[Musashino University] University Students and Elementary Schoolers Transform Regional Vacant Houses into a 'Private Park'! Musashino University x Midori City, Gunma 'Wagamama Park' Project - In 2026, Children Themselves Will Plan and Design Both the 'Park' and 'Fes'
Musashino University's Department of Architectural Design students are participating in the 'Wagamama Park' project in Midori City, Gunma Prefecture, to revitalize local vacant houses into a 'private park.' In 2026, they will plan and operate summer festivals and other events alongside elementary school students.
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Associate Professor Hiromichi Ota of Musashino University's Department of Architectural Design (Nishitokyo City, Tokyo, President: Seiko Konishi) and 15 students from Ota Lab 'OTALAB' (7 graduate students, 8 fourth-year undergraduate students) have been participating since April 2025 in the 'Wagamama Park' project in Omama-cho, Midori City, Gunma Prefecture, which was designated as a depopulated area in 2022. This project aims to create a 'private park' by utilizing unused real estate.
Following the park's opening in November 2025, this year they will work with elementary school students to plan and manage the 'Wagamama Park Summer Festival' scheduled for Saturday, August 1, 2026, and the 'Wagamama Fes' on Saturday, December 12. From Wednesday, May 6 (public holiday), they will also begin information sessions for elementary school students who wish to participate and will hold workshops that combine dialogue and practical experience to prepare for the implementation.
*Depopulated area: An area where the vitality of the local community has declined due to a significant decrease in population, and the development of production functions and living environment is at a low level compared to other areas (from the Act on Special Measures for the Promotion of Sustainable Development in Depopulated Areas).
【Project Background】
Model of a garbage station
This project is an initiative to revitalize unused real estate (two vacant houses, parking lot, and garden, approximately 450 square meters in total) in Omama-cho, Midori City, Gunma Prefecture, which had been vacant for over 20 years and was designated as a depopulated area in 2022, into a 'private park' based on self-governance. In Midori City, 'renovation town development' to enhance local value by utilizing existing unused real estate and human resources has been promoted since 2022. In June 2024, a 'renovation school' was held to learn practical town development methods.
The team formed at the school identified the local issue of 'no places to play or gather casually' through interviews with local residents and created a utilization plan for a private park. Site preparation began in July 2024. In 2025, design workshops primarily led by OTALAB students with local children were conducted, and 'Wagamama Park' opened in November of the same year.
Model of a garden kitchen
【Workshop Overview】
Date
May 6, 2026 - March 13, 2027 (14 sessions in total)
Venue
Wagamama Park, 925-1 Omama, Omama-cho, Midori City, Gunma, 376-0101
Target Audience
Elementary school students from 3rd to 6th grade (approx. 10 students *first-come, first-served)
Application
Applications can be made via the URL below.
https://x.gd/aFGLr
Deadline: May 5, 2026 (public holiday, Tuesday) 18:00
Location of Implementation
925-1 Omama, Omama-cho, Midori City, Gunma, 376-0101 (4-minute walk from Akagi Station)
Implementing Body
Wagamama Park
Implementation and Cooperation System
8 project members of 'Wagamama Park' (5 local residents) / Musashino University Hiromichi Ota Lab (Associate Professor Hiromichi Ota, 15 students) / Approximately 10 local children / Mamayoshi Project (parent-child community) / Midori City / Bokuto Works LLC / Iguchi Kogyo Co., Ltd.
Research Grant
(Regional Engineering Field)
FY2026 Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Maeda Memorial Engineering Promotion Foundation (1.5 million JPY)
【Future Schedule (Planned)】
Date
Content
May 6 (public holiday, Wednesday)
2026 Workshop Kick-off!
May 9 (Saturday)
Discovering play, town exploration | Let's find 'playgrounds' while walking!
May 30 (Saturday)
Summer festival creation | Let's think about 'what we want to do' and 'what we want to create' with clay models!
June 20 (Saturday)
Summer festival creation | Announcing the design plan for the summer festival incorporating everyone's ideals!
July 4 (Saturday)
Summer festival creation | Let's actually create the 'playgrounds' we thought about with models!
July 20
(public holiday, Monday)
Special Workshop (in planning)
Let's go on an adventure to Musashino University OTALAB campus!
August 1 (Saturday)
Wagamama Park Summer Festival! | We'll unveil the playgrounds we created!
September 12 (Saturday)
Summer festival appreciation party / Mini-fes creation with models | Let's think about 'what else we'd like to try'!
October 10 (Saturday)
Fes creation | Let's actually create 'what we want to do' that we thought about with models! Part 1
November 14 (Saturday)
Fes creation | Let's actually create 'what we want to do' that we thought about with models! Part 2
December 12 (Saturday)
Wagamama Fes!!! | Everyone's creativity explodes!
