Urban Design Center (UDC) Minakami Opens in Minakami Town, Gunma – A Public-Academic-Private Hub for Nature-Positive Community Development

Openhouse Group Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Ryosuke Fukuoka; hereinafter "the Company") has opened the Urban Design Center (UDC) Minakami at Minakami-Highland Station in April 2026, in collaboration with Minakami Town, Gunma Prefecture, Gunma Bank, and the Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo (hereinafter "the University of Tokyo").

UDC Minakami shares core members with the Minakami Onsen town regeneration project initiated in 2021. By fostering collaboration among citizens, government, and academia, the center will work toward sustainable urban design and establish a business model for nature-positive community development, advancing the reorganization of the Minakami-Highland Station area and the restoration of nature. At the opening ceremony held on May 8, 2026 (Friday), approximately 100 participants, including Mayor Kenichi Abe of Minakami Town, attended the event. The ceremony featured a ribbon-cutting, presentations on future plans, and the unveiling of a scale model of Minakami-Highland Station located within UDC Minakami.

UDC Minakami Website: https://udc-minakami.com/

The Company, Minakami Town, Gunma Bank, and the Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo, are jointly advancing a project to revitalize the onsen town by regenerating the former large-scale ryokan 'Old Ichibatei,' located at the heart of the onsen district, under the 'Comprehensive Public-Private-Academia-Financial Collaboration Agreement' signed in September 2021. UDC Minakami has been established as a community development hub at Minakami-Highland Station, the gateway to Minakami Town.

The Company will continue to actively contribute to enhancing regional vitality through 'regional co-creation' initiatives centered on public-private-academia-financial collaboration.

About UDC Minakami

The Urban Design Center (UDC) Minakami was launched in April 2026 at Minakami-Highland Station in Minakami Town, Gunma Prefecture—the source of the Tone River, Japan’s largest river by drainage area and a vital water source for the capital region. As a hub for citizens, government, and academia, UDC Minakami aims to maximize the use of local nature, culture, and resources to promote sustainable community development. This marks the first UDC establishment in the northern Kanto region.

The area surrounding Minakami-Highland Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen, accessible from central Tokyo in just about 65 minutes, holds high potential as a gateway for nature-based tourism. Building upon its rich natural environment—designated a UNESCO Eco Park in 2017 and internationally recognized—the center will further nurture and expand diverse experiential fields, allowing visitors to fully enjoy and engage with nature. UDC Minakami will envision and implement a sustainable regional model for mountainous tourist areas amid Japan’s era of population decline.

Currently, under the leadership of Center Director Assistant Professor Mami Nagano (Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo), Deputy Directors Mr. Hirotaka Yokose (Deputy General Manager, Sustainability Promotion Department, Openhouse Group) and Associate Professor Chika Takatori (Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo), along with directors and assistant directors, the team is drafting a future vision for the Minakami-Highland Station area. Based on research and ideas from members of the University of Tokyo’s Urban Design Laboratory, the team holds bi-monthly meetings to develop the 'Minakami-Highland Station Area Future Vision,' with a draft scheduled for public release this summer.

About the Minakami Onsen Town Revitalization Project

Once known as the 'inner parlor of Kanto' during Japan’s high-growth and bubble periods, Minakami Onsen has faced declining occupancy at large facilities since travel preferences shifted toward individual tourism. This has led to the abandonment and decay of hotels and ryokans.

Against this backdrop, the Company, Minakami Town, Gunma Bank, and the Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo, have jointly advanced a revitalization project (Note 1) since signing the 'Comprehensive Public-Private-Academia-Financial Collaboration Agreement' in September 2021. The project centers on regenerating the former large-scale ryokan 'Old Ichibatei,' located at the heart of the onsen district.

The project’s key innovation lies in regenerating Old Ichibatei using a 'deconstruction and regeneration' approach, rather than the conventional 'scrap and build' model. By preserving and repurposing the existing structure, the project reduces construction waste and CO2 emissions, making it an environmentally conscious initiative.

In 2022, the Institute for Regenerative Architecture joined the project by conducting surveys of the existing building. In 2023, Staple was selected through a public recruitment process by Minakami Town to become the facility operator. Currently, through collaboration among public, private, academic, and financial sectors, the team is planning plazas, grand staircases, and hotels while considering human-nature interactions, light and wind integration, and urban design principles. The goal is to create a new town harmonized with nature, addressing local challenges while establishing a next-generation regeneration model that reduces environmental impact, thereby contributing to Minakami Town’s scenic and economic revitalization.

Note 1: Minakami Town conducted a public recruitment to select operators who will utilize the 'Old Ichibatei' facility—designated as a hub for onsen town revitalization—as tourism facilities such as accommodations and restaurants. The aim is to begin operations after renovating the former Ichibatei. The Openhouse Group has donated a total of 530 million yen to Minakami Town through corporate hometown tax contributions in 2022, 2023, and 2025. These donations are being used for initiatives led by Minakami Town to generate new flows of people into the town, including the 'Minakami Onsen Town Revitalization Project.'

Openhouse Group’s Regional Co-Creation Initiatives

Openhouse Group has adopted 'actively contributing to regional vitality and revitalizing communities' as one of its core business visions. Collaborating with local governments and various stakeholders, the company engages in 'regional co-creation' initiatives to solve local challenges, leverage regional resources and strengths, and co-create new value.

By sincerely addressing regional challenges and implementing revitalization strategies, the company aims to generate human flows, create employment, and contribute to building a sustainable society.

Current major initiatives include: Minakami Onsen Town Revitalization (public-private-academia-financial collaboration), OPEN HOUSE ARENA OTA (public-private collaboration), Gunma Crane Thunders, Minakami Hodai-g Ski/Campground, KIRINAN BASE (redevelopment of the former Kiryu Minami High School site), and Openhouse no Mori (forest conservation activities).

Regional Co-Creation Projects: https://kyoso.openhouse-group.co.jp/

Openhouse Group Official Website: https://openhouse-group.co.jp/

Openhouse Co., Ltd. Website: https://oh.openhouse-group.com/