[Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture] "AI × Students × Local Industry" Keio University Yasunori Fujita Seminar Holds Special Projects at Silk Fair in Okaya 30th

Okaya City, Nagano Prefecture, once prospered as a leading center of Japan's silk reeling industry. On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at the "2026 Silk Fair in Okaya 30th" held in the city, two special projects by students from the Yasunori Fujita Seminar, Faculty of Economics, Keio University, attracted considerable attention from many visitors.

This project, conducted in collaboration with Okaya City, which is promoting the branding of "Okaya Silk," demonstrated new possibilities for silk culture by integrating AI technology, students, local industries, and historical and cultural assets.

AI × Students × Local Artisans: Supreme Silk Fabric Transforms into a Wedding Dress in Just One Day

Honoka Harada presenting a silk corsage.

At the opening ceremony, Honoka Harada, a seminar student from the research group, appeared wearing an "Okaya Silk" wedding dress she had created herself. She presented bouquets and silk corsages to the Mayor of Okaya and other related parties, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Silk Fair with splendor.

This dress was designed and patterned using generative AI, inspired by the "Kanto-i" (ancient Japanese tunic) from the Jomon period, and was sewn with the cooperation of Sanae Miyasaka of Okaya Silk Studio. The dress fabric was made from cocoons produced in Okaya, spun into thread by Miyasaka Seishi Co., Ltd. in the same city, and then woven by Namekata Orimono Co., Ltd. in Yamagata Prefecture, famous for "Mikado Silk," a top-grade fabric for bridal dresses. Although Harada had no prior experience in dressmaking, the concept took about one month, and the actual cutting and sewing work was completed in approximately one day, resulting in a simple masterpiece that highlighted the beauty of silk.

The dress, completed through the fusion of AI and student ideas with artisanal craftsmanship, received great applause from the venue as an initiative symbolizing "tradition and innovation."

Joint work with artisans from Okaya Silk Studio on dress production.

String Mini-Concert Explores New Possibilities for Cultural Heritage Utilization

The sounds of cultural heritage architecture and violin resonate, creating an immersive experience.

On the same day, a string mini-concert was held at the former Okaya City Hall by Yuka Nabeshima, a seminar student from the research group and a young violinist who has won numerous awards in domestic and international competitions.

The former City Hall, built in 1936 (Showa 11), is a historic building symbolizing "Silk Okaya." In recent years, it has also become popular as a filming location and was used in the blockbuster film "Godzilla -1.0," which won the Academy Award for Visual Effects.

Yuka Nabeshima also aims to start a business through classical music.

Ms. Nabeshima, who also aims to establish a business through classical music, focused on creating an experience that makes people want to "come again." She designed everything from the program to the post-concert survey herself, performing classical masterpieces and pieces related to Okaya. Attendees praised it with comments like, "The sound resonance was magnificent," and "My heart was cleansed," providing a special musical experience to visitors within the cultural heritage architectural space, and demonstrating new possibilities for value creation through the fusion of cultural assets and art.

Challenging Animation Production to Connect Local Memory to the Future with AI

"Okaya was the center of the silk reeling industry that supported Japan's industrial revolution. This project is also an attempt to connect that history to the future. By combining AI and youthful sensibilities, we believe the value of the region will further expand," says Professor Yasunori Fujita of the Faculty of Economics, Keio University. As a next endeavor, he is promoting the creation of animation using generative AI, themed around the lives of "kōjo-san" (female silk workers) who supported Okaya's silk reeling industry. "By utilizing AI, it becomes possible to deliver the daily life and atmosphere of that time, which is difficult to convey through text and documents alone, as visuals to the next generation. We will continue this challenge to connect local memory to the future."

The research group plans to continue activities that leverage Okaya's regional resources, transmitting new possibilities for culture and industry.

■ Comments

Hiroshi Kodaira, Director, Brand Promotion Office, Industrial Promotion Department, Okaya City

At the 30th "Silk Fair in Okaya," the Yasunori Fujita Seminar added great splendor to the event by showcasing an "Okaya Silk" wedding dress and holding a string concert at the former Okaya City Hall. Okaya City is promoting the branding of "Okaya Silk," and the students' ideas, such as the AI animation focusing on "kōjo-san" currently under production, which conveys Okaya's silk reeling history and culture "now," will be a great boost for promoting "Okaya Silk" branding. We are very much looking forward to future developments.

Chiyuki Takabayashi, Director, Okaya Silk Museum

Okaya's silk reeling industry developed and innovated reeling machinery from the Meiji to early Showa periods, boasting the world's largest raw silk production and export volume, greatly contributing to Japan's modernization. Professor Yasunori Fujita of Keio University Faculty of Economics has shown deep interest in Okaya's history, stating, "Okaya is the birthplace of Japan's industrial revolution." The professor has established a research laboratory in Okaya (within the former Yamaichi Rinkumi Office).