City and Circulation 2026: First Speaker List Announced; Details on 'Future Kominka' and Session Themes Revealed

## 'Future Kominka' as the Featured Theme for 'City and Circulation 2026'
Traditional Japanese dwellings, such as those from the Edo period, possessed highly advanced circular systems based on the reuse and repair of materials. But what will a house referred to as a 'Kominka' (traditional house) look like 200 years from now? What kind of landscape will it inhabit? The theme 'Future Kominka' is almost synonymous with the question of what kind of future we aim to achieve.

This is a forum to discuss and reference each other's efforts across all areas of life design, moving beyond the field of architecture. The event consists of an exhibition part and a conference part where professionals from various fields will engage in dialogue about their practices and philosophies.

## Updates on Speakers and Exhibition Content
The exhibition is planned to feature recycled ceramics and tiles, glass recycling, fertilizer born from discarded tableware, building foundations using logs, solar panel roof tiles, traditional clay tiles, forestry/timber distribution, bamboo architecture, mountain-related culture brands, OSB boards from thinned wood, floor heating using heat from wood stoves, bio-toilets, solar thermal heaters, water resource circulation systems, disposer systems, septic tanks, paper upcycling, material recycling consultants, kitchen knives, scissors, and more.

In the conference, nearly 30 speakers will participate in sessions themed around 'Architecture and Circulation,' 'Future Kominka,' 'Buddhism and Circulation,' 'Money and Circulation,' 'Education and Circulation,' 'Wood Construction and Circulation,' 'Crafts and Circulation,' 'Fermentation and Circulation,' 'Satoyama and Circulation,' 'Art and Circulation,' 'Washoku and Circulation,' and 'Sports and Circulation.'

## List of Speakers
Yoshiharu Tsukamoto (Architect, Co-founder of Atelier Bow-Wow) / Chiaki Hayashi (President, Q0 Inc.) / Masataka Baba (Tokyo R Real Estate / President, Open A Inc.) / Ryugen Matsunami (Abbot of Experimental Temple Hojo-ji) / Rizuki Matsumoto (Representative of Machino Nursery/Children's Garden) / Risa Furukawa (Chairperson, Soranomachi Nursery School) / Noriaki Ikeda (Forestry and Environment Consultant) / Maki Niida (Okami of Niida Honke) / Midori Yamada (Associate Professor, Waseda University) / Kei Nakayama (President, ROOTS Inc.) / Hei-ran So (Co-representative, ROOTS Inc.) / Yasunobu Tamari (Context Design Researcher) / Yuki Honma (CSO, Chefs for the Blue)

### Featured Sessions
**Architecture and Circulation**
Theme: Cities aim for expansion and efficiency, while circulation aims for relationships and renewal. This session explores why practices in Satoyama and local regions are sought after now and how cycles of architecture, resources, and time can be implemented in cities.

**Buddhism and Circulation**
Theme: Exploring the circulation of the mind in urban areas. Why start an experimental temple in an unconventional form in Kyoto? How can the spirit of altruism and compassion be installed in cities and businesses?

**Education and Circulation**
Theme: As human roles change with the dramatic development of AI, the nature of education is being questioned. This session welcomes practitioners who foster 'practical wisdom' through food education and creative education connected to the local region.

'City and Circulation' is a festival where practitioners from diverse fields gather, mingle, and interact to gain new perspectives and relationships. There will be food booths, live music performances, art exhibitions, and networking parties in the evening. We invite you to join us!
*Note: 'City and Circulation' is co-hosted with Kyoto City.

## Speaker Profiles
**Yoshiharu Tsukamoto**
Professor at the Institute of Science Tokyo / Co-founder of Atelier Bow-Wow. Born in 1965. Since starting Atelier Bow-Wow in 1992, he has been involved in architectural design, public spaces, furniture, and field surveys. He advocates 'Behaviorology' to promote an ecological turn in architectural design.

**Chiaki Hayashi**
President of Q0 Inc. After working at Kao, she co-founded Loftwork in 2000. She established Q0 in 2022 to create new relationships between local regions and cities, focusing on sustainable regional creation in Hokkaido and Akita.

**Masataka Baba**
Representative of Tokyo R Real Estate / Open A Inc. Born in 1968. Established Open A in 2003. He is involved in architectural design and urban planning, while also starting 'Tokyo R Real Estate.' Professor at Tohoku University of Art and Design.