[Report] Shunkado spreads regenerative future co-creation to the world!
Shunkado Co., Ltd. Press release: October 31, 2025 To Members of the Press [Report] Shunkado Spreads Regenerative Future Co-Creation to the World! Five days of dialogue surrounding tea and chestnuts, where leaders from various fields gathered and discussed each other Shunkado Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture / President and CEO: Takahiro Yamazaki / hereinafter “Shunkado”) co-hosted the “Japanese Chestnut Tea Ceremony” with the Japanese Chestnut Council (Headquarters: Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture / Representative Director: Shigehiko Suzuki / hereinafter “Japanese Chestnut Council”) and TeaRoom Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya Ward, Tokyo / Representative Director: Ryo Iwamoto / hereinafter “TeaRoom”) for five days from Wednesday, July 2nd to Sunday, July 6th, 2025, at the Japan International Art Festival at the Osaka-Kansai Expo.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/25522/111/25522-111-b7e7bdaecf8a095483fc513a0b574a8e-2048×1365.jpg Click here for the special page for the “Japanese Chestnut Tea Ceremony” at the Osaka-Kansai Expo on the Shunkado website.
https://www.shunkado.co.jp/tea/ *A digest video of each tea ceremony will be posted from time to time. What is the “Waguri Chaji”? | A new collaboration between Japanese chestnuts and tea culture Tea ceremonies have long been held in Japan as a venue for political and social events. We have applied a modern perspective to this
traditional format, creating a forum for dialogue around tea and Japanese chestnuts. The Japanese Chestnut Council has previously hosted large-scale tea ceremonies with over 60 participants, and together with the “WAGURI” brand, we have explored new forms of circulation and co-creation that connect people and communities. Just as Sen no Rikyu once connected people through the tea ceremony and influenced the state of society, we hope that our tea ceremonies will also be a place where new ways of life and values emerge through encounters with diverse people who will shape the future. This time, we’ll be telling the story of the “Japanese Chestnut Tea Ceremony,” which originated in the Enshu region, centered on the memories of the historic cities of Shizuoka and Osaka. In recognition of the significance of the connection between the Japanese chestnut tea ceremony and the Osaka-Kansai Expo, we have chosen to refer to the event as a “chaji” (tea ceremony) rather than a “chakai” (tea gathering), and have always cherished its spirit. Through the unique Enshu experience of Japanese chestnuts and tea, we will continue to develop chaji as a platform for cross-disciplinary co-creation, spanning primary industry, urban development, food culture, art, and more. Japanese Chestnut Council note
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/25522/111/25522-111-c47b4798519dcc1779721e80a1e2fde7-1200×628.jpg Experience the value of Enshu Waguri chestnuts through a tea ceremony! Our first step into the world: “Evening Japanese Chestnut Tea Ceremony” held at Katsuragi Kitanomaru [Part 1]
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/25522/111/25522-111-49c19067701b670c1e68fc2074f0ecb5-1200×628.jpg “Delivering a New Experience of Japanese Chestnuts, Tea, and Enshu”; Building International Trust through the Tea Ceremony: Report on the “Evening Japanese Chestnut Tea Ceremony” [Part 2] “Enshu’s Kitchen” Appears at the Expo—A Space for Once-in-a-Lifetime Conversations The setting for the event was “Kuri,” a traditional Japanese kitchen where people have discussed the future throughout history. This space recreates the spirit of a traditional tea room with a modern sensibility. Participants set aside their usual positions and titles and engaged in conversation in a relaxed, natural manner. High-quality Japanese chestnut sweets Over the course of five days and 10 sessions, participants discussed the future while savoring Shizuoka tea and other delicacies, and reexamined the connections between people and the community. Such special moments unfolded. Each session focused on themes such as “Local Will,” “The Future of Agriculture,” and “Inheriting and Promoting Food Culture,” and included a wide range of topics, including politics, economics, agriculture, culture, education, and media. The informal, relaxing atmosphere of the tea ceremony led to free and creative dialogue that was different from everyday meetings.