KITO | KEISUKEUNOSAWA

Creating a miracle village

Kito village revitalization project, Tokushima

After Unosawa produced a corporate identity for Media Do holdings, an e-book agency listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Mr. Fujita, the president of Media Do, requested a revitalization project in his hometown, Kito.

Kito is a traditional, secluded village in Tokushima prefecture on Shikoku island. Located near the beautiful Naka river and picturesque rocky mountains, this village of 1,000 people is one of the best Yuzu-citrus producing areas.

In order to keep Kito sustainable for hundreds of years, Unosawa set guidelines for the "village design project".

The designs for this project are meant to provide solutions that enable new residents to settle

down and old residents to come back.

This project also sought to develop cultural and artistic creation. Unosawa crafted his project through experimentation and conversation with Kito local citizens and businesses.

As a result, Unosawa launched the "4 PARK project" which consisted of 4 new businesses areas: the Manga library hotel, a bucolic and relaxing escape for comic readers; Camp Park Kito, a unique camping field surrounded by beautiful streams and mountains; Farm Park Kito, a natural grazing ranch for the production of good quality milk and cheese; and Yuzu Park Kito, a renovated elementary school with local markets.

As a board director of KITO DESIGN HOLDINGS Inc, Unosawa organized the production and promotion of yuzu through store development.

In 2021, Manga library hotel will open and hold an outside photo exhibition in cooperation with La Gacilly district, France. For the creation of this new building, Unosawa pursued quality architecture that coexists with Kito's natural environment and aesthetic.

Mr. Fujita's father used to call the autumn scenery of Kito, "a golden village", because the way the yellow of the yuzu-citrus and ginkgo trees delighted the senses.

Hopefully this new project will allow this village to stay gold forever.

AWARDS include

・RED DOT DESIGN AWARD 2021 - Best of the best (Germany)

・KUKAN DESIGN AWARD 2021 - Grand Prize KUKAN OF THE YEAR / Shop space Gold (Japan)

・GERMAN DESIGN AWARD - Excellent Architecture - Special Mention (Germany)

・SKY DESIGN AWARDS 2021 - Architecture - Gold (Canada, Hong Kong, Japan)

・DFA Design for Asia Awards 2021 - Environmental design, Architecture - Silver Award (Hong Kong)

・ICONIC AWARDS 2021 - Innovative Architecture - Winner (Germany)

・SDA AWARD(Japan Sign Design Association)

・JIA AWARD - Excellent Architecture of the Year 2021 - 100 selection by the JIA (Japan)

・BAMBOO AWARD- Gold Prize Bamboo Award 2021 - Most views (Japan)

KITO DESIGN HOLDINGS

URL: kito-dh.jp

MIRAI CONVENIENCE STORE

"Children are the future treasure"

Mirai convenience store is a neo-futuristic convenience store that provides information about 4PARK. Also as a place for learning, communicating, and exchanging their culture and foods, this gathering place in the village is expected to give children chances to think about their future.

The Mirai Convenience Store got “ICONIC AWARD 2021 -WINNER-” (Germany) and

“Red Dot Design Award -Best of the Best-” which one of the three major design awards in the world.

URL: https://mirai-cvs.jp

AWARDS include

・RED DOT DESIGN AWARD 2021 - Best of the best (Germany)

・KUKAN DESIGN AWARD 2021 - Grand Prize KUKAN OF THE YEAR / Shop space Gold (Japan)

・GERMAN DESIGN AWARD - Excellent Architecture - Special Mention (Germany)

・SKY DESIGN AWARDS 2021 - Architecture - Gold (Canada, Hong Kong, Japan)

・DFA Design for Asia Awards 2021 - Environmental design, Architecture - Silver Award (Hong Kong)

・ICONIC AWARDS 2021 - Innovative Architecture - Winner (Germany)

・SDA AWARD(Japan Sign Design Association)

・JIA AWARD - Excellent Architecture of the Year 2021 - 100 selection by the JIA (Japan)

・BAMBOO AWARD- Gold Prize Bamboo Award 2021 - Most views (Japan)

◼️ Mirai Convenience Store : Our New Challenge

Located in Tokushima prefecture on Shikoku island, Kito village has a population of 1,000.

