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【Award】Received the Gold Award in the “Kyushu Tourism Town Development AWARD 2023” sponsored by JR Kyushu

Denpaku”, a lodging facility on Amami Oshima Island, by Yasuhiro Yamashita (President of Atelier Tekuto Co., Ltd. and Amami Innovation Co., Ltd.), has won the Gold Award (in the “Inn (Hospitality)” category) in the “Kyushu Tourism Town Development AWARD 2023” sponsored by Kyushu Railway Company (hereinafter “JR Kyushu”). Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “JR Kyushu”) in the “Kyushu Tourism Town Development AWARD 2023”. In conjunction with this award, Denpaku participated in the award ceremony held at the Tokyo Midtown Yaesu Conference on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.
Taking the opportunity of receiving the “Kyushu Tourism Town Development AWARD 2023” award, Denpaku will continue to make it its mission to pass on the “village culture” of the Amami Islands to the next generation, and will continue to work in deeper cooperation with the local community to create a town that makes the village happy.

 

What is the “Kyushu Tourism & Community Development AWARD 2023”?


The “Kyushu Tourism & Community Development AWARD 2023” is sponsored by Kyushu Railway Company, and was established with the basic philosophy of “honoring people and organizations that take root in Kyushu and develop it into an attractive “town” that will be the pride of the region and inspire travelers. The purpose of the festival is to highlight people who are creating new “things,” “events,” and “scenery” for the future while preserving the traditions and folklore unique to the region, and to communicate the unique attractions of the area.
The “Nishi-Kyushu Tourism & Town Development AWARD” held in 2022 was further developed and expanded to cover the “Kyushu” area, and was divided into four categories: “Food,” “Manufacturing,” “Nigiwai (liveliness),” and “Inns (hospitality). This is a very valuable award that recognizes the efforts of individuals and organizations in Kyushu that are engaged in attractive urban development.

 

Judging Criteria
(1) “Tradition”: Respect for the town’s unique climate, history, and traditions.
(2) “Evolution”: Creating new values that lead to the future without being bound by existing concepts.
(3) “Cyclical”: Sustained development by utilizing and protecting the richness of nature.
(4) “Collaboration”: Making efforts while involving the entire town.
(5) “Diverse”: Everyone can experience it, regardless of whether you are a traveler or a resident.
(*Quotes from the official release of Kyushu Railway Company)

 

Official release from Kyushu Railway Company: https://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/news/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2023/08/30/03_230830_kyushu_machidukuri_award.pdf

 

Commendation comments received from the judges


▼From Kyoko Sekine (hotel journalist)
I was very impressed by Denpaku’s mission of “passing on village culture to the next generation. I agree wholeheartedly with the concept of “aiming to create a society in which no one is left behind” by putting grandmothers and grandfathers in the leading roles.
The spiral of “the hotel is not destroying nature because it is built,” but rather “the surrounding environment is improving because the hotel is built, and cultural activities are growing and developing along with the hotel. The spiral is no longer just a place to stay overnight. The strong belief of the representative is utilized in the creation of this facility.

 

Comments on the award (from Yasuhiro Yamashita, architect and representative of Amami Innovation Co.)


I had been traveling abroad as an architect for many years, and my experience in supporting earthquake disaster reconstruction efforts had led me to believe that I must protect my own countryside.
At that time, the residents of my hometown, Amami, requested that I work on vacant houses, and the business was born in 2016. Almost 7 years have passed, and the company has grown from 2 employees to over 100 employees today. Denpaku has only highly motivated employees, but they are all amateurs. We are not experts in lodging, tourism, or city planning, but we want to be the “ultimate group of amateurs. This is because we believe that the grandparents are the main actors and that they should be the ones with strong feelings to accompany them. Receiving such a gratifying award encourages all of us to move forward into a new world. Thank you very much.
We will continue to make it our mission to pass on “village culture” to the next generation, and through community development that “turns everyday life into tourism” in villages, we will move toward the realization of “a society where no one is left behind.

【Publication information】Featured in “Discover Japan”.

 

Denpaku was featured in the October issue of “Discover Japan – 15 trips to heal me. / Double Special Feature “Kyushu”” on September 6, 2023. Denpaku was awarded the Gold Prize in the Lodging (Hospitality) category of the Kyushu Tourism Town Development AWERD and featured in the article about Denpaku’s town development.