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/25522/111/25522-111-2e5568ef4e05956016c24e22033d4852-3900×2608.jpg Shunkado’s challenge── With culture at its core, we reach the world together with the local community. The Waguri Tea Ceremony is more than just an event; it’s a place to ask questions and connect local resources to the future. Shunkado, which was founded 138 years ago, has always engaged with local culture and people’s lives through its confectionery making. For this Waguri Tea Ceremony, we played a role in embodying and communicating our “co-creation” approach by providing the main confectionery and helping to create the space. In the early 2000s, Shunkado was forced to abandon the Kakegawa chestnuts it had previously used due to difficulties in securing a stable supply of raw materials. This experience sparked a desire to “pass on the region’s bounty to the next generation,” leading to its participation in the Enshu Japanese Chestnut Project in 2022. Currently, as a member of the Japanese Chestnut Council, which consists of 51 organizations and individuals, we are engaged in activities such as agricultural support, human resource development, and community development.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/25522/111/25522-111-3215d9737499a7476f6fd851f1ee2d33-3900×809.jpg Expanding the circle of co-creation globally—A sustainable challenge rooted in culture The encounters and conversations that arise from the Waguri Tea Ceremony, and the insights gained from them, are leading to new businesses rooted in the local community. This has the potential to spark new ideas for education, urban development, and community development. By engaging in conversations across generations and fields, we were able to shed light on the lifestyles and cultures that live in the region, and rediscover through conversations the resources and charms that are close by but often overlooked. This initiative could serve as a new model for regional communication, redefining the unique value of local agriculture and food culture not simply as industrial resources but as cultural and social assets, and promoting them both domestically and internationally. Starting with questions that arise in everyday life, we gently connect people, and the region with the world, together envisioning a sustainable future for the region. This tea ceremony embodies this approach. With these thoughts in mind, Shunkado will continue to cherish the nature, people, and culture of Enshu as a member of the Japanese Chestnut Council. Nurturing the chestnuts, circulating them within the local community, we will spread a form of sustainable co-creation that we can be proud of for future generations.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/25522/111/25522-111-961fab333fcc9ffed543e3192f96b8cf-1280×720.jpg By having participants record the content of their conversations, the tea ceremony will not be a one-off event, but will remain as a tangible result. These records will also be used to support future council activities.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/25522/111/25522-111-bdc7600bb3fb7013e87bfc77c492d16e-3900×1866.jpg Japanese Chestnut Tea Ceremony Event Overview Name: Japanese Chestnut Tea Ceremony at the Osaka-Kansai Expo “Japan International Art Festival” Dates: July 2nd (Wed) – 6th (Sun), 2025 Venue: Special Tea House Space, “WASSE” area, Japan International Art Festival Area, Expo Osaka-Kansai Organizers: Japanese Chestnut Council (General
Incorporated Association) / TeaRoom Co., Ltd. / Shunkado Co., Ltd. Sponsors: Ariake Co., Ltd., Suzuki Corporation, Ribbon Foods Co., Ltd., Roland Corporation, Timee Co., Ltd., and Sara Group Supported by: Shizuoka Prefecture, Hamamatsu City, Kakegawa City, and Kosai City Cooperation: HEART CATCH, B-OWND (Tanseisha Co., Ltd.) Space design and supervision: rivvon Inc. / TeaRoom Inc. “Tsukigesho x Unagi Pie” will be performing together during the Osaka-Kansai Expo. Shunkado opened the “Tsukigesho x Unagi Pie Osaka-Kansai Expo Store,” a futuristic challenge shop showcasing the unique charms of each confection, in collaboration with Aoki Shofuan Co., Ltd. (Osaka Prefecture), manufacturer and seller of the classic Osaka souvenir “Tsukigesho Milk Bun,” at the 2025 World Expo, held for 184 days from Sunday, April 13, 2025, to Monday, October 13, 2025.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/25522/111/25522-111-5bc3c20ef9d4f2801b10dbf92f54a06d-1464×737.jpg Bringing smiles to the world through the power of sweets Since ancient times, sweets have been enjoyed by people across borders and ethnicities, bringing smiles and enriching moments. At this
