Recruitment Begins for Project Researchers for the Shonai Project Design Research (4th Term) ~Designing New Businesses to Solve Regional Issues in the Shonai Area~

The Graduate School of Project Design (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President: Risa Tanaka), an educational corporation for advanced education mechanisms, will hold the "Shonai Project Design Research (4th Term)" jointly with its affiliated research institute, the Project Design Institute, Sakata City, and Sumitomo Corporation. We have started recruiting project researchers for the course starting in June 2026. ## Designing New Businesses to Solve Regional Issues in the Shonai Area The Shonai region, the stage for this research group, is one of Japan's leading granaries, featuring a vast and fertile plain surrounded by mountains and the sea, with many rivers flowing through it, such as the Mogami River emptying into the Sea of Japan, the Aka River originating from the Dewa Mountains in the east, and the Nikko River and Gekko River originating from Mt. Chokai in the north. It is a nature-rich area blessed with seasonal bounties from the mountains and the sea, and has formed its own unique food culture. In addition, since ancient times, Mt. Chokai and the Three Mountains of Dewa have been bustling as sacred sites for mountain worship, and the region also boasts Yunohama Onsen, Atsumi Onsen, and Yutagawa Onsen, which have a history of over 1,000 years. During the Edo period, due to the development of Mogami River boat transportation, inland goods were transported from Sakata to Kamigata (Kyoto/Osaka area) and Edo via the "Westbound Shipping Route," and Shonai/Sakata flourished as a hub for economic and cultural exchange. The "Shonai Project Design Research" is a research group that aims to maximize the appeal and potential of the Shonai region, which possesses such abundant regional resources, and to design new businesses that will lead to the future. ## ## Thinking about Practical New Businesses with the Specialized Program of the Graduate School of Project Design In the "Shonai Project Design Research," we will support participants' project design research with a program that utilizes the curriculum elements of the master's course at the Graduate School of Project Design and guidance by the graduate school's faculty members. - It is a research group that designs new businesses contributing to solving regional issues in the Shonai area and promoting human resource development. - The "Shonai Project Design Research" started in 2023, and this is the 4th term. - We generate ideas from the root of the business and construct ideal project designs. - We realize the sharing and exploration of knowledge with companies and partners from different industries, as well as business creation activities through collaboration. - Through a 10-month research group (June 2026 to March 2027, 20 sessions in total), we develop project design personnel who hone their ability to pay attention to small signs, formulate questions, and create new businesses and value.