5Regional Social Theory Seminar: Collaboration with the “Let’sConnect with ‘Kumo o Tumugu’ Project” - Hospitality with Well
Water and Homespun Yosinobu Misuda (Associate Professor, Iwate Prefectural University, Morioka Junior College),
Akane Oikawa, Syu Suganuma, Osamu Takaoka, Sae Muramatu (2021 International Cultural Studies students)

Applicableprinciple

Principle 9: A commitment to promoting sustainability through education

1. Activity Overview

Moti (rain drop cake madeThe purpose of the “Regional Social Theory Seminar” (thesecond-year class of the Department of International CulturalStudies, Iwate Prefectural University, Morioka Junior College)
is to make and implement a plan in the region and use it for
their own learning (service learning). Based on this purpose,
we are collaborating with the “Let’s Connect with ‘Kumo oTumugu’ Project” currently being implemented by Morioka
City and Morioka Matinami Zyuku and students planned what
they could do using local resources, using it as an opportunity
to think about the attractions and issues of the town throughinteraction with the town people.
In 2021, we planned to help with well cleaning, to make sweets
and have a tea party using well water, and to create handicrafts
with material which was something like homespun item, using
Nataya-tyô, Morioka City, afamous town for well water, as astage. At the tea party, we heard
stories from people in the town
about the use of well water andtheir lifestyles.

2. Before Planning

Listening to stories while eating sweets

In this seminar, the students
first learned about the basics of service learning andbrainstorming (collective way of thinking) through classroom
lectures, and after hearing an explanation from Ms. Mariko
Iwami of Morioka Matinami Zyuku, they walked around
Nataya-tyô. In addition, as one of the themes of the novel“Kumo o Tumugu”, which is a novel set in Nataya-tyô, ishomespun (textiles woven from yarn spun at home), they
visited “Mitinoku Akane-kai” studio.
After that, based on this knowledge, the students discussed
about what kind of projects could be made for the community
building of Nataya-tyô. As a result of the discussion, theydecided to adopt the idea of cleaning the well of Daizi-simizu(an old public well used from the Edo period) making sweets
with the well water, and creating handicrafts using homespun
items at the rest place. The project was named “Hospitalitywith Well Water and Homespun” and the date was set toDecember 17, 2021. Necessary preparations were listed andworking groups were made for well cleaning, sweets making,handmade craft, public relations, etc.

3. Preparations for the Project
Each group carried out the following preparation work.
(1) Well cleaning group: Checking the details of the work of thecleaning day(2) S weets making group: Making pancakes and Mizu Singenof water and agar) using
well water and making
arrangements for a tea party
to serve town people(3) H andmade craft group:
Listing materials for making
a sheep dangle-dolly using
wool felt related to “Kumo oTumugu”

Trying to create handicrafts using
homespun materials(4) Public relations group: Sending prior notification to several
mass media companies

4. Records of the Project Day(1) After arriving at the site, the well cleaning group paid a courtesy
call to Mr. Yosiharu Satô, who manages wells in Nataya-tyô.
Unfortunately, it turned out that we could not clean the well atthat time because the pump of Daizi-simizu was not working
properly, so, we changed the plan, and guided by Mr. Satô, wewalked around the town to hear the history and characteristicsof the Daizi-simizu as well as the history of the well water ofNataya-tyô.
(2) The sweets making group started making sweets using well
water that had been pumped up in advance, and made about
20 Mizu Singen Moti. It was the first trial to make a lot of Mizu
Singen Moti, but we were proud of the result of our work,which was successful. In addition, we made a few pancakes.
(3) Since sweets making took longer than we expected, wepostponed making sheep dangle-dollies and the work wascompleted at the university on the other day.
(4) Although we did not attract attention from mass media, Mr.
Keiitirô Wakita, who was in charge of newsletter of the Natayatyô Neighborhood Association, interviewed us.
(5) We had a tea party with sweets and matcha green tea, andtalked with 5 local people about local life related to the useof wells. Ms. Humiko Kanehira, a resident of Natayatyô told us an interesting story. According to her, in themiddle of the Syôwa era, the wells were used as a place
for the town people to share their lives. We discoveredthat the well water is still used by people inside andoutside the town, and that it somewhat supports theirlivelihoods.

5. Review of the Project
After the project, each member wrote a report as a means forreview. There were many issues that we would like to dig alittle deeper, such as the personalities of the people involvedin the community activities and traffic problems of the region.
Some of the issues were used by students for their graduation
research.
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