On March 12th, Shibuya Future Design General Incorporated Association and Kabaya Foods announced the outline of "Good Sweat, Shibuya. Action," which will be launched in Shibuya. The initiative aims to spread "good sweat" generated in various situations, such as sports, the workplace, and city activities, as a new culture, and will be developed through collaboration between industry, government, academia, and the public. Following an overview of the project, the presentation also included a talk session with the Shibuya ward mayor, researchers, and business representatives, where diverse perspectives were discussed on the theme of "sweat."

Making "good sweat" a part of the culture: A co-creation project launches in Shibuya.

The project is being jointly promoted by Shibuya Future Design and Kabaya Foods. Yoko Kido, head of IMC at Kabaya Foods, describes it as "an initiative to disseminate and create new culture through co-creation, based in Shibuya, one of Japan's leading cities." The company was founded in Okayama shortly after the war as a confectionery manufacturer that began by making caramel to bring smiles to people's faces during times of food shortage. Currently, the company offers a wide range of products, including gummies, chocolates, and gums, as well as products such as "Salt Charge" to "support people who sweat."

Shinko Nagata (left), Secretary-General of Shibuya Future Design, and Yoko Kido (right), IMC Manager at Kabaya Foods.

Meanwhile, Shibuya Future Design is a co-creation organization established by Shibuya Ward in 2018 as a collaboration between industry, government, academia and the public. Secretary-General Nagata Arata explains, "We aim to create social innovation together with various stakeholders and spread the results not only to Shibuya but also to other areas."

The four categories promoted by "Good Sweat, Shibuya. Action"

"Good Sweat, Shibuya Action" is based on three concepts: "Sweat for yourself," "Sweat for someone else," and "Sweat for the city," and will carry out activities in the following four categories.

・Wellness (health and sports)
・Education
・Work (Support for working people)
・Social activities (city activities)

As a first initiative, the group will begin activities at the Shibuya Omotesando Women's Run, which will be held on March 22nd. The event will see the participation of approximately 5,000 female runners, and will include raising awareness of the importance of replenishing salt at water stations.

Furthermore, plans include fostering the next generation of street sports, supporting an international 3x3 basketball tournament to be held in Ebisu, and engaging with sauna culture. In the field of education, opportunities will be created to learn about sweating and bodily circulation, conveying the meaning of "sweat" to children and their parents. In addition, as part of supporting "good sweat" pop culture, advertisements for "Salt Charge x Shinako" will be displayed in various locations on Takeshita Street in Harajuku (April 7-23), and activities such as cleaning volunteers in Shibuya will be supported as part of supporting "good sweat" in the city.

Nagata says, "In Shibuya, there are many people who are working hard for the city through volunteer work and other activities. I want to create a culture that celebrates such people." He also has plans to showcase these activities at Social Innovation Week in the form of an award like the "Good Sweat SHIBUYA Award."

From the ward mayor to the station master, a talk about "good sweat"

In the subsequent talk session, themed "Getting a Good Sweat," the speakers included Ken Hasebe, Mayor of Shibuya Ward; Yuka Murofushi, Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Juntendo University; Keitaro Kumagai of WeWork Japan; Yoshiki Tanaka of Tokyu Construction; and Kenichi Kawashima, Station Master of TOKYU CORPORATION.

Ken Hasebe, Mayor of Shibuya Ward

"It's typical of Shibuya that movements are born from the city."
Mayor Hasebe smiled and said, "My honest impression is that this is an interesting project that has begun. When the government takes the lead and says, 'Let's do this kind of project,' it often doesn't work out. That's why it's so good to see a movement like this coming from the private sector and the city, and I think it's very Shibuya-like."

He said that Shibuya Ward is currently discussing next year's budget, and added, "The staff are working hard every day. The act of working hard is very Shibuya-like."

Kenichi Kawashima, Station Master of TOKYU CORPORATION

Get a good sweat on at a station used by 550,000 people a day
Kawashima, station manager of TOKYU CORPORATION, reflected on the daily life at Shibuya Station, saying, "Tokyu Line's Shibuya Station is used by an average of about 550,000 passengers every day. We work hard day and night to ensure safe and stable transportation and to maintain an environment where passengers can feel secure." He added, "We will continue to work hard so that many more customers will come to the city of Shibuya."

