Announcement of New Nagano Facility Concept on Thursday, April 16: Talk Event on 'Future Development' to be Held in Ikejiri-Ohashi, Tokyo!

The LOCAL ZEBRA ACADEMY, which has previously been held in Nagano City—the base of our project—will be hosting its first event in Tokyo to share our project nationwide and expand our connections with more people.

The event will take place on Thursday, April 16, 2026, starting at 6:45 PM at "HOME/WORK VILLAGE," a startup-support complex in Ikejiri-Ohashi.

Past event scene

The theme for this event is "Management Theory of Locals, Community Development, and Human Spaces." We have invited three guests who are involved in regional editing and venue management while traveling between urban centers and local areas to share their insights.

Our guests include Koji Ishiwata of WAT Inc., Gakuho Sato of The Youth Inc., and Masanobu Hino of Hakuhodo Kettle Inc. Their discussion on creating spaces for various people will provide valuable hints for those looking to establish a base, those interested in local business development, and those considering moving or returning to regional areas.

In the second half, Masakata Fujiwara of Morito LLC (the event organizer) and moderator Hiroyuki Ono will join the discussion to talk about the NAGANO Chinju no Mori Project.

The NAGANO Chinju no Mori Project is a concept to create a new gateway to Nagano in front of the Nagano Interchange, where visitors can experience the "lifestyle" of Nagano, including its rich nature and food. Using the forest—a resource unique to Nagano—as a starting point, we are planning to plant and nurture the vegetation that once existed there. Together with architect Mirai Tono, who designed the adjacent OYAKI FARM, we are planning a structure where the forest and the facility are integrated.

With construction about to begin, we will share our project concept and vision for the future at this event.

Event reservations are now being accepted via Peatix. Please check the event overview at the end of this article. We welcome not only those with ties to Nagano but also those interested in place-making.