Kamikawa Town, a 'Venture Municipality' in Hokkaido, Starts Nationwide Recruitment for High School Students

Kamikawa Town, Hokkaido, has officially begun recruiting high school students from across Japan for the 'Local Mirai Study' (Chiiki Mirai Ryugaku) program at Hokkaido Kamikawa High School.

Located at the foot of Daisetsuzan National Park, Kamikawa is a town with a population of approximately 3,000. Under the slogan 'Moving the Hearts of 100 Million People,' the town has promoted community development that fosters new challenges in collaboration with outside talent, companies, and local businesses. A key initiative is the 'KAMIKAWORK' migration and settlement project.

This new educational program extends Kamikawa's proactive 'Just Try It' culture to high school learning. Based on the concept 'Fit Yourself, Meet Yourself,' the school emphasizes inquiry-based learning in a small-group environment of about 20 students per class, where students articulate their thoughts through dialogue with teachers and local mentors.

A standout feature is the 'After-school Internship' program. Students work alongside local entrepreneurs and businesses during after-school hours and long holidays. They engage in real-world tasks such as customer service, product development, PR, and launching new projects. By earning compensation while learning, they gain a practical sense of entrepreneurship.

With resources like the national park, Sounkyo Onsen, forestry, and outdoor tourism, the entire town serves as a learning field. Last year, students successfully commercialized the 'Mori no Shizuku Honey Lemon Cider' using local specialties. The town seeks students nationwide who are eager to test their potential using the local community as their field.