Thank you very much for the wonderful article in the magazine introducing the charm of Amami Oshima and Denpaku’s town development.
Please pick up a copy of the magazine and take a look.

【Press Release】 Amami’s traditional boat is now available in a new form. A sunset cruising tour on the world’s one and only catamaran, “Denpaku Catamaran,” was born!

 

Denpaku” (Head office: Amami Innovation Co., Ltd., Amami City, Kagoshima Prefecture / President: Yasuhiro Yamashita), which is engaged in community development and operates retreat lodging facilities in the Amami Islands, has created an experience tour for guests of Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA to enjoy a sunset cruise on “Denpaku Catamaran”. Sunset cruising in Akagi Bay was born. You can enjoy a rich moment immersed in the nature of Amami while watching the setting sun in front of Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA.

“Denpaku Catamaran”, the only one of its kind in the world, was created in collaboration with Ryoichi Tsuboyama (59), the only boat builder in Amami who makes traditional wooden boats, and was designed and built in a way never seen before. In the past, wooden fishing boats called “taku-san” were a common sight in the Amami Sea, but they have become less common due to changes in the fishing industry and lifestyles.
With the birth of “Denpaku Catamaran,” we hope that this new form of traditional boat floating on the Amami Sea will help people learn more about the island’s traditional culture and natural beauty, and help to pass on traditional skills to the next generation.
Denpaku will continue to support the revitalization of local traditional crafts and the transmission of skills through the elimination of the lack of successors.

Denpaku Catamaran” Redesign of a traditional boat to make the sea more accessible and enjoyable


Denpaku, whose concept is to “pass on traditional and legendary architecture and village culture to the next generation,” has focused its attention on traditional Amami wooden boats. Currently, it is used in the “boat paddling race” that the Amami islanders look forward to every year, and is called “Ainoko-bune” on the island.

This boat was developed by an Amami boat builder in the Taisho era (1912-1926) by incorporating the advantages of the Okinawan wooden boat “Sabani”, which has excellent speed, into the wooden boat called “Itatsuke”, which has been used for fishing in Amami for a long time. The stable and fast performance of the boat made it popular among fishermen. However, as the fishing industry changed with the times, the number of traditional boats declined drastically. Mr. Tsuboyama is the only person in Amami who has inherited this shipbuilding technique.

Yamashita, the representative of “Denpaku” and an architect from Amami, did not want to see this traditional boat technology die out, so he designed the boat. Together with Mr. Tsuboyama, he worked for about a year to complete a boat that is “a new take on a traditional object, one that can only be found here in the world.
The stunning curvaceous beauty created by carefully bending wooden planks over time is a true expression of the high level of skill involved. By connecting two of these boats together in a luxurious manner, a sense of stability is maintained, creating space for cruising and other relaxing activities on the sea.

By implementing experience programs that “turn everyday island life into tourism,” including traditional local crafts, songs and dances, dialect, festivals, and local cuisine, Denpaku hopes to help spread valuable cultural resources and pass them on to the next generation.。

The Concept of Catamaran


Sparkling light and shimmering water
The warmth of handmade work and wood carries you along, and your heart will smile at the exciting time.

Till the falling sky connects to the sea
Fill your glass with the colors of the sunset and play with the scent of the tide and the water.

In a cradle floating on the mother sea
face to face with yourself, and slumber in the time of eternity.

About Akagina Bay Sunset Cruising


It consists of three types of lodging facilities: “Denpaku Old Folk Houses,” ” Denpaku Amami Hotel,” and “Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA.” The community is being developed to promote interaction between the residents of the village and tourists.
Amami Oshima Island has nurtured a rich natural environment and ecosystem, and was registered as a World Natural Heritage site in 2021. Similarly, the approximately 360 different village cultures that have been handed down over hundreds of years from one “island” (village to another) to another in a variety of historical backgrounds are also valuable cultural resources that we can be proud of to the world. We consider them as “treasures of Amami” and started “Denpaku” in 2016 with the desire to protect them and hand them down to the future. Currently, we have 41 buildings and 51 rooms on the three islands of Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, and Kakaroma Island.