Yoshiki Tanaka of Tokyu Construction

"Good sweat" at the redevelopment site
Tanaka of Tokyu Construction, which is in charge of the redevelopment of the area around Shibuya Station, explained the situation on site, saying, "There are 16 to 17 construction sites active within Shibuya Ward, including building, railway, and underground construction. At the peak of the Scramble Square construction, about 2,000 workers were coming in and out every day."

Countermeasures against heatstroke are essential in workplaces where many people work, and Tanaka says, "The collaboration with Kabaya Foods, which develops Salt Charge, is extremely meaningful." Mayor Hasebe also commented, "The construction in Shibuya is not an ordinary construction project," adding, "We have to carry out the construction safely while keeping the railway running and with many people passing by. I think the workers are breaking out in all sorts of sweat, including cold sweats."

Keitaro Kumagai from WeWork Japan

"Sweat" born from the workplace
Kumagai from WeWork Japan, which has its base in SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE, spoke from the perspective of community building. "WeWork has more than 600 locations worldwide and more than 40 locations in Japan, but SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE is the largest location in Japan. It has become a community where about 200 companies gather." Last year, at the request of the tenant companies, they rented out Yoyogi Gymnasium and held a large-scale sports day. "With hybrid work becoming more common, many companies are feeling challenges in the meaning of coming to the office and building teamwork. So we held a sports day, and it was a huge success. It led to a 'good sweat' that encompassed not only work but also lifestyle in general, including how to live," he said, expressing his satisfaction with the result.

Yuka Murofushi, Faculty of Sport and Health Science, Juntendo University

Sports researchers talk about the "power of sweat"
Yuka Murofushi, an Olympian and researcher, spoke about the importance of physical activity, saying, "I've sweated a lot in preparation for the Olympics, and sometimes even broke out in a cold sweat (laughs). But increasing my physical activity level is really important."

She said she particularly wants to increase the physical activity levels of women, and added, "Getting active and building muscle from a young age will lead to better health in the future. Sweating makes you feel refreshed and motivated. I think it's a great thing that benefits both body and mind," expressing her expectations for the project.

A friendly talk event centered around the theme of "good sweat."

Each person's "good sweat declaration"

At the end of the talk, the speakers announced their "Good Sweat Declaration" on a flip chart.

Stationmaster Kawashima: "We'll welcome everyone who comes to Shibuya with a smile!"
We will work hard to ensure safe and stable transportation.

Tanaka (Tokyu Construction): "I'm working hard (and cold sweats) in secret for the sake of Shibuya."
As behind-the-scenes workers, we work hard behind the scenes, unnoticed, but ultimately we hope to create something good for the city that everyone will be happy with.

Kumagai (WeWork Japan): "Community"
We would like to create a strong community in Shibuya, valuing not only work but also lifestyle.

Murofushi: "For everyone's well-being!"
I would like to share this philosophy widely while working up a good sweat myself. I want to support everyone in moving their body, building muscle, increasing their metabolism, and working up a beautiful sweat as they move towards the future.

Mayor Hasebe: "Ryukan Godo"
The mayor explained the four-character idiom as meaning, "Work hard, sweat, and get what you can see at the end of it," and added, "I went for a run in Yoyogi Park this morning in the cold, and I felt refreshed when I finished. If you keep doing things like that, something will become clear to you."

The Cheerleaders, who have been appointed as support ambassadors, give a performance.

At the end of the event, the Cheerleaders, who were appointed as supporters, appeared on stage. The male cheer team, who are active while working as company employees, performed and livened up the venue.

With "good sweat" as the keyword, this project connects various fields such as sports, work, and urban development. What kind of culture will emerge from Shibuya? It will be interesting to see how it develops in the future.

Interviews and writing

Editorial Department: Takashi Fujii

Shibuya registrar. In addition to Shibuya of Culture information, seasonal news and topics, it will spell write that feel every day.