Report on the "Shonan i-Park Festa 2026": Around 2,800 Attend Science Experience Event at Cutting-Edge Research Facility

・36 companies and organizations based at Shonan i-Park participated as exhibitors, instructors, and advisors. Hands-on exhibits by 17 of these organizations were especially popular.

・The new initiative "Talk with Researchers! Open Chat Corner" allowed visitors to casually interact with researchers from within Shonan i-Park.

・The "Student Research Presentation Session" featured presentations by 18 middle and high school student groups. Attendees commented, "It was extremely valuable to hear presentations by students."

i-Park Institute Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture; President & CEO: Toshio Fujimoto; hereinafter "i-Park Institute") held the "Shonan i-Park Festa 2026 - The Day My 'Why?' Comes Alive. Learn, Enjoy, Try. A Science World for Everyone to Enjoy Together" on May 23. The event aimed to open Shonan Health Innovation Park (hereinafter "Shonan i-Park"), Japan's largest life sciences research hub, to the public and allow visitors to experience the appeal of science through direct interaction with working researchers. This fourth edition featured the ever-popular science experience booths and science shows hosted by resident companies and organizations, the well-received "Shonan i-Park Student Research Presentation Session," and introduced a new feature: the "Talk with Researchers! Open Chat Corner," where visitors could casually discuss researchers' jobs and career guidance. Attendees shared feedback such as, "Research felt much more accessible," and "It was great to learn about the business activities of various companies, which we normally wouldn't have access to."

Video of the Shonan i-Park Festa 2026 is available here:

https://youtu.be/0CixrKEWlQI?si=iqxBhGY_nK9TYuEn

Highlights from the event are introduced below.

20 "Science Experience Booths" Hosted by Resident Companies and Organizations

The annual popular experience booths by companies and organizations based at Shonan i-Park lined the approximately 400-meter-long corridor (nicknamed Broadway) and outdoor spaces, packed tightly together. All 20 hands-on booths hosted by 17 companies and organizations were bustling with activity. Children peering excitedly into microscopes and adults seriously questioning researchers left a strong impression.

Visitors commented, "It was a wonderful time where people of all ages, from children to adults, could enjoy and learn," and "Each booth radiated enthusiasm for conveying the interest and fun of research, creating a very comfortable atmosphere."

※ List of exhibitors (in no particular order)

"Shonan i-Park Student Research Presentation Session – Gather, Future Researchers!"

Aiming to contribute to nurturing the next generation of researchers, the event invited middle and high school students to submit research projects in the life sciences field. 18 groups were selected through document screening to present. On the day, researchers from companies and organizations based at Shonan i-Park participated as advisors, asking questions and providing advice on research content and methodology. Visitors commented, "It was extremely valuable to hear student presentations, which we rarely get to experience." Presenters said, "We were nervous, but it made us happy that real researchers listened seriously to our work and gave us advice." Participating researchers noted, "The students' attitude toward research was outstanding."

Additionally, 15 poster presentations were held, attracting significant attention from visitors and researchers alike.

(Reference) List of presentation topics

https://www.shonan-ipark.com/iparkfesta2026/gakusei.pdf?1782192081264

New Initiative: "Talk with Researchers! Open Chat Corner"

This new program allowed visitors to casually discuss questions and concerns about researchers' jobs and future career choices with scientists from Shonan i-Park, attracting many participants. On the day, 15 researchers from 11 companies based at Shonan i-Park participated, offering advice on a wide range of questions from attendees.

Visitors shared, "I was grateful that they gave me sincere, personalized advice about my career path and what a researcher's job is really like."

Overall, feedback included, "It was great as a local resident to learn that such excellent companies and people are gathered here, working hard for society," and "I felt this was a valuable event connecting the local community and research institutions." i-Park Institute will continue to create opportunities for local residents and a broad audience to directly experience cutting-edge science and feel its appeal in their everyday lives.

Reference: Overview of the "Shonan i-Park Festa 2026"

【Date and Time】 May 23 (Sat), 2026, 10:00–17:00

【Venue】 Shonan i-Park (2-26-1 Muraoka-higashi, Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture) (Free admission)

【Organizer】 i-Park Institute Co., Ltd.

【Supported by】 Fujisawa City, Kamakura City

【Special Website】 https://www.shonan-ipark.com/iparkfesta2026/

About i-Park Institute Co., Ltd.

i-Park Institute Co., Ltd., with Industrial Innovation Fund Investment Corporation (IIF), Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, and Mitsubishi Corporation as major shareholders, began operations in April 2023. In 2023, the company succeeded the management of Shonan Health Innovation Park (Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture; abbreviated as Shonan i-Park), which had been operated by Takeda Pharmaceutical since 2018. The company manages and operates the facility and undertakes initiatives to promote innovation, technological exchange, and research collaboration to build and energize a life sciences ecosystem. For more information, please visit here.

About Shonan Health Innovation Park (Shonan i-Park)

Shonan i-Park, established in April 2018 when Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited opened its internal research institute to external partners, is Japan's first science park initiated by a pharmaceutical company. Now independently operated by i-Park Institute Co., Ltd., it aims to bring together diverse industries, government, and academia of all sizes to accelerate health innovation. Currently, around 220 companies and organizations—including pharmaceutical firms, next-generation medicine, cellular agriculture, AI, and government bodies—have gathered here, forming a life sciences ecosystem of approximately 3,500 people (as of June 2026).

Official website: https://www.shonan-ipark.com

Latest list of resident/member companies and organizations: here

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