For more information

About Denpaku


It consists of three types of lodging facilities: “Denpaku Old Folk Houses,” ” Denpaku Amami Hotel,” and “Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA.” The community is being developed to promote interaction between the residents of the village and tourists.
Amami Oshima Island has nurtured a rich natural environment and ecosystem, and was registered as a World Natural Heritage site in 2021. Similarly, the approximately 360 different village cultures that have been handed down over hundreds of years from one “island” (village to another) to another in a variety of historical backgrounds are also valuable cultural resources that we can be proud of to the world. We consider them as “treasures of Amami” and started “Denpaku” in 2016 with the desire to protect them and hand them down to the future. Currently, we have 41 buildings and 51 rooms on the three islands of Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, and Kakaroma Island.

About Denpaku

【Publication information】Featured in “TAKARAJIMASHA,Inc. I want to stay at least once in my lifetime! Miraculous and spectacular lodgings”.

 

一生に一度は泊まりたい! 奇跡の絶景宿

 

Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA” was featured in the July 13, 2023 issue of “TAKARAJIMASHA,Inc. The Beachfront MIJORA” was introduced in the magazine “Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA” on July 13, 2023.

Thank you very much for the wonderful text and photos, and for introducing us in the magazine full of the charms of Amami Oshima.
Please pick up a copy of the magazine and take a look.

【Publication information】Featured in “OZmagazineTRIP”.

 

Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA”, “Denpaku Ancient Houses”, and “Denpaku Amami Hotel” were featured in the June 28, 2023 issue of “Ozumagazine Trip: Japan’s World Heritage You Must See at Least Once in Your Life”, Denpaku Amami Hotel” were introduced in the “Ozumagazine Trip: Japan’s World Heritage Sites to See in Your Life”.

Thank you very much for the wonderful text and photos, and for introducing us in the magazine with full of the charm of Amami Oshima.
Please pick up a copy of the magazine and take a look.

【Publication information】Featured in “anan”.

 

The June 28, 2023 issue of “anan: A Healing Summer Journey Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA”, “Denpaku Old House”, and “Denpaku Amami Hotel” were introduced in the magazine “an anan Healing Summer Journey” which will be on sale on June 28, 2023.

Thank you very much for the wonderful text and photos, and for introducing us in the magazine with full of the charm of Amami Oshima.
Please pick up a copy of the magazine and take a look.

【Publication information】Featured in “Waraku”.

 

和樂 8・9月号

Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA was introduced in “WARAKU: A Journey to the National Treasure 117” on sale on July 1, 2023.

Thank you very much for the wonderful text and photos, and for introducing us in the magazine with full of the charm of Amami Oshima.
Please pick up a copy of the magazine and take a look.

Yamashita Yasuhiro and City Planning,” the official website of the group brand, opens.

Story of the inauguration of “Yasuhiro Yamashita and Community Development,” the official website of the group brand


From Yasuhiro Yamashita, Representative Architect

As an architect, I have created many buildings, specializing in the development of materials, structures, and construction methods. However, I began to feel a limit to what I could do with the “point” design of architecture, and gradually became interested in “urban development” that designs the “surface” of society, and after many years of research, I have been working hard to put this into practice in my hometown in the Amami Islands. Through various efforts, I have now thankfully grown from a “surface” to a “three-dimensional” structure with thickness.
We have come to believe that just as human beings are composed of 37 trillion cells, the connection between settlements forms cities and countries, and that the entry of outside information into these communities makes them healthy. We launched this brand site to contribute to the sustainability of the villages that need us, utilizing our experience cultivated in the Amami Islands.

 

Top page of the new brand official website

The official website of the group brand “Yasuhiro Yamashita and Community Development” will be launched on July 10, the anniversary of the establishment of “Atelier Tekuto”.

 

Vision of the new group brand official website

“We will listen to the small voices of the world’s villages,
We will create a town of beauty and health.
Bringing such innovation of happiness from Amami to the world.”

 

To support the development of eco-friendly retreat lodging facilities

We provide a one-stop service for the development of eco-friendly retreat accommodations that will create a region where people can earn money. We support development and operation methods appropriate for the region, from land search, design and supervision, consulting on lodging facility operation, producing local food and technology, and building regional partnerships, utilizing our past achievements and experience.

