Let's Create! Kami-Ooka Oshi Map

Keikyu Department Store, Ltd. (Head Office: Minami-ku, Yokohama; President and CEO: Yoshiaki Shimada; hereinafter 'Keikyu Department Store'), a member of the Keikyu Group, and Yokohama City University, a public university corporation (Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama; President: Shinichi Konno; hereinafter 'Yokohama City University'), will jointly host the industry-academia collaboration project 'Let's Create! Kami-Ooka Oshi Map' in two phases: from Thursday, July 16, 2026, to Wednesday, July 29, and from Thursday, August 6, to Wednesday, August 19, 2026.

This project is based on a proposal by Yokohama City University students in the '21st Kanagawa Industry-Academia Challenge Program,' hosted by the Kanagawa Economic Federation, and is being implemented as a commemorative initiative for the 30th anniversary of the opening of Keikyu Department Store and Wing Kami-Ooka.

This participatory event invites local residents to submit their 'recommended spots in Kami-Ooka' or 'favorite stores,' using these voices to complete a 'map created by everyone.'

Kami-Ooka is home to many long-standing, beloved shops, streetscapes, and scenic views cherished by the community. Through this project, we will collect and visualize authentic feedback from those familiar with the area, offering locals new discoveries and visitors a gateway to experiencing Kami-Ooka's charm.

By combining student proposals from Yokohama City University with community input, we aim to widely promote Kami-Ooka's hidden gems—those not found in guidebooks—and create a space where participants can jointly discover and share new local attractions.

Additionally, we will launch a special series of the student-produced podcast 'Kusunone' and host a pop-up event introducing university learning and community collaboration activities, sharing the area's charm from a uniquely student-centered perspective.

On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, Keikyu Department Store will work with the local community through this initiative to discover and promote new aspects of Kami-Ooka, contributing to the revitalization of a community that connects generations.

Project Visual: Podcast Recording and Interview Scene - Kami-Ooka Oshi Map (Concept)

Let's Create! Kami-Ooka Oshi Map

1. Commemorative Exhibition: 'Let's Create! Kami-Ooka Oshi Map' for the 30th Anniversary of Keikyu Department Store and Wing Kami-Ooka

Through industry-academia collaboration between Keikyu Department Store and Yokohama City University, we will implement the 'Let's Create! Kami-Ooka Oshi Map' project as a 30th-anniversary commemoration, based on the proposal from the '21st Kanagawa Industry-Academia Challenge Program' hosted by the Kanagawa Economic Federation. By collecting local recommendations and visualizing them, we aim to rediscover and promote the charm of the Kami-Ooka district.

Dates: Thursday, July 16, 2026 – Wednesday, July 29, 2026; Thursday, August 6, 2026 – Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Location: 2nd Floor Garden Court, Wing Kami-Ooka

Co-hosted by: Yokohama City University

Admission: Free

Program Details

<Phase One> July 16 (Thu) – July 29 (Wed)

We will collect information about Kami-Ooka's charm—such as 'recommended spots' and 'favorite stores'—via entry forms available at the venue.

Submitted entries will be displayed in real time alongside a large Kami-Ooka street map installed at the venue, allowing us to share and promote local recommendations.

Additionally, 10 participants will be randomly selected to receive the 'Kami-Ooka Anpanman Manju (8 pieces)' from [Yokohama Shigeta].

<Phase Two> August 6 (Thu) – August 19 (Wed)

Recommendations collected in Phase One will be pinned onto the large Kami-Ooka street map, making local charm visible.

We will also launch a participatory reaction campaign, allowing visitors to express empathy and support for the displayed recommendations, creating a space where visitors can discover and share new charms of Kami-Ooka together.

Project Visual: Kami-Ooka Oshi Map (Concept)

2. Event Information

'Yokoi Pop-Up: Designing Rich Experiences'

Dates: Sunday, August 9 and Monday, August 10, 2026 (11:00–16:00 each day)

Location: 2nd Floor Garden Court, Wing Kami-Ooka

A limited-time pop-up event planned and operated by students from Yokohama City University.

Under the theme 'Designing Rich Experiences,' the event will offer experiential introductions to university life, including well-being type diagnostics, seminar and course trial experiences, and panel exhibitions showcasing community collaboration and research activities.

Through content enjoyable for all ages, we aim to create new touchpoints connecting the university and the local community.

3. Special Series Podcast 'Kusunone' Launch

First Release: Friday, July 3, 2026, at 5:00 PM

QR Code for 'Kusunone'

Students from Yokohama City University will interview local shop owners and community activists in Kami-Ooka, sharing their authentic voices through a podcast.

By directly hearing from those active in the community about their motivations and the stories behind their activities, we will explore the true charm of Kami-Ooka.

This initiative is linked to the main project 'Let's Create! Kami-Ooka Oshi Map,' integrating interview insights and perspectives to uncover the area's charm in a multidimensional way and convey it more deeply and comprehensively.

※'Podcast Kusunone' is an audio program produced by members of Professor Motohara's seminar (Transformative Service Design Lab: TSDLab) at Yokohama City University.

Centered on service design and well-being, it shares members' learning experiences through dialogue.

4. Yokohama City University's Community Collaboration Initiatives

In April 2026, the 'Community Collaboration Center' will launch, based at the Minatomirai Satellite Campus (7th Floor, Yokohama Landmark Tower).

We will promote grounded, new forms of community collaboration that connect the university's 'knowledge' with local residents, including research initiatives for solving regional issues and creating new value, lifelong learning support for citizens, student community activity support, corporate-linked recurrent education, and the promotion of citizen science.

5. Customer Inquiries

Keikyu Department Store: TEL: 0570-045-848 (Navi Dial) [Hours: During business hours]