Sasae Foundation (Iida City, Nagano Prefecture) Releases Novella "Akari Foundation: From the Valley to the World" in 12 Parts on note, Depicting Hope for Japan Seen from the Regions

From the depths of Nagano Prefecture, Iida City, to Japanese society.

On June 30, 2026, the General Incorporated Foundation Yume Toshi Foundation (brand name: Sasae Foundation, Representative Director: Dai Tanabe), based in Iida City, Nagano Prefecture, released all 12 parts of the novella "Akari Foundation: From the Valley to the World" collectively on note.

This work is a complete work of fiction born from questions that have persisted while working in regional areas.

Why does the stagnation in regional areas not stop?

Why are the jobs of many women less likely to be rewarded?

Why are non-profit jobs, which are essential for society, structurally difficult to nurture?

And all these questions lead to one hope.

"Doesn't Japan have more potential?"

Population decline, regional decay, women's work styles, structural difficulties in non-profit activities –.

This work portrays the hope that "one small challenge can change society" as a story, while viewing these not as individual issues but as a single social structure.

From the perspective of major cities, the reality of regional areas is far too difficult to see.

When considering the future of Japanese society, it is impossible to discuss it without knowing the regions.

However, from major cities, the reality of regional areas is surprisingly difficult to perceive.

Even if they are introduced as tourist destinations on national networks, there are never many opportunities for the struggles, challenges, and hopes of the people living there to reach the entire nation.

That is precisely why this work aims to deliver the reality of regional areas to society in the form of a "story."

The setting is the fictional village of "Toya-mura," far from major cities, and the regional city of "Shunan-shi."

Hino Kawayumi, who starts the confectionery shop "Pound Biyori" after a small sense of unease.

And Akari Tsuki, the representative of the General Incorporated Foundation "Akari Foundation" who supports her.

The story depicts the conflicts and hopes of people living in regional areas, centering on these two women.

A hope seen from the regions.

The author, Dai Tanabe, moved from Tokyo to Iida City, Nagano Prefecture, in 2023 and established the General Incorporated Foundation Yume Toshi Foundation (brand name: Sasae Foundation) in 2025.

While involved in supporting female entrepreneurs, providing grants to non-profit organizations, and management consulting in regional areas, he has come to strongly feel one possibility.

It is the possibility that the challenges of women taking new steps rooted in their communities can change people, change regions, and eventually change society.

This work depicts that possibility as a single hope.

What do people working in regional areas, as women, and in non-profit fields, realize and choose at a certain moment?

The story depicts how the accumulation of these small choices creates a new future.

Why a novel?

While working in regional areas, there were things that could not be conveyed through numbers, statistics, or policy recommendations alone.

These are the emotions, conflicts, hesitations, courage, and hopes of the people living there.

That is precisely why, in this work, the expression chosen was not an academic paper or an essay, but a "story."

Although this work is a complete fiction, the background scenery, the lives of the people, and the social issues are constructed based on the reality that the author has continued to observe in regional areas.

The work was written over four consecutive nights, completing all 12 parts.

Publication Overview

Work Title: "Akari Foundation: From the Valley to the World"

Series Title: Akari Foundation Stories

Publication Date: June 30, 2026

Publication Format: note Magazine (12 Parts Total)

Price: 1,800 yen (tax included)

* The first part and some other parts are available for free.

note Magazine

About the General Incorporated Foundation Yume Toshi Foundation (Brand Name: Sasae Foundation)

The General Incorporated Foundation Yume Toshi Foundation (brand name: Sasae Foundation) is based in Iida City, Nagano Prefecture, and works to unlock the potential dormant in regional areas and bring it to society through supporting female entrepreneurs, providing grants to non-profit organizations, and management consulting.

Its tagline is: "Encountering the questions that regions hold."

The foundation aims to translate the challenges and social issues arising in regional areas into the intellectual assets of society and deliver them to a wider audience.

We hope that this work, "Akari Foundation: From the Valley to the World," will serve as an opportunity to re-examine Japanese society from the perspective of a single valley.

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