 

The Ideas Behind the Logo

The symbol mark of the newly created official website of the group brand continues to change. It was born from the idea that we are an organization that is constantly growing and cycling, and that we should be flexible enough to adapt ourselves to any form or thought in order to be close to the smallest voice.
The green color of the logo is also the color of the rich vegetation spreading in the Amami Islands. Just as plants produce nutrients through photosynthesis using water and light, the logo signifies the cycle of absorbing nature, materials, and local traditions to create a rich lifestyle for the community.

 

About our organization

We are composed of six organizations in Tokyo and Amami-Oshima.

 

1. Atelier Tekuto

Established in 1991, this organization is the root of architect Yamashita. As a creative design group that listens to the voice of materials, it is engaged in architectural design and urban planning in Japan and abroad.

 

2. Amami Innovation Co., Ltd.

Established in 2016, the company operates the “Denpaku” lodging facility, the “Magun Plaza” regional exchange center, and facilities for the elderly in the Amami Islands, creating interaction between village residents and tourists and creating local employment.

 

3. Amami Architects Co., Ltd.

Established in 2015 as a branch of Atelier Tekuto, Amami Architects Co., Ltd. is engaged in community development mainly in the Amami Islands through architectural design and real estate business.

 

4. General incorporated association SHIMA HITO TAKARA

Established in 2019, it aims to be a platform for local revitalization and is engaged in community development in the Amami Islands together with various businesses, government agencies, and educational institutions on and off the island.

 

5. General incorporated association Wellness.M

Established in 2021, Wellness.M contributes to the improvement of wellness in various regions through community development and product development with the participation of medical professionals.

 

6. Denpaku + Kogei Co., Ltd.

Established in 2019, this organization was created in the Amami Islands to expand Denbari throughout Japan, and currently operates Denpaku Komatsu in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
We would like to take this opportunity of the group’s inauguration to express our gratitude to all of you who have continued to support us. We will continue to work together with everyone in each community to create a happy community by listening to the voices of the little people.

 

For inquiries regarding this matter, please contact

We have prepared photographic data and facility materials related to the community development project that Amami Innovation Co.
Please contact us for more information.

Yasuhiro Yamashita and Community Development”, the official website of the group brand
Public Relations: Makaha Yamashita

TEL:03-6439-5540 MAIL:info@yamashita-yasuhiro.net

First in Western Japan! Denpaku” on Amami-Oshima Island has acquired the international eco-label “Green Key” -Aiming to operate accommodation facilities friendly to nature, villages, and people in Amami~.

Outline of Green Key certification


The Green Key eco-label was awarded to two categories of accommodation facilities (general category) and accommodation facilities (small-scale category with 15 rooms or less) in each category: newly built accommodation facilities and accommodation facilities based on the concept of renovation.
・Newly built accommodations: Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA
・Renovated accommodations: Denpaku Old private house (Kasari area only) / Denpaku Amami Hotel / Denpaku Friendly


About Green Key


Green Key is an international eco-label for environmentally friendly hotels, restaurants, camping sites, etc. In 1994, with the support of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, Green Key was launched as an eco-label system for hotels in Denmark. The Danish Ecolabel is an international eco-label for hotels, restaurants, camping sites, etc. It was started in 1994 as an eco-labeling system for Danish hotels, with the support of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency.
To obtain the eco-label, hotels must meet at least 80 of 94 criteria, including reduction of water and energy consumption, reduction of waste, and use of organic products. Green Key’s eco-label criteria also include those related to management and communication, and it is unique in its emphasis on promoting environmental education to all those involved with the hotel, including employees, guests, and suppliers. In addition, the Green Key is valid for renewal every three years, making it essential for hotels to continuously address environmental concerns.

【Award】Denpaku, a lodging facility on Amami Oshima Island, received the “Best Luxury Resort Architecture in Japan 2022” award for its design and community development efforts.

What are Luxury Lifestyle Awards?


The Luxury Lifestyle Awards, which have been running for 14 years since 2008, are global awards that evaluate more than 5,000 products in more than 400 categories from 120 regions around the world to select the best products and services. The awards are judged on a total of nine criteria, including reputation, reliability, creativity, brand recognition, and excellence. It is said to be the [world’s most prestigious award] that selects the best brands in various fields, from five-star hotels such as Ritz-Carlton and Fairmont to small stores. *We will also ask Mr. Yamashita to double-check with the other two Japanese winners.

