Yawaragi Saijyo Reports on Participation in 'Age-Well HOKKAIDO': Experience Booth Invites Visitors to Rethink Personal Farewells and Family Connections with AI

Yawaragi Saijyo, operated by Aiplan Co., Ltd., participated in the multi-generational co-creation festival 'Age-Well HOKKAIDO,' held in Chuo Ward, Sapporo, on May 23 (Sat) and 24 (Sun), 2026. The event featured an experiential booth where visitors co-created their 'personal farewell' concepts with AI. By using personal preferences and cherished values as input, AI generated customized farewell images, encouraging natural and positive reflections on life milestones and family conversations.

Aiplan Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Sapporo) operated the Yawaragi Saijyo booth at 'Age-Well HOKKAIDO,' held at SAPPORO CULTURE FARM / AnaBa on May 23–24, 2026.

Staff guiding visitors at the Aiplan Yawaragi Saijyo booth

'Age-Well HOKKAIDO' marked the first regional expansion of the 'Age-Well Festival,' an event designed to inspire cross-generational challenges and co-creation. Centered on the theme 'A society where everyone can age positively,' it was held as a 'Festival of Discovery' where children, seniors, and all generations could enjoy, learn, and challenge themselves together.

At the Yawaragi Saijyo booth, an experiential program was conducted to help visitors reflect on their 'personal farewell' with the support of AI.

Funerals are often perceived as formal, tradition-bound events, or something to consider only in later life. However, in recent years, with increasingly diverse family structures and values, voices such as 'I want to be seen off in my own way' and 'I want my farewell to reflect who I truly was' have grown stronger.

Additionally, following the pandemic, smaller-scale funerals have become more common, with increasing sentiments like 'small is fine,' 'only close family attending,' and 'I don’t want to burden my family.' While respecting these wishes, Yawaragi Saijyo views farewell moments not merely as a burden, but as a precious opportunity for families to reflect on the individual’s uniqueness and share heartfelt emotions.

Aiplan Yawaragi Saijyo booth on the day, featuring the company’s new brand 'Samurai Senbei-e'

For this booth, instead of explicitly using the word 'funeral,' the team engaged visitors by asking about their favorite things, cherished values, ideal atmosphere, and family memories, using AI to co-create visions of a 'personal farewell.'

Based on elements such as hobbies, favorite places, music, colors, seasons, and family interactions—factors that reflect individuality—AI proposed creative farewell ideas. This encouraged visitors to see funerals not just as 'a place of sorrow,' but as 'a space to reflect on life and feel connections with loved ones.'

A wide range of generations visited the booth. The new experience of shaping farewell ideas through AI sparked interest, and even on the typically difficult topic of life’s milestones, natural and positive conversations emerged across generations.

What Yawaragi Saijyo valued most in this booth was not just proposing funeral services, but creating a 'new starting point' for individuals to express how they envision their farewell to their loved ones. Expressing one’s preferences and values while still healthy can become a crucial guide for families to create a truly personal farewell when the time comes.

Through AI—a familiar and innovative technology—this experience may have helped visitors and their families understand how they truly think about farewells and what kind of image they hold.

Yawaragi Saijyo has long provided community-based funeral services, dedicated to creating farewell moments that align with families’ emotions. Moving forward, Aiplan and Yawaragi Saijyo will continue initiatives that support various life milestones, valuing dialogue with local communities beyond just offering ceremonial services.

■ Staff Comments

Yawaragi Saijyo Representative

Today, funeral formats are diversifying, and we increasingly hear voices like 'I want a small service' or 'I don’t want to burden my family.' While respecting these feelings, we believe farewell moments should not be seen as a burden, but as a valuable time for families to reflect on the individual’s uniqueness and share emotions.

Through this booth, we used AI as a new entry point to joyfully articulate personal preferences, cherished values, and family memories, co-creating visions of a 'personal farewell' with visitors. Even on a topic often considered difficult to discuss, AI sparked natural conversations across generations, which was particularly impressive.

Reconsidering one’s identity and family connections can lead to a more positive outlook on daily life. We hope this experience encouraged people to reflect on life milestones and family conversations.

【Exhibition Overview】

Exhibiting Brand: Yawaragi Saijyo

Exhibition Content: An experiential booth using AI to co-create 'personal farewells' with visitors

Purpose: To provide a natural, positive opportunity for people of all ages to reflect on 'personal farewells' and family conversations through AI-powered dialogue

Target Audience: Broad range of visitors attending the event

■ Event Overview

Age-Well HOKKAIDO

Dates: May 23 (Sat) – 24 (Sun), 2026, 10:00–17:00

Venue: SAPPORO CULTURE FARM / AnaBa (4-1 Kita 2-jo Nishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido)

Content: A multi-generational co-creation festival themed 'Challenge and Discovery'

Admission: Free (some workshops and sales may be paid)

Organizer: Age-Well HOKKAIDO Executive Committee (AgeWellJapan Inc., Satsudra Holdings Co., Ltd., SOUSHIN Holdings Co., Ltd.)

Company Overview

【Aiplan Co., Ltd.】

Founded in 1930 (Showa 5) in Sapporo as a catering business. The company focuses on improving and developing ceremonial services for life events such as weddings and funerals, centered on a membership system that allows gradual preparation.

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