Drawing Shiga's Future from 'Water.' General Construction Company SAWAMURA Participates in 'SHIGA FUTUREs THINKING WEEK 2026,' Exhibiting 'Omizo Future Emaki' Weaving Local History and Future.
SAWAMURA, a general construction company, is participating in 'SHIGA FUTUREs THINKING WEEK 2026' (SFTW), an event focused on shaping Shiga's future through a 'water-centric' approach. They will exhibit an 'Omizo Future Emaki' (future picture scroll) that visualizes the history and future vision of the Omizo area, created through dialogue with local residents. The company also plans to expand this initiative globally and connect it to new businesses leveraging local value.
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- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 19:05
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SAWAMURA Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Koichiro Sawamura; hereinafter "SAWAMURA") will participate in "SHIGA FUTURE THINKING WEEK 2026" (hereinafter "SFTW"), an event organized by DAS LAB, a co-creation collective that connects the future of regions and companies.
This event will be held for nine days from Saturday, April 18 to Sunday, April 26, 2026, at the former Shiga Bank Hikone Branch in Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture. Our company will participate in the exhibition for "FUTUREs CHALLENGE Takashima," set in the Katsuno area of Takashima City (commonly known as Omizo). We will exhibit a "Future Emaki" (future picture scroll) that visualizes the history unraveled by local storytellers and the future vision born from dialogues with residents as a single narrative, proposing a future that walks hand-in-hand with the community.
■ About "SHIGA FUTURE THINKING WEEK 2026"
SFTW is a platform that shares and disseminates practical examples for shaping "desired futures" being developed across various parts of Shiga Prefecture, through exhibitions and talk sessions. First held last year, it aims to be a "future education venue" that fosters "people who can think about the future and act on their own" across generations, from children to the elderly, with the goal of being held annually.
The curation theme for SFTW2026, like last year, is "Water-Centric: Thinking about Shiga's Future with Water at its Core."
In Shiga Prefecture, which has walked alongside the vast ancient Lake Biwa and inherited its blessings, a strong awareness of "protecting water" has been rooted since ancient times.
This exhibition dares to re-examine the conventional human-centric perspective in the search for a sustainable society, and challenges to "redefine all activities with water protection at the center." This will be explored through diverse exhibitions, workshops, and talk sessions.
■ SAWAMURA's Exhibition Content: "Future Emaki" Born from Dialogue
① Exhibition of the Future Emaki
Our company has created a "Future Emaki" utilizing technology, based on the local Omizo district (Omizo). We have digitized various histories, cultures, and episodes from local storytellers using graphic recording. Beyond merely introducing history, by presenting the "desired future" envisioned by residents as a story, we aim to create an opportunity for visitors to feel new interest and great potential in the region.
② Talk Session on the Theme of "Future Town Planning"
As the opening event on the first day, a talk session will be held between our representative, Sawamura, and members of the "Omizo Waterfront Landscape Town Planning Council," a town planning organization responsible for the history and environmental preservation of local Omizo. From their respective standpoints, they will explore the ideal form of the town for the future.
■ Future Developments: From Takashima to the World, and to the 450th Anniversary of Castle Construction in 2027
After SFTW concludes, the exhibition content will be brought to our co-creation hub "Rin Takashima" and the "Omizo Jinya Somon" (main gate of Omizo Jinya) managed by the Omizo town planning organization, to be utilized as an opportunity for dialogue with residents.
Starting with this exhibition, SAWAMURA envisions the following roadmap:
May 2026 ~
Exhibition of the Future Emaki at the co-creation hub "Rin Takashima" and "Omizo Jinya Somon."
September 2026
Dissemination to the world through "Ars Electronica Festival 2026," one of the world's largest media art festivals held in Austria.
2027
Deepening of regional co-creation projects, triggered by the 450th anniversary of the construction of Omizo Castle.
Through these initiatives, we aim to connect to new businesses that leverage local value, such as the currently planned long-stay accommodation business.