January 9 (Saturday)
Details to be announced later
February 13 (Saturday)
Details to be announced later
March 13 (Saturday)
Details to be announced later
*For media inquiries regarding this matter, please contact the Public Relations Division.
Musashino University, Management Planning Department, Public Relations Division Email: kouhou@musashino-u.ac.jp
【Comment】
■Associate Professor Hiromichi Ota, Department of Architectural Design
In this workshop
Following the park's opening in November 2025, this year they will work with elementary school students to plan and manage the 'Wagamama Park Summer Festival' scheduled for Saturday, August 1, 2026, and the 'Wagamama Fes' on Saturday, December 12. From Wednesday, May 6 (public holiday), they will also begin information sessions for elementary school students who wish to participate and will hold workshops that combine dialogue and practical experience to prepare for the implementation.
*Depopulated area: An area where the vitality of the local community has declined due to a significant decrease in population, and the development of production functions and living environment is at a low level compared to other areas (from the Act on Special Measures for the Promotion of Sustainable Development in Depopulated Areas).
【Project Background】
Model of a garbage station
This project is an initiative to revitalize unused real estate (two vacant houses, parking lot, and garden, approximately 450 square meters in total) in Omama-cho, Midori City, Gunma Prefecture, which had been vacant for over 20 years and was designated as a depopulated area in 2022, into a 'private park' based on self-governance. In Midori City, 'renovation town development' to enhance local value by utilizing existing unused real estate and human resources has been promoted since 2022. In June 2024, a 'renovation school' was held to learn practical town development methods.
The team formed at the school identified the local issue of 'no places to play or gather casually' through interviews with local residents and created a utilization plan for a private park. Site preparation began in July 2024. In 2025, design workshops primarily led by OTALAB students with local children were conducted, and 'Wagamama Park' opened in November of the same year.
Model of a garden kitchen
【Workshop Overview】
Date
May 6, 2026 - March 13, 2027 (14 sessions in total)
Venue
Wagamama Park, 925-1 Omama, Omama-cho, Midori City, Gunma, 376-0101
Target Audience
Elementary school students from 3rd to 6th grade (approx. 10 students *first-come, first-served)
Application
Applications can be made via the URL below.
https://x.gd/aFGLr
Deadline: May 5, 2026 (public holiday, Tuesday) 18:00
Location of Implementation
925-1 Omama, Omama-cho, Midori City, Gunma, 376-0101 (4-minute walk from Akagi Station)
Implementing Body
Wagamama Park
Implementation and Cooperation System
8 project members of 'Wagamama Park' (5 local residents) / Musashino University Hiromichi Ota Lab (Associate Professor Hiromichi Ota, 15 students) / Approximately 10 local children / Mamayoshi Project (parent-child community) / Midori City / Bokuto Works LLC / Iguchi Kogyo Co., Ltd.
Research Grant
(Regional Engineering Field)
FY2026 Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Maeda Memorial Engineering Promotion Foundation (1.5 million JPY)
【Future Schedule (Planned)】
Date
Content
May 6 (public holiday, Wednesday)
2026 Workshop Kick-off!
May 9 (Saturday)
Discovering play, town exploration | Let's find 'playgrounds' while walking!
May 30 (Saturday)
Summer festival creation | Let's think about 'what we want to do' and 'what we want to create' with clay models!
June 20 (Saturday)
Summer festival creation | Announcing the design plan for the summer festival incorporating everyone's ideals!
July 4 (Saturday)
Summer festival creation | Let's actually create the 'playgrounds' we thought about with models!
July 20
(public holiday, Monday)
Special Workshop (in planning)
Let's go on an adventure to Musashino University OTALAB campus!
August 1 (Saturday)
Wagamama Park Summer Festival! | We'll unveil the playgrounds we created!
September 12 (Saturday)
Summer festival appreciation party / Mini-fes creation with models | Let's think about 'what else we'd like to try'!
October 10 (Saturday)
Fes creation | Let's actually create 'what we want to do' that we thought about with models! Part 1
November 14 (Saturday)
Fes creation | Let's actually create 'what we want to do' that we thought about with models! Part 2
December 12 (Saturday)
Wagamama Fes!!! | Everyone's creativity explodes!
January 9 (Saturday)
Details to be announced later
February 13 (Saturday)
Details to be announced later
March 13 (Saturday)
Details to be announced later
*For media inquiries regarding this matter, please contact the Public Relations Division.
Musashino University, Management Planning Department, Public Relations Division Email: kouhou@musashino-u.ac.jp
【Comment】
■Associate Professor Hiromichi Ota, Department of Architectural Design
In this workshop