Since half of the people living there reached the age of 65 and over, this rural community has been in danger of disappearing. The village stretches from east to west. It takes more than 30 minutes by car from one end to the other. Mirai convenience store was built in the westernmost area

called Kitagawa, which has only 200 people.

There had been no shops in the Kitagawa area so that the residents had to drive about one hour even to reach the closest grocery store. In order to improve this inconvenience, the Kito project team opened a store in 2020 April. This facility, named Mirai (future) convenience store, is expected to be a connection between the locals and visitors, also to be a gathering place that offers the local children chances to think about their future through new encounters and conversations.

Running Mirai convenience store is one of the most important challenges to stop population decline,

which many villages in Japan are facing. KITO DESIGN HOLDINGS and Kito project team will keep trying to provide solutions and create a miracle village that makes people smile.

◼️ About the design of Mirai convenience store

Under the design concept of “the most beautiful convenience store in the world”, the Mirai convenience store was established in Kito village. The village is surrounded by beautiful nature and picturesque rocky mountains, which are the second highest in western Japan.

Since there are many primary forests of native Yuzu trees, people there have succeeded in the cultivation of high-quality Yuzu and spread them throughout Japan and the world.

Their idea of “coexistence with nature” was reflected in the design of Mirai convenience store.

The trusses of the store were painted in light yellow, expressing Kito’s famous Yuzu forests.

The large glass wall and Japanese pine mulches beneath the wall enable us to see beautiful nature even inside of the store.

Also, Mirai convenience store was designed for children and elderly.

The shelves there are lower than ones in ordinary shops so that children and elderly can reach items easily, and they create an open atmosphere.

The cafe inside the store offers not only the Kito-Yuzu specialized menu, but also a nice relaxing space with books and videos. Illuminating the village with its gentle yellow light,

this new gathering place,Mirai convenience store is loved by the locals and visitors.

Yuzu Cafe Kitchen

"Delivering the Delicious Taste of Citrus Kito Yuzu"

Our new concept shop opened at JR Tokushima station in Tokushima prefecture as a

Kito village’s regional revitalization project.

This project will deliver a variety of delicious Yuzu dishes to you from our kitchen in Kito village.

We work with world-famous pastry chefs Yusaku Shibata to serve great sweets and food that

introduce the charms of Kito village.

URL: https://kito.yuzucafe.jp

CAMP PARK KITO

"RETURN TO NATURE "

CAMP PARK KITO with the peaceful Naka river is a perfect place to feel nature with your five senses. While you are surrounded by calm and organic nature, the campsite itself is very self-contained, offering cooking areas, accommodation, a restaurant, and a spa.

URL: cpkito.com

4 PARK CAFE KITO

"Peace Base"

The first 4 PARK CAFE KITO has opened in Tokushima Airport, serving original beverages, desserts, and items. In the shop inspired by Kito's natural woods, passengers can enjoy reading comic books.

The shop also provides information about 4PARK and Kito.

Judicial Persons Qualified to Own Farmland Corporation

OOGON NO MURA

"Create a village glowing with golden Yuzu-yellow"

Kito, a village surrounded by rich nature in Tokushima prefecture on Shikoku island, is located near the beautiful Naka river and picturesque rocky mountains. Every year, this beautiful area attracts a lot of visitors to enjoy fishing. However, now Kito is facing a declining population.

With faith in the potential of agriculture, the project team has created some business handing the local product ― Yuzu, ranging from its production, processing, marketing and product development. The goals of the project are to develop local agriculture and to revitalize the community,

and its philosophy is to contribute to society by enriching the lives and the future in the area. May the yuzu's golden yellow bring the village bright and vibrant.

URL: ogonnomura.jp

Yuzu specialty sweets & grocery brand

YUZU NO KI

"Rich Scent of Yuzu"

YUZU NO KI is a confectionery and seasoning shop dealing with Kito-yuzu products. Kito-yuzu, produced in Kito village in Tokushima prefecture, received the Asahi prize, which is the highest award for agricultural products. This high quality yuzu used to be available in only a few places such as fancy restaurants, so now we are excited to introduceKito-yuzu products to the world. Hope you discover and enjoy its rich scent.