On July 3, 2026, at the awards ceremony for the Sugiura Memorial Foundation's "Sugiura Prize for Regional Medical Promotion" held at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, NPO SET (Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture, hereinafter SET) received an award. It was one of three selected from 77 applications nationwide.

One of the facts that led to the award was the revival of a traditional performing art in 2025. The "Sannohe Kenbu" (Sannohe Sword Dance), passed down in the Osa district of Yahagi Town, Rikuzentakata City, had not been performed for 40 years due to the aging of its practitioners. Three university students from the Kanto region and volunteer adults participating in SET's internship program, "Change Maker Study Program" (hereinafter CMSP), learned of this situation and repeatedly traveled by overnight bus to practice with the Sannohe Kenbu Preservation Society. In August 2025, the dance was performed at the community center for the Obon memorial service for the first time in 40 years, and the university students took on major roles in the "Gosaifest" (five-year festival) in October of the same year. Some residents who watched the performance were moved to tears, humming along to the songs, with one person saying, "I never thought I'd see it again in my lifetime." After the Gosaifest, comments were received such as, "This sword dance is precisely why we were able to hold the Gosaifest."

Deepening Regional Challenges and the Background of CMSP's Creation

The population of Rikuzentakata City, which was 24,000 in 2011 when the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred, is now less than 17,000. The aging rate is 41%, significantly exceeding the national average of 29%. The fragmentation of communities following the reconstruction of housing after the earthquake has exacerbated health issues such as social isolation of elderly individuals living alone and the progression of frailty. Many elderly residents who moved to new housing developments after the earthquake have spent years without the daily relationships they once had with their former neighbors. CMSP began in 2013 against the backdrop of these structural challenges.

Program Structure and 13 Years of Accumulation

CMSP is an internship program where teams of 4-5 university students, primarily from urban areas in Kanto, repeatedly visit the same region in Rikuzentakata City for six months. It is held twice a year (April-September and October-March), with workshops and local actions conducted during a one-week camp during long breaks. In the 2025 academic year, one team was assigned to each of the three districts: Hirota, Yokota, and Kesen.

Since its inception in 2013, a total of over 1,500 university students, including 500 staff members and 1,000 participants, have been active in Rikuzentakata City, with over 300 local residents involved each year. The chain reaction of students who have completed the program inviting the next participants has continued unbroken for 13 years. Over 80 former staff members have moved to Rikuzentakata City and other parts of Iwate Prefecture, working in fields such as local businesses, fisheries, regional revitalization cooperation, and education. A survey funded by the Yahoo! Foundation's 2020 Disaster Recovery Research Grant showed that residents involved with CMSP have higher social capital and a greater willingness to contribute to society compared to those not involved.

Comment from Director Shunsuke Mitsui on Receiving the Award

"We have not been consciously working in the areas of frailty or regional healthcare, but we are extremely pleased to be recognized in these fields by such esteemed professionals.

We hope to further refine our initiatives to be even more beneficial to the region in the future."

SET is currently preparing to expand the know-how of CMSP nationwide in collaboration with local governments and organizations in other regions. For inquiries regarding participation in or collaboration with CMSP, please contact the information below.

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About Certified NPO SET

SET's mission is to "transform each individual's 'want to do' into 'can do' and bring about Good Change for Japan's future." Since the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, we have created systems for young people and residents to learn together, primarily in Iwate Prefecture. Through homestays during school trips, programs for university students and adults, and community building, we foster "lasting relationships" where young people engage with the daily lives of the community and learn alongside residents. In the 2024 academic year, over 5,000 people participated. We are now active not only in Iwate Prefecture but also in multiple regions. We are working towards sustainable regional development based on the relationships between people and the region itself, simultaneously fostering the growth of young people and the vitality of the community. We have received the Prime Minister's Award twice in the past, among numerous other accolades.

【Organization Overview】

Certified Specified Non-Profit Organization SET

Location: 52-6 Yamada, Hirota-cho, Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture

Director: Shunsuke Mitsui

Established: March 12, 2011 (Incorporated: June 18, 2013, Certified: October 16, 2025)

Official Website: https://www.nposet.org

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【Inquiries Regarding Media Coverage】

Public Relations Contact: [email protected]

Phone: 0192-47-5747

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  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: 受賞