■ Event Outline
Name: SHIGA FUTUREs THINKING WEEK 2026 (SFTW2026)
Period: Saturday, April 18, 2026 – Sunday, April 26, 2026, 10:00 – 18:00 (until 17:30 only on the 18th)
Venue: Former Shiga Bank Hikone Branch (3-3 Ginza-cho, Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture)
Organizers: DAS LAB / Toyota Coniq Co., Ltd.
Cooperation: Ars Electronica Futurelab
Special Cooperation: Yamajin Kensetsu Co., Ltd.
Sponsorship: Shiga Prefecture / Hikone City / Hikone City Board of Education / Hikone Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Details: Please check the official website below for event details.
(Official Website: https://daslab.jp/sftw/2026/)
■ SAWAMURA's Town Planning
Our company aims to maximize the regional population involved and build sustainable local cities by creating communities that go beyond the scope of construction. To achieve this, we organize the "SAWAMURA Marche," which attracts approximately 2,000 visitors, and support the launch of the "Omizo Town Planning Marche" operated by local residents. Through industry-academia-government collaboration with administrations, companies, and universities, we promote experiential projects that utilize historical assets. Moving forward, we will expand this scheme to other areas, leading the improvement of overall regional brand value.
Company Profile: SAWAMURA Co., Ltd.
A general construction company that provides one-stop solutions for challenges, ranging from custom homes and renovations to the construction of offices, factories, stores, public facilities, and civil engineering, primarily in the Shiga, Kyoto, and Fukui areas. They also handled the construction of "Biwako Terrace," a tourist attraction visited by approximately 600,000 people annually. They are also involved in creating opportunities for regional revitalization, such as organizing local markets. In Takashima City, where the head office is located, with a population of just under 46,000 and facing the challenge of labor outflow, they have doubled their employee count and sales in six years through branding, and the number of entry applications for new graduates in 2027 reached 672 (as of April 2026). Their purpose is to "create a society where people can work and live richly."
Company Name: SAWAMURA Co., Ltd.
Representative: Koichiro Sawamura
Headquarters: 1108-3 Katsuno, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture
Industry: General Construction
Founded: 1950
Capital (Group total): 50,000,000 JPY
Employees (Group total): 194 (as of April 2026)
Website: https://www.sawamura-shiga.co.jp/
Main Services: Living Environment Business (custom homes, renovation/remodeling, exterior construction, real estate), Solution Business (new construction/renovation of offices, factories, stores, warehouses, nursing homes, clinics, asset utilization, civil engineering)
This event will be held for nine days from Saturday, April 18 to Sunday, April 26, 2026, at the former Shiga Bank Hikone Branch in Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture. Our company will participate in the exhibition for "FUTUREs CHALLENGE Takashima," set in the Katsuno area of Takashima City (commonly known as Omizo). We will exhibit a "Future Emaki" (future picture scroll) that visualizes the history unraveled by local storytellers and the future vision born from dialogues with residents as a single narrative, proposing a future that walks hand-in-hand with the community.
■ About "SHIGA FUTURE THINKING WEEK 2026"
SFTW is a platform that shares and disseminates practical examples for shaping "desired futures" being developed across various parts of Shiga Prefecture, through exhibitions and talk sessions. First held last year, it aims to be a "future education venue" that fosters "people who can think about the future and act on their own" across generations, from children to the elderly, with the goal of being held annually.
The curation theme for SFTW2026, like last year, is "Water-Centric: Thinking about Shiga's Future with Water at its Core."
In Shiga Prefecture, which has walked alongside the vast ancient Lake Biwa and inherited its blessings, a strong awareness of "protecting water" has been rooted since ancient times.
This exhibition dares to re-examine the conventional human-centric perspective in the search for a sustainable society, and challenges to "redefine all activities with water protection at the center." This will be explored through diverse exhibitions, workshops, and talk sessions.
