The Entire Town is a Campus. Opening "Omizo University," Japan's Largest University.
SAWAMURA, a general construction company, announces its "Omizo University" concept as part of April Dream, envisioning the entire Omizo area in Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture, as a vast campus. This initiative aims to offer practical learning experiences rooted in the 400-year history and culture of the region, fostering sustainable community development.
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- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 18:49
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Our company supports April Dream, which aims to make April 1st a day to express dreams. This press release is a dream of "SAWAMURA."
SAWAMURA Co., Ltd., a general construction company headquartered in Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture (hereinafter "SAWAMURA"), supports the "April Dream" project implemented by PR TIMES and envisions the opening of "Omizo University," a university that regards the entire area of Katsuno, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture (former Omizo area, hereinafter "Omizo"), as one giant campus.
The stage is Omizo, an important cultural landscape with over 400 years of history.
We have chosen the area around our head office as the "campus," where "town division waterways" have fostered healthy living by separating domestic water and drainage, and where centuries-old businesses still thrive.
We believe that the culture of this region, which has walked hand-in-hand with "water" that supported and developed the lives of Shiga, holds hints for enriching society in the future.
Coexistence with nature, pride in craftsmanship, and a spirit of warmly welcoming outsiders. On this 400-year-old soil, we will combine the sensibilities of new generations to create practical learning that cannot be learned from textbooks alone.
## Omizo University, Japan's Largest Campus
### 1. 365 Days a Year, Someone is "Apprenticing" Somewhere
This university has no fixed timetable. One day, you might learn about fermentation at a long-established `funazushi` (fermented sushi) shop, and another day, you might learn the "A-B-Cs of space creation" to revitalize vacant houses. In the evening, local `izakaya` (Japanese pubs) transform into seminar venues, where lively discussions take place across generations. We aim for a scene where "apprenticeship" is integrated into daily life, with someone learning from someone and taking on challenges somewhere in town, 365 days a year.
SAWAMURA Co., Ltd., a general construction company headquartered in Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture (hereinafter "SAWAMURA"), supports the "April Dream" project implemented by PR TIMES and envisions the opening of "Omizo University," a university that regards the entire area of Katsuno, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture (former Omizo area, hereinafter "Omizo"), as one giant campus.
The stage is Omizo, an important cultural landscape with over 400 years of history.
We have chosen the area around our head office as the "campus," where "town division waterways" have fostered healthy living by separating domestic water and drainage, and where centuries-old businesses still thrive.
We believe that the culture of this region, which has walked hand-in-hand with "water" that supported and developed the lives of Shiga, holds hints for enriching society in the future.
Coexistence with nature, pride in craftsmanship, and a spirit of warmly welcoming outsiders. On this 400-year-old soil, we will combine the sensibilities of new generations to create practical learning that cannot be learned from textbooks alone.
## Omizo University, Japan's Largest Campus
### 1. 365 Days a Year, Someone is "Apprenticing" Somewhere
This university has no fixed timetable. One day, you might learn about fermentation at a long-established `funazushi` (fermented sushi) shop, and another day, you might learn the "A-B-Cs of space creation" to revitalize vacant houses. In the evening, local `izakaya` (Japanese pubs) transform into seminar venues, where lively discussions take place across generations. We aim for a scene where "apprenticeship" is integrated into daily life, with someone learning from someone and taking on challenges somewhere in town, 365 days a year.