Kesennuma hosts Japan’s first residency hackathon to tackle social issues

Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture, will bring international software engineers to the region to develop technology-based solutions for local challenges. The “Kesennuma Hackatsuon,” Japan’s first event to combine a long-term residency with a hackathon, will take place from 5-17 October 2025.

The event is organised by the Kesennuma Hackatsuon Executive Committee in partnership with Kesennuma City. It aims to address pressing social issues, most notably population decline, by fusing global technological expertise with local knowledge.

Kesennuma, a city known for its rich natural environment, was certified as Japan’s first “Slow City” for its sustainable, food-centric community development. Despite its progress in rebuilding after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, the city faces a significant and ongoing population decrease. In response, it is exploring new models for community building, including the use of digital technology and fostering international relationships.

The 13-day programme will host approximately 10 developers from North America, South America, Europe and Asia who specialise in AI, Web3 and blockchain technologies. The unique residency format, managed by Kismet Casa, is designed to immerse participants in the local community. The residency format allows developers to “walk through Kesennuma, engage in dialogue with locals, and experience the real social challenges of the region before tackling the hackathon,” the committee stated. This approach is expected to produce outcomes that contribute to increasing the “relationship population” and inbound tourism.

The intensive hackathon will run from 10-12 October, during which participants will work with city officials and local organisations to build prototypes. The results will be presented to the public at a reception on 13 October.

Hikaru Igarashi, the main organiser for the executive committee, has previous experience working on social projects in the city with the non-profit Women’s Eye. “I realised that Kesennuma has the ability to turn survey results into policy,” Igarashi said. “Social issues can be advanced when citizens see them as their own and the local community moves to solve them.”

Igarashi’s subsequent work on a government-led startup programme highlighted a disconnect between technology and community needs. “I became keenly aware of the reality that innovative technology often fails to reach the front lines of social issues. That is why I am convinced that locally-rooted technology is the key to solving these problems. With the Kesennuma Hackatsuon, I want to take that first step with many others.”