Two new doctors appointed in April 2026. Second year of implementing community-rooted medical partnership agreement, based on collaboration with Karuizawa Town and Karuizawa Hospital
Medical Corporation Orange welcomed two new doctors to Hotchi no Lodge clinic in April 2026. This marks the second year of their regional medical collaboration agreement with Karuizawa Town and Karuizawa Hospital, aiming to strengthen community-based medical care and foster medical professionals.
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- 📰 Published: April 30, 2026 at 20:00
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Medical Corporation Orange (located in Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture, CEO Hiroyuki Kurenai, hereinafter referred to as 'the Corporation') welcomed two new doctors to Hotchi no Lodge clinic in April 2026.
Background of the Doctors' Appointment
The appointment of these doctors is based on the 'Partnership Agreement on Strengthening Regional Medical System' concluded by Karuizawa Town, Karuizawa Town National Health Insurance Karuizawa Hospital, and the Corporation (hereinafter referred to as 'the Three Parties').
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000002.000152822.html
Orange has consistently accumulated practical experience in Karuizawa Town, focusing on enhancing the medical professional system supporting regional medical care, strengthening collaboration between home healthcare bases and hospitals, and securing and fostering medical professionals, including young practitioners aspiring to regional medical care.
In fiscal year 2025, Orange dispatched four doctors to Karuizawa Hospital for a total of 234 days, supporting the establishment of a comprehensive general medical system. Furthermore, the Three Parties promoted collaborative meetings, established a foundation for home healthcare collaboration, cooperated in the 'Karuizawa Hospital Festival,' and partnered with the Comprehensive Policy Division and Health and Welfare Division. They have been working to realize a regional medical system that connects hospitals with home care, and medical care with daily life.
In the same fiscal year, the 'Liberal Arts for Doctors' pre-experience curriculum, aimed at doctors aspiring to regional medical care, was held four times, with 17 participants from across the country. This initiative involved visiting local industries, nature, culture, arts, and regional medical sites within the town, and learning about regional resources through dialogue with residents and stakeholders. Over 40 local residents cooperated to make this possible. Feedback from participants confirmed that the program fostered perspectives that view medical care not just as clinical acts but within social and regional contexts, and developed attitudes for collaborating with various professions and residents, significantly contributing to securing and nurturing medical professionals aspiring to regional medical care.
https://note.com/hotch_lodge/m/m509d21fb456f
Building on these efforts, two new doctors have been appointed in April 2026 through the 'Liberal Arts for Doctors' pre-experience curriculum. The newly joined doctors will deepen their practice of regional medical care not only in clinical settings but also by engaging with the life, culture, nature, and people of Karuizawa Town.
Furthermore, in fiscal year 2026, the 'Liberal Arts for Doctors' curriculum will officially commence, further exploring regional resources through visits to local industries, nature, culture, arts, and regional medical sites, and engaging in dialogue with residents and stakeholders.
In parallel, the pre-experience curriculum will continue, fostering learning opportunities that alternate between working at Karuizawa Hospital and Hotchi no Lodge, and accessing and understanding regional resources. We will continue to implement community-rooted medical care models through collaboration among administration, hospitals, and private sectors.
About the Newly Appointed Doctors
Takatoshi Fujito:
From Nara Prefecture. Encountered 'Psychiatric Illness (1998, by Yoshikazu Kasahara)' and aimed to become a doctor contributing to the lives of people with mental disabilities. After initial training, he apprenticed under Dr. Junichi Cho and worked in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, acquiring specialist certification in family medicine. He then gained experience in psychiatric wards in Tokyo, developed a deeper interest in community settings, and joined Hotchi no Lodge, resonating with its community-building efforts. He likes karaage and donuts.
Yusuke Kinoshita:
From Niigata Prefecture. Aspiring to regional medical care after seeing Higashidori Village Clinic in Aomori Prefecture during his student days, he joined Saku General Hospital in his third year as a doctor. After gaining further experience in Miyazaki to study and refine regional medical care, he worked in the Minamisaku region for 10 years. Feeling new possibilities in the multi-layered regional medical efforts by the municipality, national health insurance hospital, and private sector in Karuizawa Town, he joined. He is fond of craft beer.
Doctor Introduction
Including the two newly appointed doctors, a total of nine doctors are practicing various work styles, balancing full-time/part-time positions with their respective life stages and activities.
Nao Ogihara: Director of Hotchi no Lodge Clinic
From Nagano Prefecture. Her grandmother is from Karuizawa Town. Spent her student years in Miyazaki, then worked in general surgery and breast surgery in Gifu and Tokyo, after which her interest in palliative care grew, and she gained experience launching a ward. She returned to her familiar Karuizawa Town, and after working at Saku Hospital, she hit it off with Hiroyuki Kurenai of Medical Corporation Orange and became a founding member of Hotchi no Lodge. She has been in her current position since April 2026. She excels at reproducing realistic examination scenes. She likes taiyaki.
Koki Fujita:
From Hokkaido. Inspired to become a doctor by experiences where his passion for sports activities was supported, he found 'family medicine' during his university days resonated with his ideal image of a doctor. Encounters and travels at home and abroad sparked his interest in international health activities and working alongside communities. He gained experience aiming to be a family doctor based at a clinic and has been working for Medical Corporation Orange / Hotchi no Lodge since April 2024. Running and snow sliding are his life's work.
