Career Design Camp 2025: Six days of tears and smiles, connecting to the future, and an inspiring graduation ceremony

September 9, 2025
special feature article, Regional revitalization 2.0
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Tuesday, September 9, 2025

The "Career Design Camp in Hokuryu 2025" was held in Hokuryu Town from Monday, September 1st to Saturday, September 6th. Over the course of six days, university students faced real-world challenges facing the town. The graduation ceremony held on the final day was filled with tears, smiles, and emotion. The mayor's warm words, the certificates of completion handed out to each participant, and the students' thoughts about Hokuryu Town were all part of the story. This is a moving record of how the deep bonds born from encounters and connections have become a ray of hope for the town's future.

Table of Contents

1 Six days of tears and smiles that connect to the future
2 Message from Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki, organizer
- - 2.0.1 The four seasons and the cycle of life in Hokuryu Town
3 Mayor Sasaki presented each participant with a certificate of completion and a gift of Hokuryu Town specialties.
4 Gratitude and encouragement for the future from staff who have worked together
5 The students' emotions overflow as they listen to the staff's words
6 A tearful and moving finale
- 6.1 commemorative photograph
7 More Photos
8 Related Articles and Websites

Six days of tears and smiles that connect to the future

On Saturday, September 6th, the six-day "Career Design Camp in Hokuryu Town 2025" came to an emotional finale. This program saw students from all over the country seriously tackle real issues facing the town. The graduation ceremony was a time of tears and smiles, with a mixture of feelings of accomplishment, loneliness, and hope for the future.

The main moderator will be Ryo Nagauchi of Hatara Collabo Co., Ltd.

Message from Mayor Yasuhiro Sasaki, organizer

The graduation ceremony began with a speech by the organizer, Mayor Sasaki Yasuhiro of Hokuryu Town.

"Good morning. I wonder what meaning the time we spent together had," the mayor said in a gentle voice. Coincidentally, on this day Hokuryu Junior High School was holding its school festival, and the special nursing home was holding an autumn event. Hokuryu Town is hosting events all day today, for everyone from children to the elderly. I feel that there is something deeply meaningful about this graduation ceremony, which is being held in the midst of all of this."

The four seasons and the cycle of life in Hokuryu Town

The mayor introduced the beautiful seasonal cycle of Hokuryu Town, which the students would not have been able to see in just their six-day stay.

springWater fills the rice fields, making the entire town look like a single lake, and the sun and moon are reflected in the scenery, creating a fantastical scene.
summerIt's a season of happiness when the whole town is dyed yellow with sunflowers.
autumnThe smiles of farmers excited about the bountiful harvest as they harvest the shining golden ears of rice.
And winterIn the snowy landscape, where everything turns into a blank canvas, the townspeople spend a quiet time drawing up blueprints for the future.

This time it was only six days, but I want you to know about it while also feeling that. I'm watching your success from now on, and I want to give you my full support," he said, offering a warm cheer.

Mayor Sasaki presented each participant with a certificate of completion and a gift of Hokuryu Town specialties.

Next, the students received their certificates. Mayor Sasaki called out each student's name and explained the details of their activities, along with a heartfelt message.

On this day, September 6th, the number 96 (kuro) means Kurosengoku Day! The students were presented with various gifts, including Kurosengoku soybean products, a specialty of Hokuryu Town, along with their certificates of completion.

Thank you for clarifying the issues and making suggestions regarding securing human resources in the construction industry. I also heard that you are interested in politics. That is also a great possibility. Please give it a try.
I heard that you chose Hakodate because you were captivated by Hakodate's Lucky Pierrot. Now it's your turn to aim for a role that will capture someone's heart.
He helped us sort out the issues and make suggestions for our inspection business. He also told us about his dream of becoming an MC or pilot. We hope you can make that dream come true.
Thank you for your suggestions on securing childcare workers, a major issue. Please be a hero to the children.
Thank you for your suggestions regarding welfare. I'm glad you said you'd like to visit Hokuryu in the winter. Please come again.
They listened to the real voices of those in the field about childcare and made suggestions based on that. It's a wonderful job creating a future for children. I'm rooting for them.

A variety of Hokuryu Town specialties will be given as gifts

The students' faces lit up even more after receiving a personal message from the mayor.

Gratitude and encouragement for the future from staff who have worked together

Following the students' sincere speeches, the town officials who had been with them through the six days took to the microphone. Every word they spoke was filled with deep gratitude to the students and warm expectations for the future.

