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Masuda's seminar conducted fieldwork in Kasai City, Hyogo Prefecture, to experience the philosophy of "Eat and Be Friends" and to renovate old houses.Hachioji Campus

On September 5 (Fri.) to 7 (Sun.), 2025, the Masuda Seminar of Teikyo University Faculty of Economics Department of Business Administration conducted fieldwork in Kasai City, Hyogo Prefecture. The Masuda Seminar emphasizes "independent and practical learning" that links classroom learning with the local community, and students visit the site to develop the ability to contribute to society by coming into direct contact with local issues.

This activity, which began in 2021 and has the theme of "Regional revitalization through the restoration of old houses," is now in its fifth year. The setting for the activity is an old house that is over 260 years old and has a history of serving as a village headman and money exchanger during the Edo period, and old documents and scales that record financial activities from that time remain. Making use of these cultural assets, we continue to learn about the meaning of "preserving old things and living in harmony with nature."
Up until now, fieldwork has included interviews with city hall and local residents, papering shoji screens, organizing barns, photographing storehouses, and creating herb gardens in backyards. Starting in 2024, the students will be collaborating with the Kasai City government to launch the Incredible Edible (Herb Garden Concept), which allows anyone to freely harvest herbs, under the concept of "Eat it, you're friends." This year, they took the concept a step further, picking herbs planted last year and holding a tasting event using them. Students and local residents shared tastings and conversations, naturally spreading smiles. Through this interaction, they experienced the concept of "Eat it, you're friends" and felt a deeper connection with the community.
The students commented, "Regional revitalization takes time, but I realized it's important to build relationships little by little," and "Through my experience on site, my perspective on the local area has changed," demonstrating their steady growth as they continue to learn.

Suzuki Yuto (4th year, Faculty Faculty of Economics), who was a member of Masuda's seminar last year and was offered a position at Edogawa Ward Office, said, "Through the experience of working on local issues in the seminar and the interview at city hall, I got a real feel for the role of government on the ground and the importance of work that supports the community, which has made me even more determined to become a civil servant."
These activities have been highly praised, and Masuda's seminar has been selected for Hyogo Prefecture's "Hyogo Kizuna Project: Community x University x Company" for two consecutive years, in 2024 and 2025. Going forward, Masuda's seminar will continue to work diligently with the local community, aiming to develop human resources who can think and act independently in society.

For more information about Department of Business Administration Faculty of Economics Business Administration, click here
For more information about Professor Rika Masuda, click here
For more information on Teikyo University's SDGs initiatives, click here

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