Gujo City Launches New Project "Gujo Company" ~ Recruiting Urban Youth to Co-Create a "Life Rooted in Community"

On July 6th, Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture announced the launch of the "Gujo Nature-Based Work School Project Promotion Initiative" as part of its relocation promotion efforts. Named "Gujo Company," this project targets young people in their late 20s to early 30s living in urban areas. It aims to foster the creation of new businesses and employment opportunities by learning and practicing a "rooted way of life" grounded in the region's nature and culture. It will promote new ways of working and living that transcend the dichotomy of city versus countryside living.

Specifically, leading up to the opening of a hands-on school in April 2018, this fiscal year will involve creating a business plan and soliciting new business ideas from citizens. These ideas will then be refined through "Roots-Based Business Creation Workshops," where urban youth and Gujo City entrepreneurs collaborate.

The workshops (hosted by Gujo City and the Gujo City Exchange and Relocation Promotion Council) will be held primarily on holidays from September to December, with a total of six sessions scheduled in Tokyo and Gujo. Participants will include young people from urban areas and entrepreneurs from Gujo City, along with guests such as Mr. Tomoaki Kageyama, owner of Kurumido Coffee in Kokubunji City. They will form teams to refine specific business plans for their respective projects. The workshop expects to recruit around 24 participants from urban areas.

The project's concept is "Creating a life rooted in community." The official website, launched on the 7th, details the concept's vision, project specifics, workshop application guidelines, and information about Gujo City's nature and culture.