Your brilliance is our strength
Although I haven't had many opportunities to interact directly and deeply with you all, seeing your lively expressions and your radiant demeanor yesterday, despite how tired you must have been, really gave me a lot of energy. I'm sure it was extremely difficult, especially in the short amount of time it took to prepare, but I would like to express my sincere respect for how you were able to narrow down the issues so thoroughly and put together such wonderful proposals. Thank you very much.
　
Amazing output in just three days
Excluding travel days, you all created your presentations in just three days. I think this is truly amazing. You conducted interviews and visited schools to tackle the kinds of issues that we ourselves feel like we want to tackle but don't have the time for in our everyday work, and you all managed to create a brilliant presentation. We also learned a lot from your attitude towards presenting. It was truly amazing. Please continue to move forward with confidence.
　
The heat is like "Magic Modification Night"
Have you all heard of the NHK program "Magical Modification Night"? It's a program in which engineers are given seemingly outlandish tasks, and they pool their brains as a team, working all night to create something. It was as if you were watching that program, concentrating and discussing in a short space of time to create something. The intense time you spent in Hokuryu Town was surely a precious experience you won't have again in your lives. I sincerely hope you all continue to do well in the future.
　
What "encounters" and "fate" taught me
Did you all enjoy the six days? I'm so happy to hear that. This camp made me realize once again the miracle of "encounters" and "connections." If you had made even one different choice, if I hadn't taken up this job, we wouldn't be here. These people, whom I was destined to meet, have shaken up my rigid thinking and made me realize something important: "Don't be afraid to talk." As we become adults, we tend to turn a blind eye to things that are inconvenient for us and "pretend not to see." Your pure demeanor taught me this. Our mission is to realize the suggestions you've given us. We will make as many of them a reality as possible. So, please be sure to come and see us again.
　
A veteran childcare worker said, "I couldn't have done this 45 years ago."
I am so moved that I am at a loss for words. I am truly amazed at the progress you have made from the interim report to yesterday's final presentation. I wonder how you have managed to accomplish so much in such a short time. I am 65 years old. 45 years ago, when I was your age, I could never have done this. I am once again reminded of the wonder of your youth and abilities. I would like to incorporate as many of your suggestions regarding childcare as possible and work positively. Thank you very much.
　
A childcare worker with immigration experience says, "The encounter gave me strength"
Watching everyone's presentations reminded me of when I came to this town at the age of 20. Being in a strange place, not my hometown, I was filled with anxiety at first. But the people of Hokuryu are really warm, and the youth group is very active, so before I knew it, I was spending busy but enjoyable days. I really resonated with yesterday's proposal to "travel while working in childcare." Yes, it all starts with "encounters." Meeting you all has given me a lot of strength. I would like to use this strength to create an environment where young teachers can work more happily.
　
We will continue to cherish our connections
"Six days was really too short, and to be honest, I wanted to talk more in depth with each and every one of you. But it was really great to see everyone's faces brimming with a sense of accomplishment. This is a wonderful connection that has been forged with you all. I hope that this will not end as a once-in-a-lifetime encounter, but that you will continue to be involved with Hokuryu in some way. Please remember this town at any time, and feel free to drop by anytime. I look forward to seeing you there.
　
Making proposals a reality
I didn't expect to be greeted so suddenly, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to speak well... But thanks to everyone on the inspection team for their hard work. We were limited in time, so we weren't able to speak in depth, but I've heard that you've made a lot of great suggestions. To be honest, I'm surprised that you brought up so many perspectives that we wouldn't have noticed on our own. We'll do our best to put as many of the suggestions you've made into practice as possible. Thank you so much.
　
From Director General for Policy Studies, Katsuyoshi Takahashi: "With tears and gratitude"
北竜町・高橋克嘉総合政策官メッセージ
Once again, good morning, everyone. It's been about two months since our kickoff meeting on Zoom in July. These past six days have been particularly intense. From the very beginning, I've seen how much effort you all put in, even in the preparations, and how passionately you all spent your time for this town. For me, these past two months have been truly wonderful, with you all giving me immeasurable inspiration and strength.
It is truly wonderful to be able to have such serious discussions with all of you young people. I believe that the numerous proposals you have given us are the greatest "gift" to us and to this town. I promise not to waste these gifts and to use as many of them as possible in town development.
You all have a long life ahead of you. Nothing would make me happier than if your experience in Hokuryu Town could provide even a little spiritual nourishment. To be honest, every time I look back on these past six days since yesterday, I feel lonely and a little teary-eyed. But they are truly tears of joy, and I am filled with gratitude to all of you.
Hokuryu Town has its own charms, including harsh but beautiful winters. If you are interested, please cherish this connection and come back anytime. You will be warmly welcomed.
Finally, let me introduce you to a few people. Mr. and Mrs. Terauchi, who are sitting behind me, run the Hokuryu Town Portal, which disseminates information about the town. They have been covering and recording this Career Design Camp from the very beginning. I hope you will take the time to read it in depth. Thank you so much for the past two months.

Messages from Social Welfare Council, Childcare, Construction, etc. Staff

The students' emotions overflow as they listen to the staff's words

After receiving heartfelt encouragement from the staff, the students took to the microphone once again. Each expressed their feelings of gratitude, the realizations they had gained in this town, and their promises for the future. Their emotions spilled out into words, along with tears.

