Machinaka Cultural Festival” in Kita Suzurandai, Kobe: Fashion Show and Students

On September 28, the Kita Suzu Machinaka Cultural Festival will be held at Kitayama Park and Gate Plaza (2 Koeidai, Kita-ku, Kobe) in front of Kita Suzurandai Station. The sponsor of the festival is the town development company “Kita Suzu Land.

A scene from last year’s “Kita Suzu Machinaka Cultural Festival” (people enjoying singing) (photo provided by Kita Suzu Land)

　This is the second time the festival has been held in the Kita Suzurandai area, where plazas and parks have been created and new people have come to live after the redevelopment of the town, and was first held last year to “create a place where local people can be active and lively. At the Gate Plaza, dances, songs, fashion shows, and other events will be held on the stage. Students, local organizations, companies and hospitals related to the community will set up booths for fun and hands-on activities, and restaurants will open stalls with kitchen cars for the enjoyment of multiple generations. There will be 19 booths, including train face panels, smart ball, and a game corner, as well as nine restaurants offering pizza, canulés, scones, skewers, crepes, takoyaki, fried chicken, and coffee. A town walking stamp rally is also planned.

　At the “Kita Suzu Collection 65” fashion show, 10 men and women aged 65 or older living in the community will take the stage under the theme “Let’s walk around town in a little fashion. Nail designer Nobuko Nagata is in charge of the overall composition of the show. The 10 models will receive walking lessons by Haruka Ando, a model from Kita-ku, Kobe, and styling by Eri Tsuchiya, a personal stylist, before going on stage.

　KSP, a group of Kita Suzu students involved in the planning of the event, will have a booth to make mall dolls. Yumeno Hidaka, a member of the group, said, “We worried about what would interest the younger generation, and it was difficult to come up with ideas. Through the participation of the younger generation in this event, we would like to start by getting to know each other and build connections. Yukino Nakayama is enthusiastic, saying, “I hope the younger generation will interact with local people through local events.

　The event will be held from 11:00 to 17:00. The event will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a slight rain date.