GREENable: A Heartwarming Lifestyle Woven by Satoyama and People
Period: February 20 (Friday) to 24 (Tuesday), 2026
Location: Hankyu Umeda Main Store 8th Floor, Promotion Space 81
Satoyama refers to a natural environment formed through human cultivation, including grasslands and rice paddies. While satoyama landscapes have been disappearing due to changes in lifestyle, recent years have seen an increasing number of urban residents moving to these nature-rich satoyama areas, drawn by their biodiversity.
At Hankyu Umeda Main Store's 8th Floor Promotion Space 81, the focus is on Okayama Prefecture's satoyama, proposing the appeal of a lifestyle that both utilizes and is sustained by nature's blessings. The event introduces the community brand "GREENable," born from collaboration between Okayama Prefecture's Maniwa City and Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores, along with plant-dyed apparel, traditional crafts, and fermented foods. Five days celebrating a comfortable lifestyle woven by satoyama and people begins!
Community Brand "GREENable" Born from Collaboration Between Okayama's Maniwa City and Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores
This community brand proposes "a sustainable lifestyle where people and nature coexist" through products, services, and experiences. The event introduces five varieties including traditional fermented foods such as miso and vinegar, which have been passed down thanks to the clear water sourced from the Hiruzen Plateau and the cold climate, as well as locally rooted crafts like gama zaiku (bulrush crafts) and Gohara lacquerware.
Brands from Settlers Attracted to Satoyama
"SOMEYA SUZUKI" is a plant-dyed apparel brand developed by settlers in Nishiawakura Village in northern Okayama Prefecture, where each piece is hand-dyed one by one by boiling plant dyes. Enjoy the natural colors that accompany daily life and beautifully change over time.
"Hiruzen Kogei" is run by settlers in Okayama Prefecture's Maniwa City Hiruzen area who conduct their daily lives engaging with satoyama nature through agriculture. They grow crops without pesticides or fertilizers, in harmony with nature's rhythms.
Get Closer to Satoyama Living! Workshops and Talk Events on February 23 (Monday)
SOMEYA Plant Dyeing Workshop
Time: February 23 (Monday) 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Participation fee: 4,290 yen *Materials included (azuma bag)
A workshop dyeing small organic cotton azuma bags using kuromoji (lindera umbellata) from Hiruzen. Create your original item through simple tie-dyeing while enjoying the gentle color of plants and the fragrance of kuromoji.
Details and reservations here.
A Comfortable Lifestyle Woven by Satoyama and People Talk Event
Time: February 23 (Monday) 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Participation fee: 1,100 yen *Includes novelty gift (1 kg of rice)
The Takatani couple, who run "Hiruzen Kogei," will introduce the charm and reality of satoyama life that only practitioners can share, including farm work, community involvement, and nature's blessings and harshness. After the event, participants will receive rice grown by the couple as a novelty gift.
Details and reservations here.
Gohara Lacquerware: Starting a New Lifestyle Talk Event
Time: February 23 (Monday) 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Participation fee: Free *Standing room viewing available when full.
David Delong, who is active as a bearer of Gohara lacquerware, a daily-use craft with over 400 years of history passed down in Okayama Prefecture's Hiruzen region, will discuss the appeal of lacquerware created by regional resources and handcraft, as well as its comfortable relationship with modern living.
Details and reservations here.
For more information, please visit here.