Naoki Miyashita:
From Niigata Prefecture. Actively attended regional and cultural events during his student days. At Saku General Hospital, he worked in the General Internal Medicine department, pursuing further clinical excellence.
Background of the Doctors' Appointment
The appointment of these doctors is based on the 'Partnership Agreement on Strengthening Regional Medical System' concluded by Karuizawa Town, Karuizawa Town National Health Insurance Karuizawa Hospital, and the Corporation (hereinafter referred to as 'the Three Parties').
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000002.000152822.html
Orange has consistently accumulated practical experience in Karuizawa Town, focusing on enhancing the medical professional system supporting regional medical care, strengthening collaboration between home healthcare bases and hospitals, and securing and fostering medical professionals, including young practitioners aspiring to regional medical care.
In fiscal year 2025, Orange dispatched four doctors to Karuizawa Hospital for a total of 234 days, supporting the establishment of a comprehensive general medical system. Furthermore, the Three Parties promoted collaborative meetings, established a foundation for home healthcare collaboration, cooperated in the 'Karuizawa Hospital Festival,' and partnered with the Comprehensive Policy Division and Health and Welfare Division. They have been working to realize a regional medical system that connects hospitals with home care, and medical care with daily life.
In the same fiscal year, the 'Liberal Arts for Doctors' pre-experience curriculum, aimed at doctors aspiring to regional medical care, was held four times, with 17 participants from across the country. This initiative involved visiting local industries, nature, culture, arts, and regional medical sites within the town, and learning about regional resources through dialogue with residents and stakeholders. Over 40 local residents cooperated to make this possible. Feedback from participants confirmed that the program fostered perspectives that view medical care not just as clinical acts but within social and regional contexts, and developed attitudes for collaborating with various professions and residents, significantly contributing to securing and nurturing medical professionals aspiring to regional medical care.
https://note.com/hotch_lodge/m/m509d21fb456f
Building on these efforts, two new doctors have been appointed in April 2026 through the 'Liberal Arts for Doctors' pre-experience curriculum. The newly joined doctors will deepen their practice of regional medical care not only in clinical settings but also by engaging with the life, culture, nature, and people of Karuizawa Town.
Furthermore, in fiscal year 2026, the 'Liberal Arts for Doctors' curriculum will officially commence, further exploring regional resources through visits to local industries, nature, culture, arts, and regional medical sites, and engaging in dialogue with residents and stakeholders.
In parallel, the pre-experience curriculum will continue, fostering learning opportunities that alternate between working at Karuizawa Hospital and Hotchi no Lodge, and accessing and understanding regional resources. We will continue to implement community-rooted medical care models through collaboration among administration, hospitals, and private sectors.
About the Newly Appointed Doctors
Takatoshi Fujito:
From Nara Prefecture. Encountered 'Psychiatric Illness (1998, by Yoshikazu Kasahara)' and aimed to become a doctor contributing to the lives of people with mental disabilities. After initial training, he apprenticed under Dr. Junichi Cho and worked in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, acquiring specialist certification in family medicine. He then gained experience in psychiatric wards in Tokyo, developed a deeper interest in community settings, and joined Hotchi no Lodge, resonating with its community-building efforts. He likes karaage and donuts.
Yusuke Kinoshita:
From Niigata Prefecture. Aspiring to regional medical care after seeing Higashidori Village Clinic in Aomori Prefecture during his student days, he joined Saku General Hospital in his third year as a doctor. After gaining further experience in Miyazaki to study and refine regional medical care, he worked in the Minamisaku region for 10 years. Feeling new possibilities in the multi-layered regional medical efforts by the municipality, national health insurance hospital, and private sector in Karuizawa Town, he joined. He is fond of craft beer.
Doctor Introduction
Including the two newly appointed doctors, a total of nine doctors are practicing various work styles, balancing full-time/part-time positions with their respective life stages and activities.
Nao Ogihara: Director of Hotchi no Lodge Clinic
From Nagano Prefecture. Her grandmother is from Karuizawa Town. Spent her student years in Miyazaki, then worked in general surgery and breast surgery in Gifu and Tokyo, after which her interest in palliative care grew, and she gained experience launching a ward. She returned to her familiar Karuizawa Town, and after working at Saku Hospital, she hit it off with Hiroyuki Kurenai of Medical Corporation Orange and became a founding member of Hotchi no Lodge. She has been in her current position since April 2026. She excels at reproducing realistic examination scenes. She likes taiyaki.
Koki Fujita:
From Hokkaido. Inspired to become a doctor by experiences where his passion for sports activities was supported, he found 'family medicine' during his university days resonated with his ideal image of a doctor. Encounters and travels at home and abroad sparked his interest in international health activities and working alongside communities. He gained experience aiming to be a family doctor based at a clinic and has been working for Medical Corporation Orange / Hotchi no Lodge since April 2024. Running and snow sliding are his life's work.
Naoki Miyashita:
From Niigata Prefecture. Actively attended regional and cultural events during his student days. At Saku General Hospital, he worked in the General Internal Medicine department, pursuing further clinical excellence.