In July 2026, Tohoku University’s Global Learning Center conducted a community-engaged fieldwork program in Oga City, Akita Prefecture. The initiative brought together approximately 70 international students participating in the Tohoku University Japanese Program (TUJP) Summer 2, representing 20 countries and regions, including Singapore, Taiwan, the United States, Germany, and China.
The Global Learning Center actively promotes community-engaged Intercultural Collaborative Learning (ICL), an educational model in which students examine complex issues facing contemporary Japanese society from multiple perspectives and work with diverse stakeholders to co-create practical solutions. As part of this effort, the fieldwork took place in Oga, a city confronting some of Japan’s most pressing demographic and social challenges, including rapid population aging and decline. The program brought together academia, municipal government, and local business through partnerships with Oga City’s Division of Tourism and Culture and Ine to Agave Co., Ltd., a pioneering craft sake brewery advancing community revitalization through sake production.
The program was structured across three phases: pre-fieldwork preparation, on-site fieldwork, and a final proposal presentation. During the pre-fieldwork session on July 9, representatives from Oga City and Ine to Agave outlined their current initiatives, challenges, and key themes for student inquiry. Focus areas included enhancing the value of local tourism resources and services, attracting inbound visitors, advancing digital transformation (DX) in tourism, increasing tourism spending, and developing international markets for Ine to Agave’s flagship craft sake brand, Koshu Hanakaze.
From July 16 to 17, students conducted immersive fieldwork across Oga. They visited Ine to Agave’s brewery, as well as the food-processing facility, restaurants, and guest accommodations the company operates around Oga Station. The itinerary also included key local sites such as Michi-no-Eki Oga “Namahage no Sato Ogare,” Dairyuji Temple, the Namahage Museum, Oga Shinzan Folklore Museum, Mount Kanpu, and a restaurant operated by Oga Machi Kikaku Co., Ltd. Through these visits, students gained a comprehensive, first-hand understanding of Oga’s natural environment, living cultural heritage, and regional industries.
At the final presentation on July 23, students drew on global trends and case studies from their home countries and regions to present new ideas and plans for enhancing the value of extended stays in Oga, developing inbound tourism initiatives, and expanding overseas market opportunities. Shuhei Okazumi, President and CEO of Ine to Agave, joined the session to respond to students’ questions and spoke with conviction about his commitment to continuing new challenges that will help carry Oga into a better future.
The program provided a meaningful opportunity to collectively explore Oga’s challenges and future possibilities, bringing together the practical wisdom of local officials and business leaders with the diverse perspectives and values of international students. Moving forward, the Global Learning Center will continue to build strong cross-sector partnerships and advance community-engaged ICL, enabling students from diverse backgrounds to engage with real-world challenges and work with society toward the creation of new value.
