Messages of support from famous people with ties to the prefecture to the younger generation who will lead Hyogo in the future! Hyogo Prefecture launches “Hyogo Travel Kikkake Bunko,” a mobile library for Gen Z, on Saturday, September 20th.
Kayac Co., Ltd. Press Release: September 4, 2025 A message of support from a famous person with ties to the prefecture to the younger generation who will lead Hyogo in the next generation! Hyogo Prefecture launches “Hyogo Travel Kikkake Bunko,” a mobile library for Gen Z, on Saturday, September 20th. The mobile library (book bus) will travel to over 10 locations throughout the prefecture until March 2026, carrying 50 life-changing books selected by people like Suzu Yamanouchi, Misato Ugaki, and baseball player Koji Chikamoto. Hyogo Prefecture has announced the launch of “Hyogo Mobile Library,” a mobile library for Generation Z, jointly planned and produced by W Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture; Representative Director: Daisuke Hirooka) and Kayac Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture; Representative Director and CEO: Daisuke Yanagisawa). The “Travel Opportunity Library” will launch on Saturday, September 20, 2025. This project is being implemented as part of Hyogo Prefecture’s public relations efforts for the “Youth and Gen Z Support Package,” which provides
cross-disciplinary support for young people in the areas of learning, child-rearing, housing, and work. In the “Hyogo Travel Kikkake Library,” approximately 50 prominent figures, including project ambassadors Suzu Yamanouchi, freelance announcer and actor Misato Ugaki, Hanshin Tigers players Koji Chikamoto and Seishiro Sakamoto, and other business and academic figures with ties to Hyogo, will select “books that got their lives moving” and deliver messages of encouragement to young people in the prefecture through the books that have influenced their lives. The circle of celebrities who will be helping with book selections is expected to continue expanding. The book bus, carrying 50 books, will begin its journey from Kobe Port Tower on September 20, 2025, and will travel to over 10 locations in the prefecture, including Himeji, Tamba, Sanda, Miki, and Toyooka, until March 2026. At each stop, the bus will host markets and events in collaboration with local businesses and stores, creating a forum for dialogue with young people through the “Hyogo Travel Kikkake Library.” Through this project, we hope to provide young people with an experience that will help them realize new options and
possibilities for their future, fostering empathy for the prefecture’s “Youth and Gen Z Support Package” initiative.
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“literature flea markets” where users can purchase books directly from creators are booming. Against these trends, this project recognizes a typographical emphasis on “not wanting to fail” in an age of information overload, as well as a modern desire for personal stories that reveal the face of the creator and common ground that people can “relate” to, rather than standardized information. This project responds to this Gen Z insight with two unique experiences. “Hyogo “Travel Kikake Bunko” offers a new way to “discover yourself” 1. [Taipa] Discover books selected by famous people that you can “personalize” efficiently This site specializes in introducing famous people with ties to Hyogo to “books they would recommend to young people” that have influenced their lives, along with the “inspiring sentence” at the heart of each book. It creates a space for people to “personalize” the turning points of many famous people, think about their own future, and become aware of new options and possibilities. 2. [Empathy] Share your emotions and connect instantly, just like on an analog social networking site. You can instantly write down and share your thoughts about a book in a dedicated notebook. Like a zine, your personal, handwritten impressions can inspire someone else, creating a cycle of empathy despite the analog nature of the system. This project is a PR initiative for the “Youth and Gen Z Support Package,” which includes a wide range of measures, such as waiving tuition fees at prefectural universities, scholarship repayment assistance, and housing support, to improve the learning,
child-rearing, housing, and work environments for Gen Z. In addition to providing concrete prefectural support to alleviate young people’s anxieties, the tour will also strongly support the young generation who will be responsible for the future of Hyogo Prefecture, as part of an effort to foster proactive behavioral change and empathy among young people. ※Agency for Cultural Affairs, 2022 “21st Century Birth Cohort Survey (children born in 2001)”
