Tohoku High School and GAIA Group Conduct Two-Day Inquiry-Based Learning Program

Tohoku High School (Sendai City) and GAIA Co., Ltd. (Shiraishi City, Miyagi Prefecture) conducted an inquiry-based learning program for approximately 100 second-year high school students from June to July 2026.

The program consisted of two parts: a lecture held at Tohoku High School Izumi Campus on June 10th and fieldwork conducted in Zao Town on July 6th. Planned with the philosophy of inquiry-based learning, "learning in the classroom and experiencing in the region," the program aimed to provide practical learning about regional issues and regional revitalization.

It was implemented as a hands-on program that connected the knowledge gained in lectures to actual experiences in the region, allowing students to pose their own questions, think, and take action.

Students from Tohoku High School and staff from the GAIA Group

Session 1: Lecture on the theme of "Inquiry Mind" (June 10th)

On June 10th, the first day of the program, a lecture was given by Kunihiro Aizawa, Representative of the GAIA Group, at Tohoku High School Izumi Campus.

The lecture, themed "Inquiry Mind," introduced how his past experiences, passions during his student days, and various life experiences later connected to regional development and business creation.

Aizawa conveyed that seemingly unrelated experiences can connect later to create new value, stating that "dots connect to form a line." He also explained how the accumulation of these experiences became the origin of the "Zao Welfare Forest Initiative" currently being promoted, leading to initiatives that solve regional issues through the power of business.

He further explained that regional development cannot be achieved by merely advocating for ideals, and it is crucial to build a mechanism for continuously solving regional issues as a business. He presented practical examples that organically connect welfare, healthcare, agriculture, tourism, accommodation, and vacant house utilization.

At the end of the lecture, he sent a message to the students: "No one knows how what you are working on now will connect in the future. That is precisely why I want you to have your own questions and continue to inquire."

GAIA Group Representative Aizawa giving a lecture

Students listening intently to the lecture

Session 2: Fieldwork to walk and learn from the region (July 6th)

On July 6th, fieldwork was conducted in Zao Town to experience the content learned in the lecture in the actual region. Starting from GAIA Village, students visited the "SUMIKA" and "Sora" accommodations at GAIA Resort, the regional exchange hub "Terminal ai" being developed in Togatta Onsen Town, the Zao Welfare Forest Business Cooperative, and the microbrewery project. They observed firsthand the sites of regional regeneration, including vacant house utilization, tourism, welfare, and regional community building. While walking through Togatta Onsen Town, they learned about the culture and landscape of the historic hot spring resort and town development that utilizes local resources. At "Sakai Coffee Zao Sansuien Branch," their lunch venue, they learned about regional development starting with "food," including the child-feeding program, elderly monitoring morning gatherings, agricultural-welfare collaboration, and regional community formation initiatives undertaken by the GAIA Group. Students, faculty, and GAIA Group staff shared a meal and interacted, deepening their understanding of the role restaurants play not just as places to eat, but as hubs for community interaction and welfare activities.

Afterwards, students visited the practical site of the Zao Welfare Forest Initiative. By experiencing the knowledge learned in the classroom in the actual region, they practiced inquiry-based learning that progresses from "knowing" to "thinking" and then to "acting."

Chairman Sekiguchi explaining the Zao Welfare Forest Business Cooperative

Accommodation facility "SUMIKA" utilizing a vacant house

Accommodation facility "Sora" utilizing a vacant house

Thinking of Regional Issues as "Regional Resources"

In this inquiry-based learning, the perspective of viewing regional issues such as population decline, aging population, and increasing vacant houses not just as "problems to be solved" but as "regional resources" that create new value was shared.

Students learned from actual sites how new circulation is created in the region through the mutual collaboration of diverse fields such as welfare, tourism, agriculture, food, hot springs, disaster prevention, and regional communities.

Through the lectures and fieldwork, it became an opportunity for students to realize that regional development is not solely the responsibility of government or corporations, but that the future is built by each individual actively engaging with the region.

Unused abandoned hot springs are also valuable regional resources

Terraced rice fields at GAIA Group's own farm (Marumori Town)

GAIA Group's Customized Practical Education Initiatives

GAIA Group has a track record of numerous lectures, fieldwork, site visits, and OJT (On-the-Job Training) for universities such as Miyagi University, Tohoku University, Tohoku Fukushi University, and Tokyo International University, as well as high schools, government ministries, local governments, and private companies.

A common characteristic of these initiatives is the adoption of a "customized approach," where program content is designed according to the specific objectives, target audience, and regional issues, rather than offering standardized programs.

The required themes differ for each, such as regional policy and research for universities, inquiry-based learning for high schools, regional revitalization for government, and human resource development and regional issue resolution for corporations.

GAIA Group uses the actual sites of regional development as teaching materials, developing practical education tailored to each need by combining lectures, site visits, fieldwork, and OJT.

This inquiry-based learning with Tohoku High School was also planned and implemented as a customized program that combined lectures themed "Inquiry Mind" with fieldwork utilizing the Zao region, in accordance with the inquiry-based learning objectives set by the high school.

Fieldwork at Miyagi University

Scene from a regional development seminar

Integrating Regional Development and Human Development

GAIA Group, as a "social developer" that solves regional issues through the power of business, promotes regional development and human development in an integrated manner.

They believe that returning practical experience cultivated in the region to education and fostering human resources who will lead future regional societies is a crucial role in achieving sustainable regional revitalization.

Going forward, they will deepen collaboration with universities, high schools, government ministries, local governments, and private companies, and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society where regional development and human development are cyclical, by developing customized practical education programs tailored to each objective and challenge.

After completing the fieldwork

Company Profile

Company Name: GAIA Co., Ltd.

Representative: Kunihiro Aizawa, Representative Director

Capital: 100 million yen

Location: 1-5-7 Asahi-machi, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture

Established: 2012

Business Activities: Real estate, tourism, development and construction, food and beverage, agriculture, consulting

URL: https://www.nszao.co.jp/

GAIA Co., Ltd. Headquarters, in front of Shiroishi-Zao Station on the JR Shinkansen

Contact for Inquiries Regarding This Matter

GAIA Resort TEL: 0224-34-1192 Contact: Hiroko Nagakura, Managing Director Email: info-gaia@gaia-resort.net