Industry-Academia Project Launched: Kudamatsu SA and Yamaguchi Kumagekita High School

Key facts

  • Industry-Academia Project Launched: Kudamatsu SA and Yamaguchi Kumagekita High School
  • NEXCO West Japan and Yamaguchi Prefectural Kumagekita High School launched a collaboration where students create menus using local ingredients for sale at Kudamatsu SA (upbound) from October 2026 to March 2027.
  • Source: PR Times
  • Date: June 6, 2026

Direct answer

NEXCO West Japan and Yamaguchi Prefectural Kumagekita High School launched a collaboration where students create menus using local ingredients for sale at Kudamatsu SA (upbound) from October 2026 to March 2027.

Citation
Industry-Academia Project Launched: Kudamatsu SA and Yamaguchi Kumagekita High School (June 6, 2026), PR Times
Source
PR Times
Date
June 6, 2026
NEXCO West Japan and Yamaguchi Prefectural Kumagekita High School launched a collaboration where students create menus using local ingredients for sale at Kudamatsu SA (upbound) from October 2026 to March 2027.
新規事業・プロジェクトNQ 64/100出典：PR Times

📋 Article Processing Timeline

  • 📰 Published: June 6, 2026 at 00:00
  • 🔍 Collected: June 5, 2026 at 15:21
  • 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 6, 2026 at 17:01 (25h 40m after Collected)
West Nippon Expressway (NEXCO West Japan) has launched an industry-academia collaboration with Yamaguchi Prefectural Kumagekita High School at Kudamatsu Service Area (upbound) on the E2 Sanyo Expressway. Third-year students in the Life Design Department's Food Culture Course will develop original menu items using locally sourced Yamaguchi Prefecture ingredients. The theme is 'Menus that showcase Yamaguchi's appeal through food,' requiring at least one agricultural, marine, or livestock product produced or processed within the prefecture. A tasting judging session and awards ceremony will be held on July 15, 2026 at the school, with judges including the school principal, SA manager, head chef, and a local industry representative. Commercialized dishes will be unveiled in late September 2026 and sold at the restaurant corner 'Shunsen Bimi' operated by Eagle Kogyo Co., Ltd. from early October 2026 through late March 2027. A commemorative launch event is also planned. Kumagekita High School, located in Shunan City, has over 110 years of history and pursues its 'Kumakita Brand' philosophy of community contribution through student activities.

FAQ

What is the Kudamatsu SA industry-academia collaboration project?

High school students from Kumagekita High School develop original recipes using local Yamaguchi ingredients to be sold at the Kudamatsu Service Area restaurant.

When will the new menu items be available for purchase?

Sales are scheduled from early October 2026 through late March 2027 at the Kudamatsu SA (upbound) restaurant corner 'Shunsen Bimi.'

When and where is the tasting judging session held?

The tasting and awards ceremony is scheduled for July 15, 2026, from 8:50 to 12:40 at Kumagekita High School's cooking lab.

What are the recipe requirements for the student-created menus?

Recipes must use at least one agricultural, marine, or livestock product from Yamaguchi Prefecture that can be stably supplied throughout the sales period.

Which students participate in this collaboration project?

Third-year students in the Life Design Department's Food Culture Course at Yamaguchi Prefectural Kumagekita High School participate.

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