https://www.mext.go.jp/content/20231013-mxt_chousa01-000032195_01.pdf Through four steps, starting with a “book tasting,” visitors can discover the book that “changed someone’s life.” The Book Bus is a gallery-like space where visitors can immerse themselves in the world of books. Visitors can enjoy a new reading experience, which can be described as a “book tasting,” through the following four steps. Visitors are not required to go through every step, and can do so in any order and at their own pace, providing an efficient, relatable book and an experience that they can “make personal.” STEP 1｜Encounter Books that inspire empathy and help you relate to their circumstances The books on Book Bus are accompanied by messages based on the selectors’ own experiences, such as “Fear of what others will think of you. For those times when you feel anxious” (actress Yoko Minamino) and “The opening line grabs your heart. You are never alone” (rakugo performer Bunchin Katsura). Using not only the title and cover, but also the “empathy trigger,” you can find a book that resonates with your current feelings.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/14685/861/14685-861-685091f38a30be516a9859dff5f967bd-2000×1334.png STEP 2｜Taste- Get a taste of a book’s essence with the “inspiring sentence.” When you pick up a book that catches your eye, you’ll find a sticky note labeled “inspiring sentence,” highlighting the sentence that made the selector’s impression. Just reading this section gives you a glimpse into the book’s power, its worldview, and the selector’s turning point in life, giving you a taste of the book’s history from the Type era.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/14685/861/14685-861-15343fc6cd0b9c6a7330493cc684861b-2000×1334.png STEP 3｜Take it home Discover words of chance with “Omikuji”
fortune-telling. You can choose from approximately 40 “Trigger Sentences” and take home a “Trigger Card” just like drawing a fortune. Unlike AI recommendations, this analog, serendipitous encounter with words creates opportunities to encounter new stories and values that you might not normally choose for yourself.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/14685/861/14685-861-2ad72ab8fdb5ebff294a6c7a6cc61db5-2000×1334.png STEP 4｜Write it down- Share your thoughts and inspire the next person. You can share your moving experiences in two ways. One is the “Everyone’s Comment Board,” a chalkboard where you can casually leave your thoughts. The other is the “Everyone’s Baton Letter,” where all visitors can share their thoughts in a notebook. In this notebook, you can freely write your own thoughts, and you can also reply to comments written by others with sticky notes. Just like an analog social networking site, your words can resonate with others and inspire the next person to visit.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/14685/861/14685-861-9b9001c1407123ce8400f3811c8fc691-3900×2600.jpg Collaborating with Hyogo Prefecture businesses along the Book Bus route! Supporting young people and Gen Z with “All of Hyogo” The tour will visit more than 10 locations in the prefecture, including Kobe, Tamba, and Awaji, until March 2026. In each destination, the tour will collaborate with businesses active in Hyogo Prefecture and businesses and stores in the destination area, and develop promotions in conjunction with market events and other events that utilize the unique characteristics of each region. In each destination, the tour will spark dialogue with young people and create momentum to support young people and Gen Z throughout Hyogo Prefecture. 【Corporate Collaboration Examples】 ・FELISSIMO Co., Ltd.
“Konokoro”https://www.felissimo.co.jp/jisedai/ “Snack Konogoro,” a popular project from “Konokoro,” a media outlet run by Felissimo Corporation aimed at young people and Generation Z, will be making a special visit to a touring location. “Snack Kogoro” is a monthly youth social event held at our headquarters. Its purpose is to foster a relaxed connection between Felissimo and young people, and among young people themselves, while empathizing with the concerns of the younger generation through communication over food and drink. In this traveling edition, we will leave Kobe and create a space for interaction through dialogue with young people from all over the country, enjoying local products. Furthermore, as a media outlet, “Kokoro,” we will interview and report on young people from each region, and plan to publish collaborative articles on our website and social media. Comment from Suzu Yamanouchi, Ambassador for “Hyogo Travel Kikake Bunko” Even if it’s the same book, the words and scenes that resonate with you will change depending on your mood and the situation when you read it. Whether you’re feeling down, happy, or wanting to reflect on yourself, there are books that will gently comfort you. Looking at the books I pick up helps me realize how I’m feeling at the moment, and just browsing my bookshelf can soothe and excite me. I want to share that joy with as many people as possible. To those of my generation working hard in Hyogo and those looking for their future. I hope that every book and every sentence you come across in this “Kikkake Bunko” will be a wonderful opportunity to gently push you forward. [Suzu Yamanouchi Profile] Born on October 3, 2001, in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. She made her entertainment debut in 2019, appearing on AbemaTV’s romance reality show “Don’t Fall for Snow White and the Wolf (Heart).” With over 1.1 million followers on social media, she is currently expanding her activities to include TV commercials, terrestrial television programs, and video productions.