■ SAWAMURA's Exhibition Content: "Future Emaki" Born from Dialogue
① Exhibition of the Future Emaki
Our company has created a "Future Emaki" utilizing technology, based on the local Omizo district (Omizo). We have digitized various histories, cultures, and episodes from local storytellers using graphic recording. Beyond merely introducing history, by presenting the "desired future" envisioned by residents as a story, we aim to create an opportunity for visitors to feel new interest and great potential in the region.
② Talk Session on the Theme of "Future Town Planning"
As the opening event on the first day, a talk session will be held between our representative, Sawamura, and members of the "Omizo Waterfront Landscape Town Planning Council," a town planning organization responsible for the history and environmental preservation of local Omizo. From their respective standpoints, they will explore the ideal form of the town for the future.
■ Future Developments: From Takashima to the World, and to the 450th Anniversary of Castle Construction in 2027
After SFTW concludes, the exhibition content will be brought to our co-creation hub "Rin Takashima" and the "Omizo Jinya Somon" (main gate of Omizo Jinya) managed by the Omizo town planning organization, to be utilized as an opportunity for dialogue with residents.
Starting with this exhibition, SAWAMURA envisions the following roadmap:
May 2026 ~
Exhibition of the Future Emaki at the co-creation hub "Rin Takashima" and "Omizo Jinya Somon."
September 2026
Dissemination to the world through "Ars Electronica Festival 2026," one of the world's largest media art festivals held in Austria.
2027
Deepening of regional co-creation projects, triggered by the 450th anniversary of the construction of Omizo Castle.
Through these initiatives, we aim to connect to new businesses that leverage local value, such as the currently planned long-stay accommodation business.
■ Event Outline
Name: SHIGA FUTUREs THINKING WEEK 2026 (SFTW2026)
Period: Saturday, April 18, 2026 – Sunday, April 26, 2026, 10:00 – 18:00 (until 17:30 only on the 18th)
Venue: Former Shiga Bank Hikone Branch (3-3 Ginza-cho, Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture)
Organizers: DAS LAB / Toyota Coniq Co., Ltd.
Cooperation: Ars Electronica Futurelab
Special Cooperation: Yamajin Kensetsu Co., Ltd.
Sponsorship: Shiga Prefecture / Hikone City / Hikone City Board of Education / Hikone Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Details: Please check the official website below for event details.
(Official Website: https://daslab.jp/sftw/2026/)
■ SAWAMURA's Town Planning
Our company aims to maximize the regional population involved and build sustainable local cities by creating communities that go beyond the scope of construction. To achieve this, we organize the "SAWAMURA Marche," which attracts approximately 2,000 visitors, and support the launch of the "Omizo Town Planning Marche" operated by local residents. Through industry-academia-government collaboration with administrations, companies, and universities, we promote experiential projects that utilize historical assets. Moving forward, we will expand this scheme to other areas, leading the improvement of overall regional brand value.
Company Profile: SAWAMURA Co., Ltd.
A general construction company that provides one-stop solutions for challenges, ranging from custom homes and renovations to the construction of offices, factories, stores, public facilities, and civil engineering, primarily in the Shiga, Kyoto, and Fukui areas. They also handled the construction of "Biwako Terrace," a tourist attraction visited by approximately 600,000 people annually. They are also involved in creating opportunities for regional revitalization, such as organizing local markets. In Takashima City, where the head office is located, with a population of just under 46,000 and facing the challenge of labor outflow, they have doubled their employee count and sales in six years through branding, and the number of entry applications for new graduates in 2027 reached 672 (as of April 2026). Their purpose is to "create a society where people can work and live richly."
Company Name: SAWAMURA Co., Ltd.
Representative: Koichiro Sawamura
Headquarters: 1108-3 Katsuno, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture
Industry: General Construction
Founded: 1950
Capital (Group total): 50,000,000 JPY
Employees (Group total): 194 (as of April 2026)
Website: https://www.sawamura-shiga.co.jp/
Main Services: Living Environment Business (custom homes, renovation/remodeling, exterior construction, real estate), Solution Business (new construction/renovation of offices, factories, stores, warehouses, nursing homes, clinics, asset utilization, civil engineering)