BABA's Cafe - A shop selling traditional sweets made by my grandmother
Award Winners
Aomori Prefectural Nakui Agricultural High School
Yudai Shimamori, Atsuya Sasaki, Takekatsu Kawamura, Kyosuke Nakayama, Misaki Komukai, Kenshin Ichizawa, Shota Kubozawa, Masahiro Fukuda, Yusuke Sakano, Mai Idoue
Rediscovering my hometown
- Millet flour culture
Due to the cool climate of the southern region of Aomori Prefecture, wheat, buckwheat, beans and other grains that can withstand the low temperatures are mainly grown there, and as a result, many of the traditional dishes that remain in the region are unique flour-based dishes that use grains as their main ingredient. - Healthy elderly people
The southern region of Aomori Prefecture is the agricultural region with the fastest aging population in the prefecture, but it is also a lively agricultural region with a thriving green tourism industry, and is home to traditional dishes made by energetic grandmothers using unique flour-based dishes made primarily from millet.
Ways to revitalize the local area
There are several advantages to this plan. One is the preservation of traditional cuisine. Traditional sweets are delicious even for young people today, but they cannot be passed down if people do not know about them. BABA's-Café aims to attract the interest of tourists and locals from inside and outside the prefecture, and to impart techniques and wisdom.
Another advantage is the employment of the elderly. The planning and management is done by young people in the area, but it provides a place where the elderly ladies can enjoy working with support, and the energetic elderly, who are also a local resource, can find meaning in life, while the young people have a place to play an active role in planning and management. This will lead to more people taking pride in the place where they were born and working locally, which will also lead to measures against the aging population. By turning the negative factor of aging into an advantage, we can see the energetic elderly ladies in the local area as a resource. BABA's-Café will create a place to work and a meaning in life for young people and the elderly, and will also work to solve the local issue of passing on traditional food, which should be a catalyst for revitalizing the area. BABA is an affectionate term for "grandmother" in this area.
Comments and points regarding the award
The project was highly praised for its ideas of viewing energetic local elderly women as a resource, utilizing their wisdom and abilities to provide a place for them to work together with young people, and preserving traditional foods.
Creating a popular tourist destination
Award Winners
Tone-Numata School Association Tone Commercial High School
Yuka Yasuda
Rediscovering my hometown
- Provision of interpreter guides at each tourist spot in Minakami Town
- Minakami Town History Tour & Handicraft Experience
- Leisure activities that the whole family can enjoy
- Relax your body and mind at Minakami Onsen
Ways to revitalize the local area
- Handicraft experience at Roadside Station Hourakukan
At Horakukan you can try making soba noodles, at Kanoie you can try making konjac, and at Fukujuchaya you can try making tofu. You can enjoy the taste of homemade food made using ingredients from Minakami. - Hands-on experience at Takumi no Sato
Takumi-no-Sato retains the traditional Japanese scenery, and the village, which is about the size of 70 Tokyo Domes, is dotted with Takumi no Ie, where you can experience making woodworking, bamboo crafts, and other handmade items using traditional methods. - Experience outdoor activities surrounded by nature
Minakami Town has the most outdoor spots in Japan, where you can enjoy activities such as rafting, canoeing and bungee jumping. Surrounded by the source of the Tone River and Mount Tanigawa, you can fully enjoy outdoor activities, which the whole family can enjoy. - Minakami Hot Springs
Minakami Town has many reasonably priced hot spring facilities, making it a great place for those who want to enjoy a day trip to a hot spring.
Comments and points regarding the award
It was a proposal to rediscover the charm of Minakami Town. In addition, the plan for the "Minakami Town Sightseeing Tour" was highly praised as an idea to promote the local area to tourists from overseas, with student volunteer interpreter guides wearing armbands at each tourist spot for foreigners who cannot speak Japanese, and an experience to help foreigners learn about Japanese culture. Furthermore, I thought the narration of the video was very good.
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