{"id":32666,"date":"2021-01-25T22:56:48","date_gmt":"2021-01-25T13:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kagu-higashikawa.jp\/?page_id=32666"},"modified":"2026-01-14T14:00:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T05:00:19","slug":"message","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.kagu-higashikawa.jp\/en\/message\/","title":{"rendered":"Message-EN"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\nMESSAGE<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWe are entering a time in which the value and potential of rural areas are being reconsidered. Higashikawa, the “Town of Photography,” and the “Cultural Capital of Photography,” is a beautiful town in Hokkaido, Japan. Located in a beautiful rural setting, surrounded by the Daisetsusan mountains, it is also blessed with pure groundwater. With the aim of communicating the richness of life through architecture and furniture, our town has promoted a new initiative in collaboration with architect Kengo Kuma, who has a strong interest in the use of architecture and design in rural settings.
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\nHigashikawa, with its small size and thriving furniture industry, has long implemented programs that would only be possible here: It starts with the \u201cYour Chair\u201d project, which gives the children a sense of safety and belonging from a young age. In Elementary School, the children learn while surrounded by wooden furniture. When they graduate Junior High School, as a graduation present, they take home their wooden chairs that they have used and cared for over three years. It is now time to start a new project and train the young people who will be the leaders of the next generation.
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\nArchitect Kengo Kuma has joined us in supporting our town and our region. He is an early advocate of promoting the appeal of regional communities through architecture, with a strong interest in expanding the use of local resources and educating the next generation of young people. In a sense, Kengo Kuma, who is working on regional revitalization though the world of architecture, and Higashikawa, a sparsely populated town blessed with a rich environment and a thriving furniture industry, have been working together to propose a new way of life.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Photo \u00a9Designhouse\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Higashikawa, aiming to be Japan\u2019s healthiest community, is a highly health-conscious town supported by trainers stationed through an official partner company and by its rich water resources from vast natural environment. We invite you to propose healthy furniture \u2014 pieces that promote wellness through their use, encourage reflection on the meaning of health, and embody the well-being of both people and the planet. With a broad and diverse perspective, please present your vision of healthy furniture that truly reflects the spirit of Higashikawa.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Kengo Kuma<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Head Judge \/ Architect, professor at the University of Tokyo<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Higashikawa, located roughly in the center of Hokkaido, is a town where rich nature and a vibrant woodworking culture thrive. This competition is held with the aim of passing the town\u2019s industries on to future generations and further revitalizing the community. This initiative, which connects the artistic vision of younger generations with local craftsmanship, has continued to grow each year. We look forward to receiving many entries full of creativity.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Shin Kikuchi<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Mayor of Higashikawa, the Cultural Capital of Photography and \u201cTown of Photography\u201d<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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We are deeply grateful for the support of so many people, which allows us to hold the 5th \u201cKengo Kuma & Higashikawa\u201d KAGU Design Competition. We hope that this opportunity\u2014where the woodworking skills nurtured in Higashikawa meet creative designs from around the world\u2014will generate exciting chemistry, inspiring new ideas and fostering meaningful, mutual exchanges. We warmly welcome participants from across the world.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Ikuhiro Takashima<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Chair of the \"Kengo Kuma & Higashikawa\" KAGU Design Competition Executive Committee<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Applications Closed<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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January 14, 2026<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Registration is closed as of January 14, 2026.
Thank you very much for your registration.<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Registration is closed as of January 14, 2026. Thank you very much for your registration.<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tENTRY<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u30e1\u30c3\u30bb\u30fc\u30b8 MESSAGE We are entering a time in which the value and potential of rural areas are being…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/www.kagu-higashikawa.jp\/?page_id=32661","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-32666","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","en-US"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMessage - "Kengo Kuma & Higashikawa" KAGU Design Competition<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kagu-higashikawa.jp\/en\/message\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Message - "Kengo Kuma & Higashikawa" KAGU Design Competition\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u30e1\u30c3\u30bb\u30fc\u30b8 MESSAGE We are entering a time in which the value and potential of rural areas are being...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kagu-higashikawa.jp\/en\/message\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"\uff62\u9688\u7814\u543e&\u6771\u5ddd\u753a\uff63KAGU\u30c7\u30b6\u30a4\u30f3\u30b3\u30f3\u30da\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-14T05:00:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kagu-higashikawa.jp\/wpkagu\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/portrait_kuma_w1600_002-qxp6jkv47o6z4d3vn6dqohlg1kf6l9t9z9jbchvqjs.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.kagu-higashikawa.jp\/en\/message\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.kagu-higashikawa.jp\/en\/message\/\",\"name\":\"Message - 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