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/14685/861/14685-861-21a6178e93b7ea9c804a9b5d63b8099c-1800×2700.jpg Overview Project Title: “Hyogo Travel Opportunity Library” Period: Saturday, September 20, 2025 – March 2026 Location: Saturday, October 18th, Tamba City – Tamba Annual Ring Village (Tyrannosaurus Race) 10/26 (Sun) Kobe City – Suma Seaside Park (SUMA UNIVERSAL BEACH PROJECT) More than 10 locations in the prefecture Official Instagram URL: https://www.instagram.com/hyogo_kikkake_bunko Website URL: https://www.kikkake-bunko-hyogo.jp *The tour locations will be announced on our official Instagram account. *The list of book selectors is available at Please refer to the attached document. What is the Hyogo Prefecture “Youth and Gen Z Support Package”? The accelerating population decline poses one of the greatest threats to Japanese society. Hyogo Prefecture’s population is estimated to fall from its current level of approximately 5.37 million to below 5 million by 2035, and to 4.35 million by 2050, a decrease of
approximately 1 million. A declining population could pose serious problems for local communities, including a shrinking market due to reduced demand, a shortage of economic and social workers, and a decline in local community functions. On the other hand, the declining birthrate is a structural change common to mature countries, and halting it immediately is a difficult challenge. Therefore, in order to create a society befitting a declining population, it is important to take action to generate new vitality. In an era of declining population numbers, it is essential to create a Hyogo Prefecture where each individual shines and is filled with personal strength, and the key to this lies in the young generation who will lead the future. To dispel the anxieties of these young people, maximize their potential, and create a Hyogo where they can fully demonstrate their abilities, we are working on the “Youth and Gen Z Support Package.” The prefectural government is working across sectors to implement seamless policies tailored to each life stage, from education and employment to childbirth, childcare, and housing. Through this initiative, we aim to create a Hyogo Prefecture that is sustainable and growing, where everyone can learn, work, and live the way they want, and where there are more young people who have dreams and live their own lives. ・Hyogo Prefecture HP https://web.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/kk07/nextgeneration.html ・Special site https://wakamono-zsedai.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/ Reference materials As of September 4, 2025 * Alphabetical order Honorific titles omitted Selector name 1 Anna Sunada (Designer) 2 Tsune Ietsugu (Chairman and Group CEO, Sysmex Corporation) 3 Sonoko Inoue (singer-songwriter) 4 Takehiro Ueda (novelist) 5 Misato Ugaki (Freelance Announcer/Actor) 6 Otsuka Keishiro (Editor (President and CEO of Rights Co., Ltd.)) 7 Kazuma Okazawa (Kyuso Nekokami) 8 Ohara Brass (Celebrity/Columnist) 9 Katsura Bunchin (Rakugo storyteller) 10 Hiroya Kawasaki (Special Advisor, Kobe Steel, Ltd.) 11 Shunsuke Kido (Representative of Suma Universal Beach Project) 12 Kitano Yuiga (Director and Executive Officer, One Career) 13 Shoji Kusuda (Former Assistant to the President of Fukuyama University, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Outside Director of Kyowa Alloy Co., Ltd.) 14 Kei Takahashi (Architect) 15 Makoto Kosaka (Vice Chairman of Hyogo Prefectural Public University Corporation and President of Hyogo Prefectural University) 16 Sakaguchi Ryotaro (Actor) 17 Sakamoto Seishiro (Hanshin Tigers) 18 Shide Kazumasa (Editor-in-Chief of “Sotokoto” / Director of the Japan Association of Related Populations) 19 Yohei Sadoshima (Representative Director, Cork Co., Ltd.) 20 Shiokawa Taro (Professor, College of Arts, Culture and Tourism) 21 Tomohisa Shiomoto (owner of Ogura-ya, executive director of Himeji Machiya Revitalization School) 22 Koichi Sumita (Professor, Department of Broadcasting, Osaka University of Arts) 23 Sawadai Yuki (CEO and CEO) 24 Takeda BBQ (Comingian) 25 Hiroshi Takebata (Professor, Faculty of Environmental Human Sciences, University of Hyogo) 26 Tanaka Shin (painter and picture book author) 27 Chikamoto Koji (Hanshin Tigers) 28 Makoto Tezuka (Visualist) 29 Tatsuhiko Doman (Oliver Sauce 4th generation) 30 tofubeats (music producer/DJ) 31 Bike Kawasaki Bike (Comingian) 32 Chisho Hattori (1st year major, Hyogo Prefectural Tatsunokita High School) 33 Baba Kumiko (Outside Director) 34 Nobuo Harada (talent) 35 Oriza Hirata (President, College of Arts, Culture and Tourism) 36 Masato Fujisawa (President of Kobe University, National University Corporation) 37 Fujiwara Norika (Actor) 38 Yuji Maekawa (Chairman of NPO ComSalon 21) 39 Minamino Yoko (Actress and singer) 40 Mihara Hagoromo (Actress, Models, Influencers) 41 Miyanishi Masanori (Special Professor, Department of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine) 42 Rika Morikawa (1st year nursing major, Hyogo Prefectural Tatsunokita High School) 43 Morita Mariko (Comedy Talent) 44 Kazuhiko Yazaki (President, Felissimo Co., Ltd.) 45 Yamanouchi Suzu (talent) 46 Snow viewing Mito (actress) 47 Yukiko Yokoyama (Professor, Faculty of International Business and Economics, University of Hyogo) 48 Atsushi Yoneda (President, Gem Co., Ltd.) 49 Yurara Wakioka (1st year nursing major, Hyogo Prefectural Tatsunokita High School) 50 Ryu Watsuji (Lecturer, Department of Mathematics, Nakano Junior and Senior High School, Meiji University)