Oiso Konjaku Fudoki
(大磯今昔風土記)
As part of an interdisciplinary design team at Kyoto University of the Arts, I led a bilingual research initiative to bridge the "cultural pride gap" in Oiso, Japan. The project focused on translating the town’s prestigious Meiji-era history into a modern, interactive engagement tool designed to connect long-term residents with newer generations.
Kyoto University of the Arts: interdisciplinary Design Studies
Bilingual Research & Regional Product Design
Research Project
Year: May - January 2025
CHALLENGE
Oiso’s history as Japan’s first beach resort and a premier villa destination for political leaders is a significant cultural asset. However, much of this history remained siloed in physical, non-digitized archives and the memories of senior residents. We needed to extract these "hidden" stories and make them accessible to a modern, multi-generational audience.
STRATEGIC RESEARCH & ARCHIVAL MANAGEMENT
1. High-Context Archival Research
Because the historical records were not available online, I managed professional correspondence with the Oiso Municipal Museum and City Hall to collect information.
-
Precision Information Exchange: I conducted a series of specific, professional information exchanges in Japanese with the museum curator. By providing targeted historical parameters, I enabled the curator to successfully locate and retrieve the information essential to our research.
2. Intensive Fieldwork & Immersion
I conducted hands-on research over two separate phases:
-
Repeat Site Observations: I visited Oiso on two separate occasions, staying for one week during each trip to conduct site observations and build relationships with local experts and residents.
-
Group Interviewing: I organized and facilitated a group interview with members of the Oiso Volunteer Guide Group to capture the collective "oral history" of the region.
3. Data-Driven Validation (Survey Samples)
To bridge my research between Seattle and Japan, I deployed digital surveys to quantify community sentiment and prioritize the historical "pride points" for our final product.
-
General Community Interest Survey (Collaborative Team Survey)
-
Kinoshita Kenpei Villa & Station Area Survey (Focused Research Survey)
Survey sample screens (Google Form)
Survey request posted on social media (Facebook: 大磯大好き！)
DISCOVERY
Through my independent research, I uncovered a unique global link: the Former Kinoshita Kenpei Villa in Oiso (now operated as an Italian restaurant, Oisogeihinkan) was designed by Sabro Ozasa—the same architect responsible for the historic Panama Hotel in Seattle. Identifying this architectural thread allowed us to frame Oiso’s local history within a global context relevant to both Japanese and Pacific Northwest audiences.
Historic Panama Hotel in Seattle
(Photographed by Yukar Yamano)
Old Kinoshita Villa: Oisogeihinkan (Photographed by Yukar Yamano)
INTERGENERATIONAL COLLABORATION & OPERATIONS
Operating as an equal partner within a demographically diverse team (ranging from 20s to 50s), I managed the project’s operational backbone from Sammamish, WA:
-
Time-Zone Synchronization: Facilitated weekly meetings via Zoom at 4:00 AM PST (9:00 PM JST), ensuring seamless alignment with the Japan-based team and attended monthly seminars with other research teams and professors.
-
Digital Infrastructure: Managed project assets and internal communications using Facebook Workplace and Google Drive, maintaining a centralized documents.
-
Community Scaling: I identified and coordinated with a lead Point of Contacts (POC) within the Oiso Guide Group to act as local liaisons. This partnership allowed for efficient survey distribution and a high response rate while I managed the project from abroad.
SOLUTION: Oiso Konjaku Karuta (大磯今昔かるた)
The final output was the idea of "Oiso Konjaku Karuta," a physical card game designed to spark conversation between generations.
-
Content Strategy: With team mates, I reviewed and selected historical "pride points" based on resident survey data to ensure the game was culturally accurate and engaging.
-
Academic Defense: Co-authored the final presentation materials for a formal oral examination before a board of professors and designed the Information Panel for the final graduation exhibition.
IMPACT
-
Data-Driven Design: Leveraged Previous studies, field research and survey data to ensure the card themes resonated with and complemented for the actual activities that the residents currently engage.
-
Bilingual Fluency: Demonstrated the ability to conduct a complex project within a Japanese institutional framework (Government/Museum) while maintaining professional standards in two languages.
-
Scalability: Created a "Community Playbook" for how the Karuta can be used in local schools and community centers to foster long-term engagement for the years to come.
CORE COMPETENCIES
-
Bilingual Information Management (Japanese/English)
-
Intergenerational Team Collaboration
-
Professional Japanese Correspondence & Archival Research
-
Cross-Border Project Operations (PST/JST)
-
Stakeholder Coordination & Resource Management
The Information Panel presenting our research discovery for the final exhibition. (Visual Design and Layout by Yukari Yamano)