From Nishinomiya: 'Machigaku 2026,' a Town School for Mutual Learning and Living with the Community, Kicks Off with Opening Ceremony and First Class on July 4th!

NPO Nagomi (Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture; Principal: Kodai Tamura), which operates 'Machigaku - The Town School' (hereafter, Machigaku), will hold the opening ceremony and first class for 'Machigaku 2026' on Saturday, July 4, 2026, at the Nishinomiya Chamber of Commerce and Industry's 'Regional Economic Exchange Center'. 'Machigaku' is a new form of school, now in its third year, that uses the entire town of Nishinomiya as its campus, allowing people to meet, connect, and open their hearts and minds through mutual learning, transcending age and status. We are widely seeking partner companies who support this initiative and wish to co-create a place for people and the community to learn together in Nishinomiya. ■ 'Learning spaces' are not just in schools. Creating diverse learning opportunities in the community. In an age overflowing with information, where the world becomes increasingly convenient and most things we want to know or learn can be found in the palm of our hand, 'places to think with others' and 'places to meet people across generations and positions' are gradually disappearing from our communities. At school, we only interact with people of the same age. At work, we only talk to adults in the same industry. On social media, we are surrounded by people with similar thoughts. Opportunities to meet people have become scarce and fixed, making it difficult to even see what we like and what makes us feel uncomfortable. Nishinomiya City is a core city in the Hanshin area with a population of about 500,000, a high interest in education, and rich community resources. However, precisely because of this prosperous environment, there is a lack of 'activities and opportunities for the town and people to connect across generations and positions'. Machigaku is a challenge for citizens and students to proactively create points of contact through 'mutual learning' in this gap, an initiative that has been steadily prepared over more than a decade. ■ The journey of Machigaku so far 'Machigaku' is open to everyone from children to adults, with many university students involved, and companies and organizations can enroll as a group. About 120 classes are held over eight months from July to February. To date, there have been a total of 4,000 participants, 66 sponsoring companies, and 214 classes held. Last year, a theme song for Machigaku, 'Hajimari no Machi' (The Town of Beginnings), was created by students in a generative AI class and selected by vote. We have collaborated with many local companies, organizations, and schools, including Netz Toyota Kobe, Nishinomiya Hankyu Department Store, Co-op Kobe, Hanshin Engei, and Muji. ■ To 'encounter learning' is to encounter people, knowledge, the community, and your own identity. Machigaku redefines learning not as 'something with a fixed answer in a textbook' but as an 'encounter with people, knowledge, and the community.' Meeting interesting people in the town and listening to their stories is learning in itself. Encountering the community ultimately leads to encountering 'oneself.' By being exposed to someone else's way of life, you begin to see what you find interesting and what you want to cherish. The goal is to create a cycle in the town: 'encounter → know yourself → accept yourself → accept others.' ■ Seeking 'Collaborative Sponsors' to co-create a place of learning and encounter in Nishinomiya. One of the attractions of 'Machigaku' is the participation of local companies and organizations. To create an environment where anyone can learn when they want to, we established the 'Collaborative Sponsor System.' This system allows companies to pay a sponsorship fee in exchange for their employees being able to attend classes or plan collaborative classes. It's not just financial support, but a partnership to create activities together. This system makes it possible to offer opportunities at an affordable price for everyone from children to the elderly, while also creating opportunities for companies to meet younger generations. Regardless of age or position, everyone is both a 'learner' and a 'teacher.' This is the landscape of learning at Machigaku. ■ Machigaku 2026 Opening Ceremony & First Class Overview Date: Saturday, July 4, 2026, 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM Venue: Nishinomiya Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 1F 'Regional Economic Exchange Center' Target: Machigaku 2026 students, collaborative sponsors, planning & management members Content: The event will include an opening ceremony and the first 'People's Class' featuring Mr. Satoshi Matsuda as a guest. Mr. Matsuda is an editor of a local information magazine and is also dedicated to preserving 'Ebisukaki,' a traditional puppet show in Nishinomiya. ■ Why do we continue to create this space? The concept of 'Machigaku' originated about 18 years ago when the principal, Mr. Tamura, was a university student. Feeling the constraints in the educational field, he began to think, 'Instead of just changing things inside the school, isn't there a way to change things outside the school?' If the whole town became a place of learning, the role of education wouldn't be shouldered by schools alone but could be supported by the entire community. The town has diverse learning opportunities and teachers, and an environment can be created where anyone can learn when they want to. This thought is the origin of the 'Machigaku' concept. After more than a decade of trial and error, 'Machigaku - The Town School' opened in 2024. 'In everyday life, there are seeds of learning for someone.' Based on this belief, we continue to create a place of mutual learning that connects people and enriches the town. ■ The future Machigaku aims for In the 2026 academic year, our third term, we aim to further develop our past efforts and deliver the existence and value of 'Machigaku' to more citizens of Nishinomiya. By expanding opportunities for people who live, work, and learn in the community to meet, learn from each other, and take action across generations and positions, we will establish a culture where 'learning builds the town' in Nishinomiya. Machigaku is not a school run by a single organization. It is a 'learning platform for the entire town' created together with companies, organizations, educational institutions, and citizens in Nishinomiya. We will continue to increase our collaborative partners and, while leveraging our respective strengths and resources, expand the circle of town-building that leads to solving local issues and creating new value. In the 2026 academic year, we will offer a record 14 types of project-based classes. We have prepared a variety of practical themes. A major feature of Machigaku is that you can not only learn knowledge but also experience going out into the community, meeting people, and taking on challenges with peers. We hope that many people, including students, working adults, and local residents, will participate and give shape to their 'I want to try' ideas within the community. We expect that the small challenges of each individual will connect and become a great force to co-create the future of Nishinomiya. Name: NPO Nagomi Location: 2-16-19-102 Higashinaruo-cho, Nishinomiya-shi, Hyogo Representative: Masaru Tsubokura (as of May 2026) Established: November 2013 Business Activities: Inclusive community exchange hub / Life support services / Community space projects / Community cafeteria / Marche, etc.