Welfare Festa 'Let's Hold Hands Together: Future Welfare Festa UniWave 2026 in Saitama-Miyoshi' to be Held on August 29-30

The UniWave Executive Committee will hold the welfare festa "Let's Hold Hands Together: Future Welfare Festa UniWave 2026 in Saitama-Miyoshi" for two days on August 29 (Sat.) and 30 (Sun.), 2026, on the 5th, 6th, and 7th floors of Building 5 at Nihon University College of Industrial Technology.

This event is a welfare event where children and adults with disabilities, children and adults requiring medical care, the elderly, and their families and supporters can encounter useful information, products, and services for daily living, and see, touch, and experience them firsthand. Following 2024 and 2025, this will be the third time the event is held!

Furthermore, a major highlight this year is a special seminar featuring four individuals who have faced societal challenges from various perspectives and pioneered new possibilities. Through words and activities born from their real-life experiences, the seminar will provide an opportunity to think about the future of welfare, housing, mobility, leisure, travel, and technology.

Date and Time August 29, 2026 (Sat) 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM August 30, 2026 (Sun) 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Venue Nihon University College of Industrial Technology, Building 5, 5th, 6th, and 7th Floors 4-1 Gakendai, Miyoshi-machi, Minamisaitama-gun, Saitama Prefecture

Admission Fee Free

Target Audience Children and adults with disabilities, children and adults requiring medical care, the elderly, families, supporters, welfare, medical, and education professionals, and members of the local community.

Organizer | UniWave Executive Committee

Special Sponsorship | Nihon University College of Industrial Technology

Sponsorships | ・Takei Kōmuten Co., Ltd. ・Toyoda Kensetsu Co., Ltd. ・Tsukashō Kensetsu Co., Ltd. ・Tokyo Shōkōsha Co., Ltd. ・Shiraishi Kōmuten Co., Ltd. ・NPO Care Reform System Research Group

Support | ・Saitama Prefecture ・Saitama Prefectural Board of Education ・Miyoshi Town

Secretariat & Inquiries UniWave Executive Committee Secretariat Within Barrier-Free Housing Design Office, Attn: Shiraishi TEL: 0480-32-5604 MAIL: [email protected]

Register to Participate (Free)

Special Seminars Also Held Concurrently!

Ayako Fujita, Representative, Fuzi LLC, Yatsugatake Tourism Welfare Design Office

August 29 (Sat) 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Ayako Fujita: "From Forest Play to the Next Enjoyment"

Operates "Forestep," a forest play program for children with disabilities and their families. Engaged in creating an environment where children requiring medical care can comfortably spend time in nature.

Also involved in the import and sale of the outdoor "JOSI" buggy, expanding opportunities for children with disabilities, siblings, and families to enjoy nature together. Conveys through on-site practice how the experience of "fun!" leads to children's will to live and positive family time.

Mitsuharu Matsuo, Representative Director, Access Ale Co., Ltd.

August 29 (Sat) 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Mitsuharu Matsuo: "Switches Open the Way! Let's Enjoy Various Devices Such as Talking, TV, Games, and iPads!!"

Prompted by his father's ALS diagnosis, he established an in-house venture at Panasonic Corporation in 2003. He has been involved in adapting assistive devices and input switches for severely disabled individuals, continuing his activities in the field of communication support.

He became independent in 2020 and is also working on developing assistive devices for iOS devices. Based on his many years of experience, he will discuss the potential of technology that conveys intentions through slight body movements and assistive devices that support a life lived with dignity.

Ryota Kurihara, Vice Director and Store Manager, Zero Gravity

August 30 (Sun) 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Ryota Kurihara: "Travel Where 'I Want to Try' Comes True"

Based in Amami Oshima, he is working to create a barrier-free environment where people in wheelchairs and those with disabilities can enjoy the sea with peace of mind. He supports diving and marine activity experiences using barrier-free accommodations and a pool boat.

From his practical experience in shaping "how can we enjoy together?" rather than "I can't because I have a disability," he conveys the possibilities of travel and leisure, and the value of special time spent with family.

Hideki Miyano, Director, NPO Hanishina

August 30 (Sun) 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Hideki Miyano: "Around the World by Electric Wheelchair - Creating a Never-Give-Up Self -"

At the age of 21, he suffered a spinal cord injury in a traffic accident, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. After this, his activities expanded with his encounter with an electric wheelchair.

In April 2025, he achieved a circumnavigation of the globe by electric wheelchair with his companions. He will share his experiences on freedom of movement, the meaning of taking on challenges, and a society where diverse people live together.

Register for Seminars (Free)

Over 30 Exhibitor Booths Gather! A Welfare Festa to See, Learn, and Experience

This year, over 30 exhibitor and cooperating booths will gather, including welfare equipment, housing facilities, welfare vehicles, medical care supplies, meal support, assistive devices, clothing and small fabric items, housing consultations, charity booths, and food trucks.

At the venue, there will be exhibitions and hands-on experiences of the latest welfare equipment and universal design products, sales of handmade items supporting the lives of children requiring medical care and children with disabilities, a play area for parents and children, and food trucks for meals and breaks. The event aims not only to "learn" about welfare but also to foster natural interaction among families, supporters, and local people, creating an atmosphere filled with smiles and vitality throughout the venue.

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In addition, a safe and comfortable environment for visitors is ensured with support from medical and welfare volunteer staff, adult beds, spacious changing areas, large rest areas for dining, and free parking.

UniWave's Unique Story: A Community-Based Coexistence Society Model

The event name "UniWave" embodies the wish to realize a society where people live together while respecting each individual's differences, as a Universal Wave. This "wave" originates from Saitama-Miyoshi Town and expresses the "undulation" towards realizing a society of coexistence that spreads to community networks nationwide.