Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture, has won a Winner in the 2023 City Promotion Awards for Fuji Konomi Style Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture, won the City Promotion Award 2023!

We are pleased to announce that Fuji Konomi Style has received the "Gold Award" and "Judges' Special Award (for wonderful initiatives that support and are supported)" for its outstanding city promotion efforts in the "City Promotion Award 2023," a nationwide award system. Targeting the child-rearing generation, which tends to be isolated in migration, Fuji Konomi Style was highly evaluated not only for its efforts to create a community of "people" among their peers, but also for its system to link migrants to permanent residents by encouraging social connections through "work-sharing".

Fuji City in Shizuoka Prefecture is a town where people can enjoy a peaceful life with the rich blessings of Mount Fuji and Suruga Bay. With a Shinkansen bullet train stop and excellent access to Tokyo (about 1 hour), you can live in a comfortable environment while continuing to work via telework. Shizuoka Prefecture is ranked No. 1 in terms of the number of people who wish to move to this area, and it has always maintained the top position in terms of the number of people who have moved to this area.

While municipalities across the country focus on supporting people until they move to the area with various subsidies, Fuji City also focuses on improving post-emigration satisfaction. In response to hurdles related to immigration, such as concerns about whether one can integrate into the community, Fuji City is working to support immigrants by promoting work sharing, a flexible work style, and building a community between immigrants and citizens. This is the "Fuji Konomi Style.

◆City Promotion Award official website (award announcement page)

https://www.cpaward.net/2023winner

Fuji Konomi Style: Winner of the City Promotion Award

Fuji Konomi Workshare" by women who have moved to the area

Work-sharing refers to a flexible work style in which a single job is shared by a team. Fuji Konomi Style, a project to support immigration and settlement, promotes "Fuji Konomi Workshare" as a working community.

Konomi Kai, an organization that practices "Fuji Konomi Workshare".

In April 2022, "Fuji Konomi Style Promotion Council (Konomi Kai)" was established as a private-sector organization to promote "Fuji Konomi Work-sharing" in "Fuji Konomi Style". The membership consists of 53 women in their 20s to 50s, mostly of child-rearing age. (As of February 2024) The number of members increased by 15 this fiscal year from the previous year.

The group practices work-sharing, in which members with different skills and areas of expertise share the work undertaken by the government and private sector. In addition, "skill improvement seminars" aimed at improving work skills were held 10 times this fiscal year. In February 2024, the official website, whose contents were created by the members, was opened to the public.

Work conducted this fiscal year

In FY2023, the members designed packages, flyers, and streamers for rice produced in Fuji City; interviewed and designed the quarterly newsletter "Ekikita Tsushin," which communicates revitalization and regeneration efforts in the area around the north exit of Fuji Station; supported LP operations at public facilities; interviewed businesses involved in side or dual-employment in Fuji City; and conducted skill improvement seminars by outside organizations. We conducted 29 work projects in a wide range of fields, including the management of skill improvement seminars by outside organizations. Here is a partial list.

1) Creation of "Fuji City Living Recommendation Guidebook" for prospective immigrants

Work included writing, design, illustration, and photography.

The guidebook was distributed at the bus tour for prospective immigrants to Fuji City held on September 23, 2023, and has since been distributed at the City Promotion Division counter and at immigration consultation meetings. After that, the guidebook was distributed at City Promotion Division counters and at immigration consultation meetings.

Comments from participating members

I learned a lot from being involved in the process of creating something together as a team.

The work was very encouraging because of the cooperation and encouragement of the team members, and it gave me a great sense of accomplishment.

Fuji City Living Recommendations Guidebook

(2) Creation of articles for the "Tele-Shizu Wasabee" media site

(Work content: Interviewing (interviews and filming) and writing)

As an official writer for "Tele-Shizu Wasabee," a new service launched this year by TV Shizuoka Co. The members interviewed stores and spots of interest to them and communicated the charms of Fuji.

Comments from participating members

I was happy to learn more about the local stores and to be able to communicate the good points of these stores.

I was able to hear about various episodes of the stores I liked and let many people know about them.

◆Telecizu Wasabee Konomikai article list

https://wasabee.media/writer/konomikai/

Tele-Shizu Wasabee

Creation of "Fuji Brand Web Catalog Gifts

(Work content: photography, questionnaire creation, selection of set items, illustration, design, and creation of press releases)

We created a web catalog consisting of "Fuji Brand Certified Products", which are famous products of Fuji City, developed by Matsumoto Sangyo Co. We worked on the project for about five months with the aim of "incorporating the viewpoints of immigrants. The team worked on product photography while learning techniques from a professional photographer.

Comments from participating members

I was impressed by the wonderful design of my illustration on the cards and flyers.

I was impressed that my illustrations were designed so beautifully and turned into cards and flyers.

◆Press Release

https://www.atpress.ne.jp/news/377583

A scene from a photo shoot

■Skill improvement seminars aimed at improving work skills

Konomikai plans and conducts "Skill Up Seminars" as an initiative to improve the skills of its members and encourage them to take on their own challenges and become more independent. The content of the seminars included fashion to make a good impression on business partners, interviewing techniques, writing, speaking in a communicative manner, video recording, SNS utilization, and designing flyers and SNS posts using apps. 10 seminars were held over a 5-month period from September to January. More than a dozen members participated in each session and deepened their learning by working on issues during the work time and actively speaking up and exchanging opinions.

■Work, not only to improve skills, but also to interact with each other

In addition to making friends in the work-sharing program, there are "club activities" aimed at connecting people while having fun by making use of their respective interests and hobbies. The following four groups are active at the "Miraiterasu" childcare complex, co-working spaces, and public facilities in the city. Participating members have commented that they were able to learn more about Fuji City through the exchange, and that they were able to casually discuss child-rearing issues with other members.

1. handicraft club

Members who like handicrafts or are interested in handicrafts get together and teach each other how to do them.

This year, we held "Mizuhiki accessories," "Pochibukuro making," and "Embroidery" sessions.

Handicraft club

2. healing club

We share information about daily healing and plan healing excursions.

This year, "Mishima Walk," "Shiraito Waterfall Excursion," and "Review Meeting of Excursion" were held.

Healing Department

3. the club that wants to find something from now on

This is a group of comrades who want to find something in the future.

This year, we held "Values Work," "Dream Map Making," "Think about what you want to do and the day you will do it," "Fuji Karuta & Living Discussion," and "Imoni Kai (stewed potato stew).

The club that wants to find something from now on

4. exchange club

We deepen exchanges through lunches, tea ceremonies, outings, etc.

This year, we held "interview-style self-introductions and a Bubba-drawing contest" and "bartering (held jointly with the "I want to find something in the future" club)" at the lunch meeting.

Exchange Club

■Konomikai's official website opened

In February 2024, the Konomikai website was opened to the public. In order to communicate Konomikai's activities to a wider audience and increase the number of friends and job offers, eight members shared the responsibility of content creation, including image and manuscript creation and uploading of images.

https://fuji-konomi.jp/

Fuji City is also working on projects to promote exchanges between city residents who are considering moving to the city, Fuji citizens, and businesses in the city. For details of each project, please refer to the following event page on the "Fuji City Emigration Kotohajime" emigration portal site.

https://iju.fujicity.jp/event/category/event-report/

Furthermore, in FY2024, we plan to focus on supporting U-turn immigrants from households with children. As soon as details are finalized, they will be posted on the "Fuji City Migration Kotohajime" website.

Related website

Fuji City Emigration and Settling Support Website "Fuji City Emigration Kotohajime

https://iju.fujicity.jp/