Kamikatsu hotel launches zero-waste educational stays for students

HOTEL WHY in Kamikatsu, Tokushima, has launched new accommodation plans designed to provide an educational experience on zero-waste principles for families and students. Well known globally as Japan’s zero waste town, the new packages will create hands-on learning opportunities for visitors to learn about zero waste.

For families with school-aged children, the hotel now offers the “Kamikatsu Free Research Plan.” This permanent plan provides children with a choice of two educational tools to support school projects. The “WHY Note” is a research notebook designed to help them document their observations and questions about zero-waste during their stay. Alternatively, the “WHY Talk” offers a dedicated interview session with the hotel’s young staff to deepen their understanding of the topic.

A separate plan is available for university students interested in regional revitalisation and the circular economy. The “Student Group Accommodation Plan,” available from 24 August to 30 September, offers a fixed, discounted room rate for groups. Students staying for two or more nights will also have the opportunity to meet with young staff members who have relocated to Kamikatsu for work, providing insight into rural migration and sustainable careers.

To complement these stays, the hotel and its local partners will host three special programmes during the summer holidays. A design workshop on 18 August, led by designer Ayaka Shimizu, will challenge children to rethink product packaging to minimise waste. Other activities include a biodiversity observation event in the town’s historic Yaeji rice terraces on 23 August and a factory tour at the local KAMIKATZ BEER brewery, which focuses on using local resources and zero-waste practices.

Kamikatsu is known for its ambitious environmental policies, achieving a recycling rate of approximately 80 per cent. The new plans from HOTEL WHY leverage this unique local identity to encourage guests, particularly the younger generation, to explore the questions surrounding consumption and waste.