Yonezawa to host third 360° Open Factory event, expanding programme

Plat Yonezawa Co., Ltd. and the 360° Yonezawa Open Factory Executive Committee announced they will hold the third annual “360° Yonezawa Open Factory” event from 11 to 13 September. The city-wide initiative provides public access to the workshops and factories that are central to the region’s manufacturing heritage.

Open factory event models like Yonezawa’s showcases diverse local industries, in this case includes traditional Yonezawa textiles, sake brewing and fermentation, and woodworking. The organisers’ goal is to directly connect visitors with the people rooted in Yonezawa, fostering a lasting appreciation and creating “Yonezawa fans” for the future. The previous event in 2024 attracted over 3,700 visitors.

This year’s event, operating under the theme “Let’s have fun. Let’s connect.”, will feature an expanded roster of 36 participating organisations, including the addition of two printing companies, Kawasaki Printing and Kawashima Printing. Visitors can choose from approximately 90 programmes, such as indigo dyeing workshops, sake brewery tours, and painting traditional wooden “nekokeshi” cat dolls.

To improve accessibility, a dedicated shuttle bus service will operate on two routes across the city on the final day, 13 September. A one-day pass will be available for purchase.

Special programmes have also been added to deepen engagement. An exhibition at the Yoneori Kaikan building will display products developed through a collaborative project between seven Yonezawa textile companies and students from the Tohoku University of Art and Design. A public lecture and results presentation for the project will be held on 14 September at the Denkoku no Mori cultural complex.

On the evening of 13 September, an exclusive networking event, “Yoru Kouba! Kouryu Night!”, will be held at the Takayamado Marunouchi cafe. The event is designed to provide a unique opportunity for visitors to converse directly with local artisans over food and drinks.

The organisers encourage prospective attendees to visit the official website for a full list of programmes and to make reservations, as many activities have limited capacity. Information is also available on the event’s social media channels. A call has also been made for volunteers, known as the “Sanroku-tai,” to assist with operations.