A news article about an exciting Friday event near Fukui Station will be out today or tomorrow. The Fukui Prefecture Creators Association (abbreviated as fucco) will host the Fucco Creative Seminar 2025.

 

This seminar will explore new approaches to co-creation in urban development and business. Following the program, a networking event will be held, bringing together designers, copywriters, photographers, and other creators from across Fukui Prefecture.

 

If you’re interested, sign up early, as there is a participant limit. Pre-registration is required.

 

In the comment section at the end of the article, Akashi, the producer of Hokuroku, shared his perspective, describing Fukui as a design leader in Hokuriku.

 

Doesn’t that feel spot-on?

 

This event will also feature creators who use their design expertise to revitalize their local communities.

 

In the past, Toyama was often regarded as a pioneering prefecture in design. Even Dave Spector mentioned it on a TV program.

 

However, in recent years, Fukui seems to have taken the lead in this area.

 

At a New Year gathering, a prominent figure in the creative industry based in Ishikawa (Kanazawa) remarked, “We feel a sense of crisis because Ishikawa is losing to Fukui.

 

This same individual also commented, “Ishikawa is losing to Toyama as well.”

 

For those in Fukui or Toyama, such a statement may come as a surprise. Many would assume that Ishikawa is the top contender when it comes to design.

 

If we were to conveniently sum it all up, it might suggest that Hokuriku as a whole is moving toward becoming a leading design region in Japan.

 

The similarity in sound between Hokuriku and Hokuou ( Scandinavia) might also help foster the idea that Hokuriku, like the Nordic region, is synonymous with stylish design in Japan.

 

The venue for the event is Koshino Valley, an incubation facility just a two-minute walk from JR Fukui Station. If you want to experience the energy and momentum of Fukui firsthand, be sure to stop by.

 

Masayoshi Sakamoto
Editor-in-Chief, Hokuroku