【SOE General Incorporated Association】122 companies participate, the largest number ever! “RENEW/2025,” an open factory event where you can experience the traditional crafts and industries of Fukui and Echizen Sabae, will be held from October 10th to 12th.
SOE General Incorporated Association Press Release: September 3, 2025 To Members of the Press A record 122 companies participated! “RENEW/2025,” an open factory event where you can experience the traditional crafts and industries of Fukui and Echizen Sabae, will be held from October 10th to 12th. SOE (Representative Director: Toru Uchida), a general incorporated association working to develop the Echizen Sabae region through industrial tourism, will be holding “RENEW/2025,” one of Japan’s largest open factory events, from Friday, October 10th to Sunday, October 12th, 2025, to showcase the
manufacturing industries of Sabae City, Echizen City, and Echizen Town, Fukui Prefecture.
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manufacturing that is evolving to suit modern lifestyles, and Fukui’s cuisine, history, and culture.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/106005/5/106005-5-e2eefa2ebf36966bcd5fcbc11aa4a770-1800×1350.jpg Approximately 80 workshops and shops will be open! Experience the current state of the region through factory tours, workshops, and factory shops. One of the attractions of RENEW is the factory tours, where you can learn about the background and ingenuity of
craftsmanship from artisans, as well as the elaborate workshops offered by each company, such as lacquering, papermaking, and making your own original glasses. At the factory shop, you can speak directly with the makers and discover products unique to the region, including deadstock and one-of-a-kind items not available on the market. The Food Park also features a collection of food trucks serving local Fukui cuisine, such as mountain sea urchin and pork cutlet with sauce. In addition, a talk event featuring participating businesses and guests will also be held.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/106005/5/106005-5-5051f2f4a1b6efb254945ec0c46e0ea0-1800×1350.jpg List of participating businesses https://renew-fukui.com/exhibitor/ Tourism and food professionals share the depth of Echizen Sabae — Official guided tours and the three-day limited “FOOD & CRAFT” event RESTAURANT/CAFE” The Official Tour is a program where you travel by private car with a guide who is familiar with the region, on a special course designed around a theme such as Echizen lacquerware or Echizen washi paper. Recommended for those who want to efficiently see the highlights or want to learn more. At the -L’aisance × RENEW- FOOD&CRAFT RESTAURANT, open for three days only, Fukui City’s French restaurant “L’aisance” will serve a course meal featuring ingredients from Fukui and tableware from Echizen Sabae. Additionally, this year will see the debut of “Bocchi x Konbuya Magobei FOOD & CRAFT CAFE,” a collaboration between a long-established confectionery shop from Fukui and a peanut brand from Chiba. Guests can enjoy a one-off dessert course. (*Advance reservation required)
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/106005/5/106005-5-7dff5dc370ce9dfd417191ba7cb3c8bf-1800×1350.jpg Official tour, FOOD&CRAFT RESTAURANT/CAFE Reservation site https://craftinvitation.stores.jp/ Find the perfect way to explore the town with walking tours and the “RENEW TRAVEL STAND.” At RENEW, you can walk at your own pace or rely on a little guidance. On a walking tour with the “Akamaru-tai,” a supporter of the production area, you can enjoy the town’s scenery and meet its people at your leisure. At the “RENEW TRAVEL STAND,” located in the Kawada Urushi no Sato Kaikan Information Center, staff will listen to your interests and suggest a tour that’s right for you. For transportation between venues, there are also the convenient “RENEW Shuttle Bus” and “RENEW Taxi” services. There is also ample support to help you get to the places that interest you as you wish.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/106005/5/106005-5-123a0bd17a6c34f7f2df918b06682821-1800×1350.jpg Event overview Name | RENEW/2025 (Renew/2025) Date: October 10th (Friday) to October 12th (Sunday), 2025 *Times may vary depending on the event operator and content. Location: All areas of Sabae City, Echizen City, and Echizen Town, Fukui Prefecture. Urushi no Sato Kaikan (40-1-2 Nishibukuro-cho, Sabae City) 〈Imadate Information Center〉 Former Yamaguchi Knit Factory (14-8 Iwamotocho, Echizen City) Official Website | https://renew-fukui.com/ Instagram ｜@renew_fukui Organizer, Planner, and Operator: SOE/RENEW Executive Committee (General Incorporated Association) Special Cooperation: Fukui Prefecture, Sabae City, Echizen Manufacturing Village Project Council, Sabae Glasses Town Revitalization Council, Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc., Kansai Innovation Center (General Incorporated Association) With cooperation from: Echizen City, Echizen Town, Fukui Industrial Support Center, Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kansai Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, and JR West. Art Direction: TSUGI [Concurrently held] KOGEI COMMONS Empowered by MUFG The first “KOGEI COMMONS Empowered by MUFG” event will bring together open factory events from 11 organizations across Japan. The intersection of skills and wisdom from different regions will foster dialogue between creators and visitors, providing a forum for nurturing the future of Japanese manufacturing. Through markets and workshops, visitors will experience “making, touching, and talking,” creating an opportunity to reexamine their own lives and their communities.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/106005/5/106005-5-6bc27f668491057480732cfd66a74d29-916×1231.png Date and time｜October 10th (Friday) to October 12th (Sunday), 2025 10th (Fri) 13:00-19:30, 11th (Sat) 10:00-18:00, 12th (Sun) 10:00-16:00 Venue | Urushi no Sato Kaikan Industrial Promotion Hall/Courtyard WEB | https://kogeicommons.jp/ Organizer: SOE General Incorporated Association Co-organizer: Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc., Kansai Innovation Center General Incorporated Association Shop-Style Expo “Town/People/Work – Localism Expo Fukui -” This shop-style exposition will introduce socially significant activities with keywords such as “manufacturing, food, education, welfare, community, IT, and disaster prevention.” This year, the event will be held in two locations: Kawada and Imadate. Fourteen organizations from across the country will exhibit and introduce their products and initiatives.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/106005/5/106005-5-28ebe0b425e8fd6f763cec0df92f3a9d-1200×1215.jpg Date and time｜October 10th (Friday) to October 12th (Sunday), 2025 10th (Fri) 13:00-19:30, 11th (Sat) 10:00-18:00, 12th (Sun) 10:00-16:00 Venue | Kawada Venue (2nd floor of Fukui Bank Kawada Branch), Imadate Venue (Former Yamaguchi Knit Factory) Exhibitors: tokyobike (Tokyo), SHINTO TOWEL (Osaka), TRUNK DESIGN (Hyogo), Unagi no Nedoko (Fukuoka), Bio Deodorizer “Kieru” (Hokkaido), SEAM.SHOES (Akita), Tomorrow I Will Climb a Persimmon Tree (Fukushima), Bocchi (Chiba), KAJI FACTORY PARK / TO&FRO (Ishikawa), LIVE DESIGN School (Nationwide/Kyoto), JAPAN MADE PROJECT (Nationwide/Osaka), Locally Produced Craftsman Award by Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten (Nara), Tenri Kurano Koryu Festival (Nara), Yuimaru Okinawa (Okinawa) Access information
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/106005/5/106005-5-2c1ed3516de9cbf92383a2baa5ae5a63-1800×1020.jpg Access information https://renew-fukui.com/access/ Production area overview
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/106005/5/106005-5-ad580ff31bd0666f4271ad3ac8cfa321-1276×1276.png The Echizen-Sabae area (Sabae City, Echizen City, and Echizen Town) is a “town of manufacturing,” home to traditional crafts such as Echizen lacquerware, Echizen washi paper, Echizen forged cutlery, Echizen chests, and Echizen pottery, as well as local industries such as glasses and textiles, all concentrated within a 10km radius. With industries dating back more than 1,500 years, Fukui’s craftsmanship has developed by incorporating new innovations into traditional techniques. For example, Echizen lacquerware has expanded beyond traditional craftsmanship into commercial use, now boasting over 80% of the domestic market share. Sabae was the world’s pioneer in mass-producing titanium frames for eyeglasses, earning international acclaim for their precision and quality. This flexible approach to craftsmanship is still alive and well in the region today. In recent years, more than 40 factory shops have opened, and an increasing number of young people have moved from across the country to work in the industry. A new wind is beginning to blow through the region.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/106005/5/106005-5-e4a03bc5bd456c849a0b8017201ff096-1000×707.jpg RENEW “RENEW” is an open factory event held in Sabae City, Echizen City, and Echizen Town, Fukui Prefecture, with the aim of creating sustainable communities. Launched in 2015 under the concept of “Come, young people, to the town of craftsmanship,” the event will celebrate its 11th anniversary in 2025. During the event, workshops and businesses from seven production areas – Echizen lacquerware, Echizen washi paper, Echizen forged cutlery, Echizen chests of drawers, Echizen ware, glasses, and textiles – will open their doors to the public. Through tours and workshops, you can learn about the passion and backgrounds of the craftsmen, try out their techniques, and enjoy purchasing products. Inquiries regarding this matter SOE General Incorporated Association pr@soe.or.jp https://soe.or.jp/ For more information about this release
