NHK Morning Drama Heroine Akari Takaishi Returns to Miyazaki's Shintomi Town. Confirmed to Appear at "Shintomi Spring Arts Festival" on May 16!

The Koyu Community Development Promotion Organization (location: Shintomi Town, Koyu District, Miyazaki Prefecture; Representative Director: Keiji Okamoto; hereinafter "Koyu Foundation") announces that actress Akari Takaishi, a native of Miyazaki Prefecture, has been confirmed to appear as a special guest at the "Shintomi Spring Arts Festival" to be held on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

This event will be held to commemorate the grand reopening of the Shintomi Town Cultural Hall "Lupinus Mirai Theater."

■ NHK Morning Drama Heroine Akari Takaishi to Make a Triumphant Return to Her Hometown, Miyazaki

At this event, we will welcome Akari Takaishi, an acclaimed actress from Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture. Ms. Takaishi has been selected as the heroine of NHK's serial TV novel "Bakebake" and has received numerous awards. She is truly a leading figure in Japan's performing arts scene.

Furthermore, the third installment of her starring film series "Baby Walküre," titled "Nice Days," was filmed in various locations within her hometown of Miyazaki Prefecture (including the Miyazaki Prefectural Office and Aoshima), demonstrating her deep connection to Miyazaki.

■ Profile

Akari Takaishi

Born in Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture. Affiliated with Avex Management Agency. Her main works include the "Baby Walküre" film series. She received the TAMA Film Award for Best New Actress in 2023 and the 50th Elan d'or Award in 2026. She plays the heroine in NHK's serial TV novel "Bakebake."

■ Special Talk Session with Shintomi Town Mayor Takashi Kojima

A dialogue with Shintomi Town Mayor Takashi Kojima will take place on this memorable day of the theater's renewal.

Date and Time: Saturday, May 16, 2026, 15:00-15:50
Venue: Main Hall, Shintomi Town Cultural Hall "Lupinus Mirai Theater"
Speakers: Akari Takaishi (Actress), Takashi Kojima (Mayor of Shintomi Town)
Theme: Discussing the stimulation that "the power of expression" brings to the region and the future of connecting artists and the community.

■ "Shintomi Spring Arts Festival" Created by Town Residents and Creators, and New Project "MIRISE"

This event is produced primarily by "MIRISE," a new project launched by the Koyu Foundation. MIRISE aims to foster a "creative population" that generates its own value, starting from the theater. This arts festival is a major event created collaboratively by professional creators, artists, and town residents.

Starting with the appearance of leading actress Akari Takaishi, we will continue to promote the new charms of Shintomi Town through collaborations with diverse creators in the future.

For an overview of this event and the background of the MIRISE project, please refer to the following press releases:

Details of "Shintomi Spring Arts Festival" held

・Let's create the future of the town from the theater! "Shintomi Spring Arts Festival" to experience art and entertainment held on May 16

Background and aspirations of the "MIRISE Project" launch

・Towards producing "1,000 creative people" annually. A new project to generate "creators" starting from the theater in Shintomi Town, Miyazaki Prefecture, begins.

■ About Koyu Community Development Promotion Organization (Koyu Foundation)

Established in April 2017 by Shintomi Town, Miyazaki Prefecture, it is a regional trading company. It has worked on branding 1,000-yen lychees, hometown tax donation projects, and entrepreneur training, and was selected as a "Regional Revitalization Excellent Case" by the Cabinet Secretariat in 2018. It promotes "town development where challenges circulate," where immigrants, including members of the Regional Revitalization Cooperation Team, integrate into the town and new challenges are continuously born.

Based on donations from the hometown tax system, a portion is reinvested into the region, and efforts are made to create value through the utilization of local resources and idle assets. The foundation aims to build a mechanism for sustainable value creation by combining human and regional potential.

[Contact for this matter]
Koyu Community Development Promotion Organization (Koyu Foundation)
MIRISE Project Office (Contact: Ariga)
Phone: 0983-32-1082 / Email: info@koyu.miyazaki.jp