Hiruzen Nature Week to foster nature-positive business in Okayama

Ba-and-Co Inc. and Maniwa City will be holding “Hiruzen Nature Week,” a five-day practical event designed to explore new business models that coexist with nature. The event will take place from 7-11 October 2025 in the Hiruzen region of Okayama Prefecture, a highland area within Daisen-Oki National Park.

The organisers want to use the event to address the growing global issue of natural capital loss as a significant business risk. The event would become a platform for individuals, companies and local government to learn about and implement “Nature Positive” strategies, in hopes to halt and reverse nature loss.

The event operates under the concept, “May the nature be with you – Creating new forms of work that generate value with nature,” aiming to merge the principles of Nature Positive with Hiruzen’s rich regional assets. It is designed for those looking to advance nature-positive initiatives, utilise regional resources sustainably, or launch new collaborative projects.

The week is structured in two parts. A three-day conference from 7-9 October will provide a comprehensive understanding of Nature Positive from policy, academic and business perspectives. It will feature discussions on the latest trends and practical case studies from Japan and abroad.

This is followed by a two-day “Action Tourism” programme on 10-11 October. This segment offers participants hands-on experience through fieldwork, including visits to the Hiruzen Museum and local grasslands. The programme culminates in workshops where attendees will develop tangible business ideas that utilise the region’s natural and cultural resources. Participants in the action tourism programme will receive up to three months of project support from Maniwa City and Ba-and-Co to help launch their initiatives.

The event will be based at “Hitotoki,” a satellite office in Hiruzen renovated by the firm of architect Kengo Kuma. An online pre-event webinar, “Nature Positive Created Through Regional Co-creation,” will also be held on 9 September 2025 to introduce the core themes.