the dismantling work with great enthusiasm!
In the first period, sakurasaku gave a lecture on furniture-making techniques, the cycle of wood, and the work of carpenters, architects, and graphic designers.
During the second and third periods, we actually dismantled desks and chairs from unused classrooms. Since dismantling requires some skill, some elementary school students struggled at first. However, with advice from the sakurasaku staff on how to apply force and use the tools, the students gradually got the hang of it and managed to dismantle nearly all the target number of desks and chairs!
Additionally, although this was a dismantling workshop held within a limited timeframe, elementary school students actively participated, and some children asked questions and chatted with sakurasaku and the university students. This makes me think the upcoming workshop where we’ll create crafts using the dismantled furniture will be a lot of fun too.
This presentation meeting is a venue for students to share various community contribution activities, and this year, a total of 19 universities and technical colleges participated.
This presentation session serves as a platform for students to share their diverse community service activities. This year, 19 universities and technical colleges participated.
Additionally, I was able to interact with students involved in various fields such as agriculture, sports, calligraphy, and music, gaining new inspiration and learning opportunities.🌱
引き続き、地域とともに歩む活動を進めてまいります!
We will continue to advance our activities alongside the community!