Yasuhiro Yamashita, Representative, Award Comment


I believe that the village culture inherited in my hometown Amami Islands and the people who have carried it on are precious treasures that we should be proud of to the world, and I have been working on community development through the operation of “Denpaku” and “Magun Hiroba. Today, we are the largest private enterprise in the northern part of Amami Oshima, and many local residents and businesses are involved in our activities. We believe that this recognition will encourage our employees and local community members to take pride in our culture, and to strive to maintain it with even greater ambition and initiative. We will continue to deepen our cooperation with the local community to realize sustainable tourism and to pass on the beauty of Amami.

Evaluation comments by the judges (excerpts)


Atelier Tekuto Inc. believes in designing buildings and landscapes that harmonize with the local community while taking into account the social structure of the region and building cooperative relationships. The luxury project being developed on Amami Oshima Island embodies this commitment and contributes to the creation of a healthy community.

On Amami Oshima Island, blessed with nature and culture and designated as a World Natural Heritage site in July 2021, many villages are in a state of crisis, with abandoned old houses and the destruction of local communities due to excessive tourism. Amami Innovation Corporation, headed by Yasuhiro Yamashita, has been working to renovate and revitalize the region and now operates restaurants, facilities for the elderly, products and galleries, and ample lodging facilities.

The award-winning facilities are making a significant contribution to the maintenance of the Amami Archipelago’s diverse village culture that has persisted for hundreds of years.

Award-winning facilities


・Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA” and “2 waters
(Project details:https://yamashita-yasuhiro.net/
Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA, which had its grand opening in July 2019, is a luxury villa resort facility located on Amami Oshima, a World Natural Heritage site blessed with rich forests and beautiful ocean. Under the concept of “Dialogue with Nature on the Island,” the villa offers a lodging experience that allows guests to forget the hustle and bustle of daily life and adjust the depths of their minds through the great nature spreading out through the glass windows. This was followed by the opening of the “2 waters” complex in April 2021, which includes a restaurant & bar, pentagonal infinity pool, and accommodation reception.

【Award】 Received the Excellence Award at the 12th Regional Revitalization Awards -Awarded for activities to enhance the appeal of the island by utilizing traditional island architecture and vacant houses.

On January 30, 2022, Amami Innovation Corporation, which is engaged in community development in the Amami Islands which is engaged in community development in the Amami Islands, has received the [Excellence Award] at the 12th Regional Revitalization Awards sponsored by 46 local newspapers and Kyodo News.

The award was given in recognition of the company’s efforts to enhance the attractiveness of the community by reusing vacant traditional island houses and former supermarket facilities as lodging facilities, dining halls, senior citizen facilities, cram schools, and other community interaction centers.

We will use this award as an opportunity to expand recognition of our community development activities, and at the same time, we will work with local residents to realize a society in which “no one is left behind” by returning profits to the community.

What is the Community Revitalization Award?


The award was established in 2010 by 46 local newspapers and Kyodo News to recognize organizations that have achieved success in activities that energize and enhance the attractiveness of their communities. The awards are intended to support organizations that are taking on the challenge of solving regional issues such as population decline, aging, disparities, and disasters. In the fall of each fiscal year, newspapers and other media nominate a total of 50 organizations as candidates for the Grand Prize. After screening the nominations and conducting on-site surveys, the selection committee determines the Grand Prize, Runner-up Grand Prize, Block Prize, and Excellence Prize at the end of the year. The winning organizations’ efforts will be reported in newspapers and on the Internet from various perspectives. (Quoted from the Regional Revitalization Awards website)

Click here for the Regional Revitalization Awards website

【Publication information】Featured in “CREA Traveller”.

 

Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA was introduced in the May 1, 2023 issue of “CREA Traveller: In Search of Ultimate Wellness, Awakening Thailand / Amami Oshima: A Journey to the Islands for Gastronomy.

The article features the one-night-only dinner held by JAL Local Gastronomy Trip “Fly to the Table – A Journey of Flavors”.

Thank you very much for the wonderful text, photos, and the fascinating article on Amami Oshima.
Please take a look at the article.