A warm message sent to each person

A town full of challenging spirit
I like the idyllic environment of small towns, and I thought the locals probably didn't want outsiders to come, so I decided to participate. In fact, it was the exact opposite; they wanted new people to come and interact with all kinds of people, so I was happy to see the welcoming atmosphere.
When I wondered why they were so welcoming, I realized it was because Hokuryu is a town full of adventurous spirit, eager to try new things.
The mayor and the townspeople are so close, I've never seen a town like this before, and it felt really charming. I was also surprised that the mayor knows the names and faces of all the townspeople.
I was really impressed by the fact that the results of your work are directly returned to the land, so it's important to work in a place that you love and want to live in.
I feel that this is the starting point for town development for me, and I would like to continue to work with the people of Hokuryu Town. Thank you all so much.
　
I was moved by the town that they built and are protecting with their own hands.
To be honest, I only had a vague image of the construction industry before participating, but I was deeply moved by the strong pride of the people working on site, who said, "We built and are protecting this town with our own hands."
I realized the value of the work that supports the town, and it sparked my interest in the broader perspective of town development, as well as the field of politics that the mayor mentioned. I will definitely use this experience in the future.
One of the reasons I chose Hokuryu Town was because of the friendly website and the enthusiasm they had for inviting everyone to visit.
I felt that transparency was very important so that people from outside could get to know the town. When I actually went inside the town, I felt a very warm feeling.
　
A town with a warmer heart than South America
Actually, there was another reason for participating that I haven't told you all about. My university class was talking about a training program to South America, and it coincided with the entry period for this camp. I chose not to go to South America. But I didn't want to end up regretting it and thinking, "I should have gone." So, I came to Hokuryu Town with a strong desire to make the most of this September.
South America is located directly on the equator, but Hokuryu Town seemed much "hotter" to me. And I'm not just talking about the temperature. The sheer amount of support from everyone who supported us, and the passion with which everyone thought seriously about the town's future without giving up, made me feel "incredibly passionate." Everyone taught me that this passion is what truly makes someone "cool."
Let me close with a riddle. "Sunflowers in Hokuryu Town" translates to "The public housing in Hokuryu Town that was reborn a few years later." The idea is... "Neither of them will ever tire of autumn!" (Raging applause from the audience!)
　
Impressed by the generous child-rearing support
To be honest, there were many times when I was painfully aware of my own lack of ability. However, the fact that I was able to have such an experience is what makes me feel so glad that I participated in this camp. I was particularly deeply moved by the generous child-rearing support provided by this town. This may be commonplace for residents, but such comprehensive subsidies and policies are truly unheard of in other areas. I also became very interested in the job of a public health nurse. I thought how wonderful it would be to work alongside the passionate staff of this town. If there is an opportunity to interact more directly with elementary and junior high school students and elderly people in the future, I would definitely like to participate again. It was really fun.
　
The importance of experiencing things on-site
These six days were so intense that I don't know where to begin. What I felt most during this camp was that, especially in this internet-based society, it is more important than anything else to "go to the site." There was information and warmth that can only be obtained by actually going there and talking face-to-face with the local people. When people told me, "If you hadn't come, I would never have noticed," I felt truly happy and thought it was worth the effort, even though it was difficult.
On the first day, I thought the week would be long, but once it started, it went by in a flash... I really don't want to go home. Everyone in this town, and the friends I've met here, are all irreplaceable memories for me. Yesterday, when I was touring the public housing, I heard, "The snow in Hokuryu in winter is crazy. It's completely different." That's why I definitely want to come back here to experience that winter. If they hold a winter version of the "Career Design Camp," I'll definitely participate. Thank you so much.

A tearful and moving finale

The audience was deeply moved by the pure feelings of the students, and even the organizers were moved to tears at times.

Nagauchi-san couldn't help but burst into tears!

commemorative photograph

With gratitude for this touching moment that brought smiles to our faces!

At the end of the day, everyone took a commemorative photo. They all posed in the sunflower pose, flashing their biggest smiles. Even though their faces still had traces of tears, they ended up with bright smiles.

It was a short but intense six days. The encounters and connections that were made there have become irreplaceable treasures that will brighten the future for the students and Hokuryu Town.

Thank you for the wonderful moments that are like irreplaceable treasures in life!

Thank you for this wonderful relationship!

The graduation ceremony was filled with tears of emotion and smiles!

The mayor's warm words, the caring hearts of the staff, and the feelings the students expressed about Hokuryu Town all resonated and interacted, creating a wonderful bond!!!

With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers, we offer our heartfelt thanks to the Career Design Camp in Hokuryu 2025, which shines a ray of hope for Hokuryu Town's bright future.

More Photos

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笑顔きらめく秋の一日！永楽園オータムフェスト 2025