What if your time in Japan could be more than sightseeing?
What if you could live in a beautiful local town, work with real communities, meet students from around the world, and build ideas that could make a real impact?
Wald Inc. is excited to introduce the Hiraizumi Global Innovation Program, a one-month international learning experience held in Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.
This program is designed for students who want to do more than simply visit Japan. It is for those who want to experience Japanese local life, explore real community challenges, work on practical projects, and grow through hands-on learning.
For one month, participants will live in Hiraizumi, connect with local people and businesses, and work together in teams to create ideas and solutions for the future.
This is not just a trip to Japan.
It is a chance to step into a real Japanese community, challenge yourself, and discover what you are capable of.
Why Hiraizumi?
Hiraizumi is one of Japan’s most culturally rich towns, located in Iwate Prefecture. Known for its deep history, beautiful landscapes, and UNESCO World Heritage sites, Hiraizumi offers a side of Japan that many visitors never get to experience.
Unlike large cities, Hiraizumi gives participants the chance to connect closely with local people and understand Japan from a deeper perspective.
Through shared-house living, local interaction, field research, and community activities, students will experience the rhythm of everyday life in a Japanese local town.
You will not only learn about Japanese culture — you will live it.
You will not only observe the community — you will become part of it.
That is what makes Hiraizumi such a special place for learning.
Learn by Doing
At the heart of the Hiraizumi Global Innovation Program is one simple idea: Learn by Doing.
Participants will work on real challenges faced by local communities and businesses. Instead of only studying theories in a classroom, students will go into the field, listen to people, identify problems, and develop practical ideas.
Through workshops, mentoring, research, teamwork, prototyping, testing, and feedback, participants will learn how to turn ideas into action.
The program is designed to help students build the kind of skills that are difficult to learn from textbooks alone — communication, creativity, problem-solving, leadership, project management, and confidence.
In the final week, teams will present their project outcomes to local communities and businesses. This gives participants the chance to share their ideas, receive real feedback, and experience what it means to create something for society.
For students who want to build an international career, work with Japan, or create meaningful social impact, this is a powerful opportunity to gain real-world experience.
It can also become a valuable story for your resume, portfolio, interviews, and future career.
Four Weeks of Discovery, Challenge, and Growth
The program is structured over four weeks, with each stage helping participants move from exploration to action.
Week 1: Discover
The first week begins with orientation and an introduction to Hiraizumi’s culture, history, and local community.
Participants will meet local people, explore the town, conduct field research, and begin discovering the challenges and opportunities that exist in the region.
This week is all about listening, observing, asking questions, and understanding the community.
Week 2: Design
In the second week, participants form teams and begin shaping their project ideas.
Teams will discuss what they discovered, brainstorm solutions, and design project plans that can create value for local communities or businesses.
With support from mentors, students will learn how to organize ideas, define goals, and create practical approaches to real problems.
Week 3: Build
The third week focuses on turning ideas into something real.
Participants will work on prototyping, testing, fieldwork, and improvement. They will receive feedback from mentors, local stakeholders, and team members, then refine their projects step by step.
This is where ideas start to become action.
Week 4: Present
In the final week, participants will prepare and deliver their final presentations.
Teams will share their project results with local communities and businesses, reflect on their one-month journey, and celebrate their growth through the closing ceremony.
By the end of the program, participants will not only have completed a project — they will have gained new perspectives, new skills, and new connections.
What You Will Gain
The Hiraizumi Global Innovation Program offers much more than academic learning.
Participants will gain practical experience, international exposure, and personal growth through real-life challenges.
Through the program, students can develop:
- Cross-cultural communication skills
- Problem-solving ability
- Leadership and teamwork
- Project planning and management skills
- Creative thinking
- Confidence in presenting ideas
- A deeper understanding of Japanese local society
Participants will also build meaningful connections with students from around the world, mentors, local residents, and business professionals.
For students who want to work internationally, connect with Japan, or explore social and regional innovation, this program can be an important step forward.
It is a chance to learn outside the classroom, work beyond borders, and experience Japan in a way that most visitors never do.
Who Should Join?
The Hiraizumi Global Innovation Program is open to undergraduate and graduate students from all academic backgrounds.
You do not need to be majoring in a specific field. What matters most is curiosity, motivation, and a willingness to learn through real experience.
This program is ideal for students who:
- Want to gain practical experience abroad
- Are interested in Japan and Japanese local communities
- Want to work in international environments
- Care about social or regional challenges
- Want to build leadership, teamwork, and communication skills
- Are ready to challenge themselves in a multicultural setting
The program will mainly be conducted in English, with Japanese language support available when needed. Students who are not confident in Japanese can still participate comfortably.
Program Fee
The total fee for the one-month program is USD 1,900.
The fee includes:
Program Fee — Learning and Project Activities: USD 1,000
Accommodation Fee — Shared House: USD 400
Event and Support Fee: USD 500
Please note that flight tickets, meals, insurance, and personal expenses are not included.
From Hiraizumi to the World
The Hiraizumi Global Innovation Program is more than a study program.
It is a chance to live in Japan, work with real communities, meet people from different backgrounds, and challenge yourself through meaningful projects.
In Hiraizumi, participants will experience both the beauty of Japanese local culture and the excitement of global collaboration.
They will learn from the community, contribute their own ideas, and discover new possibilities for their future.
Wald Inc. is proud to welcome motivated students from around the world to Hiraizumi and create a place where students and local communities can learn, grow, and build the future together.
If you are ready to go beyond tourism and experience Japan through real learning, real challenges, and real connections, we invite you to join the Hiraizumi Global Innovation Program.
From Hiraizumi to the world — your next challenge begins here.
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