Design and Local Communities - "Excursion for Adults" to Feel and Enjoy Local Areas by Walking

On Saturday, April 16, 2022, the 2nd adult excursion "Go along the Yazawa River! Kofun and Todoroki Valley" was held by Shinko Studio, a "MENTOSEN" shop.

This excursion is 2020, when the corona started, and I wonder if I can do something fun when I'm estranged from people.

This excursion was started by inviting people living in the area, titled "Excursion for Adults" to feel and enjoy the area by walking.

 

If you can't go far, get to know your hometown.

If you can't keep close quarters together, let's go on an outdoor excursion!

It is an excursion that started thinking that it would be good if people could connect with each other by devising a little bit of what they can do.

On the last excursion, we walked along the Kokubunji cliff line to the Okamoto Seikado library.
1st "Excursion for Adults"」

Follow the Yazawa River to the ancient tombs and Todoroki Valley

This time, I walked along the river called Yazawa River.

They knew about Todoroki Valley, but they didn't seem to know very well where the river that flows through it came from.

I've lived in Setagaya for a long time, but I didn't know where the water came from.

After doing some research, I found out that the river was the Yazawa River, and that the source of the river seemed to be spring water around a nearby farm.

Reiko Nakasugi, the owner of the Nakasugi Kitchen Garden in Sakuragaoka, Setagaya Ward, guided us on that day and discovered a small waterway near 4-chome Sakuragaoka, Setagaya Ward.

Nearby, there was even a playground park where water overflowed when it rained.

After that, I chased after the Yazawa River, which was turned into a culvert, and discovered the monument of "Yazawa River Spring Pond Ruins" on the way.

Beyond Yoga, under the Metropolitan Expressway, the Yazawa River finally appears.

After crossing Route 246, both sides of the Yazawa River became a promenade, and the dogwood trees were beautiful.

After that, I visited Noge Otsuka Burial Mound → Todoroki Valley, Yokoana Burial Mound, etc., and it was time to feel the romance of stepping on the same ground as I thought of Setagaya in the far Kofun period.

It was raining in the morning, but the weather cleared up nicely.

It's fun to feel the heart-throb of chance local connections

We walked a total distance of about 7km while having casual conversations with people who seemed to have met for the first time today.

Feel the spring air, see the scenery, and enjoy it in different ways.

On the other hand, is there one thing they all have in common: a desire to enjoy the area in which they live?

And the fact that I was able to meet the people I met today, by chance, makes my heart flutter a little.

Now is the time to search and book anything online.

Time to make a plan and move on.

But when something happens by chance, it makes my heart throb and it's fun.

I changed the walking route and schedule according to the situation, and the participants knew more about the area, and suddenly became a teacher.

Human Connection and Future Orientation

Why an excursion at a jewelry shop?

To be honest, we are hosting, we don't even know,

Doing things one by one that can be enjoyed with the local people,

Proposing new designs and manufacturing with an eye on the future

They must be connected somewhere.

I want to believe so.

In an era of stagnation,

In order to see things positively, I think it is important to have casual connections with people in everyday life and a future-oriented feeling that "there will be exciting things ahead."

By interacting with local people, we need to feel what people are feeling right now, so I'm sure they feel the significance of this "excursion" for us.

Above all, it was the first time in a long time that it was sunny and fun.

If design is to propose an exciting feeling, and if it leads to happiness,

That's the role of the shops in our area, and I think it's connected to our craftsmanship.

What made me happy this time was that some of the people who participated in the excursion wore the jewelry they made at home and participated in the excursion.

It's sneakers, pants and jewelry.

now.And from now on, maybe.

 

design and region

design and local.

Although it tends to be thought that it is facing the opposite vector to the design with excellent sensibility,

I think that sensitivity to savor design is important for people's comfortable lives.

On the other hand, the design side also has to dive into the people and get a real feeling when designing.

we released last year『MENTOSENpursues the beauty of "surface" and "line"

“In a world that has become so complicated, we can get rid of the surrounding decorations and distractions, and find out what kind of outline was really important.

Let's think about what it was like."

design and community.

The answer is, first from the feet,

It was an excursion that I thought might be a hint to think about things simply because I enjoyed it with people close to me.

Anyway, it was fun.

I will plan again.

MENTOSEN rice well