We want to revitalize the town through the power of tourism!

Mihama Town is the second smallest town in Wakayama, but it is an attractive town with beautiful nature, including Enjugahama Beach, which was selected as one of the"100 Best Sunrises and Sunsets in Wakayama." However, the town is also facing the challenge of population decrease with a declining birthrate and aging population. More than 60 percent of the population of the Mio district in which we have based our activities is now over 65 years old.

Is there anything we can do to change this situation through tourism?

We hope to revitalize the region together with the local community to keep connections with Japanese Canadian descendants!

KUFS students first came up with the idea of developing a local ramen using Ise ebi lobster, a specialty of Mihama Town in August 2022 as part of their activities of the University program created by KUFS students in collaboration with the town office of Mihama and the Mio community. In the following year 2023, 10 students gathered to take over the ramen project from their senior students who started the project and began working in earnest to realize the Ise ebi lobster ramen shop in reality.

With local support, the students spent 6 months attending regular remote meetings and developed the project while studying of Kyoto and visiting Wakayama, preparation included, working on the ramen concept, recipe, pricing, store naming, bowl and spoon design, public relations, and crowdfunding.

Finally, in August 2023, we finalized our "Mio Ramen"product, infused with all the charms of Mio. We held a limited opening on September 2nd and 3rd, 2023 at the restaurant "Sutebusuton" in Mio. To our surprise, people started to line up before the opening, and the planned number of bowls sold out shortly. Including the pre-opening event, we were able to sell a total of 150 bowls of Mio Ramen over the three-day limited sale. Thanks in part to local newspapers covering our activities, we were able to accomplish our goal.

The name of our store is "Mento Mukatte Mio"

This phrase includes the following connotations.

▶︎Facing the meaning of Mio through our ramen

▶︎We hope you can feel the charm of Mio

LOGO

▶︎The red color signifies Ise ebi lobster and the Canadian Flag

▶︎The Ise ebi lobster is in our logo

▶︎”ラーメン”means ramen in Japanese

▶︎The name of our university, KUFS is in the pattern of the shrimp. KUFS(Kyoto University of Foreign Studies

Reconnecting with Canada through sharing emigration history

Mio has a history of sending many young people across the Pacific Ocean to work in Canada during the Meiji era. The descendants of these "from Mio" emigrants have formed a significant part of the Japanese Canadian communities in Canada. In October 2023, approximately 70 people with ancestral roots in Mio came to Japan from Canada for the Wakayama Prefecture Association World Convention. Mio Ramen was served at the dinner party in Mio, and it was fondly received. The ramen was also enjoyed by Dr. Lisa Domae, President of North Island College in Canada, one of the international partner universities of Kyoto University of Foreign Studies.

　Thanks to Dr. Domae, we were also able to serve Mio Ramen at North Island College on Vancouver Island, Canada in August 2024! We students helped out with the event by creating English posters and flyers as well as posting on social media. As generations go by, the number of descendants increase in Canada, but the connection between Canada and Mio is gradually weakening due to the declining population in Mio and language barriers. However, we hope that our Mio Ramen will become a symbol for strengthening those historical connections again.

DIY workshop

From August 2024, we started renovating an old house in Mio to open an actual store to serve Mio ramen regularly. There are many old houses in Mio. Local NPO assisted with the renovation project three meeting with a construction company TEAM Clapton, other local people and University students.

Our store opened in April 2025!

Finally, the"Mennto Mukatte Mio" store opened in April 2025. It is made of waste wood and has a very unique and stylish interior, such as a sandy beach counter with the image of beach in Mio. We hope to increase the population of Mio. Our ramen shop currently opens on weekends. (Friday to Monday)

The NPO Hinomisaki America-mura

Specified Nonprofit Corporation Hinomisaki America-mura NPO is an organization that was established as a result of a regional revitalization project carried out by Mihama Town. The organization is engaged in projects related to regional revitalization and local education in the Mio district of Mihama Town. The NPO is also working with students from different universities to revitalize the town as a tourist destination.