Workshop Course by Imajyuku Project completes

Faculty of Art, Kyushu University, and the Fukuoka City Nishi Ward Office have been working together to revitalize the community of Imajuku, Nishi Ward, Fukuoka City since 2019.

Last year, a new website, “Imajuku Umiyamahito,” where local information and interviews with local people are posted, was built. Intending to train web writers to contribute articles to the website, we held a five-session course to offer the participants the skills necessary to write articles in August and September.  20 people, mainly from the Imajuku area, took part in these five sessions.

A local designer, writers in Fukuoka, and a student photographer from Kyushu University gave each lecture. She is working hard on his research at university and improving her skills at a photo studio. For each session, they talked about each step in creating an article for the website. While introducing examples of their work, they carefully taught the participants how to prepare before the actual writing, structure the paper, and add headings effectively. The participants also experienced a series of writing processes, such as conducting interviews and writing the manuscript during the course. In the photography course, the lecturer introduced tips on how to take and edit photos. In the latter half of the course, participants shared photos they took on the spot online.

The atmosphere became homier with each session, and the final certificate presentation ceremony ended with warm applause. Through the course, we were able to share the local people’s passion for Imajuku. It was an excellent opportunity that will be a significant driving force for the future activities of the Imajuku Project.

<Overview of the Writer’s Workshop (5 Sessions)>
Date: August 23 (Mon.) – September 10 (Fri.) (5 sessions)
Venue: Online (Zoom)
Fee: Free of charge
Capacity: 20 people *on a first-come-first-served basis
Participation requirements: Basic PC skills and advanced Japanese language skill
What to bring: Sessions 2-5: Laptop PC, tablets, smartphone, or other input devices
4th session: Tablet, smartphone, digital camera, or other photography equipment

<Schedule>
Session 1: August 23(Mon), 13:30-15:30
1) Opening ceremony
2) Introduction of the Imajuku Project
3) Lecture: “Community branding that children can be proud of”
Lecturer: Ms. Mika Takayama, President, Local & Design Co.
4) Exchange Workshop

Session 2: August 27(Fri), 13:30-16:00
Lecture and Practice: “Writing Course without Writing”
Lecturer: Ms. Kyoko Ozaki, Representative Director of Mamatoko Lab

Session 3: September 3(Fri), 13:30-16:00
Lecture and Practice: “Let’s Interview”
Lecturer: Ms. Michiko Sato, Director of Mamatoko Lab

Session 4: September 6(Mon), 13:30-16:00
Lecture and practice “How to take a picture”
Instructor: Ms. Aoi Tokikawa, a junior student at Kyushu University

Session 5: September 10(Fri), 13:30-16:00
Workshop “Let’s send out the good people and good places of Imajuku!
Lecturer: Ms. Kyoko Ozaki, Representative Director of Mamatoko Lab

<Lecturer Introduction>
Ms. Mika Takayama
Representative Director of Local & Designer Inc.
Lives in Kurume City. Since marrying a grape farmer, she has been involved in projects that connect urban and rural areas in the fields of education, food, and landscape, based in Tanushimaru Town. She has been involved in many projects in the Chikugo area, such as digging up the history of Tanushimaru, the place where the first Kyoho grapes were planted, the Chikugo Children’s Campus, and Ukiha Forest Therapy. She is also involved in the activities of the “Yamazuto no Kai” which protects the natural environment and nurtures culture at the foot of Mt.

Ms. Kyoko Ozaki
Representative Director, Mamatoko Lab
Ms. Ozaki has worked as an interviewer, writer, and designer for various media from corporations and governments. She is also engaged in the training of mommy writers as part of her efforts to propose and implement diverse lifestyles and work styles for women in their child-rearing years.

Ms. Michiko Sato
Director, Mamatoko Lab
As a part-time lecturer, she teaches “Introduction to Volunteer Practice” at universities. She is also involved in a wide range of activities based in Itoshima to support child-rearing and to create opportunities for women to demonstrate their abilities during child-rearing.

[Sponsored by] Fukuoka City Nishi Ward Office Community Development Division
Kyushu University Faculty of Design
The Nishi Ward Office subsidizes this course.

The Imajuku Project is a community revitalization project launched in 2018 by Kyushu University students, the Nishi Ward Office, local residents, and high school students.
Click here to read about past efforts.