exhibition, both Aoki Shofuan and Shunkado sold limited-edition sweets based on their respective popular products, aiming to convey the deliciousness and depth of Japanese confectionery culture to the world and to connect hearts across countries and generations through the power of sweets to bring smiles to people’s faces. Shunkado combined two of Shizuoka’s proud regional assets, Japanese chestnuts and tea, to share the flavor of Japan with the world. In addition to sweets such as aged roasted chestnuts and malasadas made with Japanese chestnuts, the event also offered shaved ice and Shizuoka matcha lattes, bringing smiles and sweet moments to visitors from Japan and abroad. Future Challenge Shop Overview Shop Name: Tsukikage x Unagi Pie Osaka Kansai Expo Store Period: Sunday, April 13, 2025 to Monday, October 13, 2025 (184 days) Area: Approximately 250 square meters Number of seats: Approximately 50 seats Location: Yumeshima, Osaka, inside the large roof ring, East Gate side
The sweets served at the Japanese Chestnut Tea Ceremony are now on sale at Shunkado stores. The sweets served at the Japanese Chestnut Tea Ceremony were highly praised, and all 284 available at the venue sold out in five days. In response to numerous requests for resale from general customers, we are now officially launching sales. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/25522/111/25522-111-1d8a36714688d27c858d558de2fb974c-3836×823.jpg About the Waguri Council Regenerative urban development based on “community-driven aspirations” Japanese chestnuts, a valuable agricultural crop in Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture, are facing extinction due to a lack of successors and the aging of farmers. In response to this, the “Enshu Japanese Chestnut Project” was launched in July 2022 with nine companies and organizations from the Enshu region. To address the challenges facing the primary industry, including chestnut farmers, and promote the sustainable development of the region, we are promoting this project with the aim of promoting Kakegawa chestnuts locally and collaborating with chestnut farmers across Japan to create a globally recognized “WAGURI” brand. To achieve this ambitious goal, we are collaborating with like-minded companies from across the Enshu region, local governments,
agricultural cooperatives, and universities. In 2024, we established five specialized committees (production, research, technology, events & products, and public relations & human resources) to provide agricultural support. Based on the philosophy of “regional
aspirations,” we are promoting co-creation across industries and generations, connecting industry, government, academia, and
agriculture, building an innovative and inclusive community. In February 2025, we expanded our membership to 51 organizations and established the “Waguri Council,” a general incorporated association.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/25522/111/25522-111-a18ae967fe63d48fb5573e6710095bfc-3900×1273.jpg Why is Shunkado participating in the Japanese Chestnut Council? Shunkado Co., Ltd., now in its 138th year since founding, not only manufactures and sells Japanese and Western-style sweets like “Unagi Pie,” but also values local connections, friendships, and a sense of fun as it develops a variety of businesses. As part of these efforts, in July 2022, we launched the “Enshu Japanese Chestnut Project” with nine companies and organizations in the Enshu region in response to the threat of extinction of Japanese chestnuts, a valuable
agricultural crop in Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture, due to a lack of successors and the aging of farmers. Shunkado sells approximately 20,000 steamed chestnut yokan and other chestnut-based sweets each year. However, due to difficulties in securing a stable supply, we stopped using Kakegawa-grown chestnuts about 20 years ago and switched to chestnuts from outside the prefecture. Given this background, in order to ensure the sustainable development of chestnut farmers and the local community, we are not just working on this alone, but are working to deepen collaboration with local governments and a wide range of global and local companies, and by forming a team known as the “region,” we are working to apply the Waguri platform to solve issues facing the primary industry as a whole and, beyond that, to develop towns and people, thereby achieving sustainable development. automatically, so please do not reply.