In Vol. 3, we introduce Terumi Azuma, Kana Watando, and Sil Van de Velde, who offer a "fun lifestyle in Kamikatsu" through the ‘INOW Program’ while operating "Cafe polestar." What has "INOW" proposed to the world? We interviewed to Ms. Azuma, who was born and raised in Kamikatsu, and Kana & Sil, who moved to Kamikatsu.

Whenever I think of a relaxing cup of tea or a delicious lunch and dessert in Kamikatsu, the first thing that naturally comes to mind is "Cafe polestar.” Since its opening in 2013, it has been filling the stomachs and hearts of residents in Kamikatsu and visitors from outside of the town.

The person who has been running this cafe since its opening is Terumi Azuma. After graduating from university, she returned to her hometown, Kamikatsu, where she was born and raised. Then she established RDND, a limited liability company, and started her own business. She is one of the people who raised awareness of the town of Kamikatsu and its initiatives.

Ms. Azuma launched a new business, the "INOW Program," in 2020. With Ms. Linda Ding (now living in Tokyo) and Ms. Kana Watando, who emigrated from Canada, they have been expanding it together.

"Around 2019, I felt that there was not enough staff to run the cafe,” Ms. Azuma says, “and it was not only at my place, but also at various places in Kamikatsu Town...I was hearing that there was a shortage of labor.
At the same time, as movements like ‘NO PLASTICS’ grew overseas, Kamikatsu was often interviewed by countries like France and Germany. In the process, we found that there were people who wanted to know more about Kamikatsu, and that there was a need for long-term stays. That is why we started the ‘TRY KAMIKATSU’ website. ‘TRY KAMIKATSU’ is the predecessor of INOW. By December 2019, we had about 30 names on the waiting list.”

However, soon after entering 2020, the world was hit by a pandemic, and the internship program temporarily stopped accepting all interns. However, during that time, they continued to steadily deepen the program and were even considering operating a guesthouse.

Ms. Azuma: "We were concerned that a guesthouse would inevitably become a place to ‘just stay the night,’ so we decided to organize a program in the form of a school, rather than providing lodging facilities. “The ‘INOW Program’ was born in July 2020 with a new name. The concept of the program is to provide ‘a pleasant lifestyle for at least two weeks’ in Kamikatsu. We are particular about the ‘at least two weeks.’ When I looked at people who had spent a month at TRY KAMIKATSU, I felt that they had learned something new in one week, made connections in two weeks, and stepped into the city in three or four weeks...that's how I felt. So, I wanted them to stay as long as possible, and I thought two weeks would be the minimum time to cultivate a connection with Kamikatsu that would allow them to think ‘inow’ (meaning 'coming back’ in old Tokushima dialect...’)"

Then, three months after the "INOW Program" started, Kana moved to Kamikatsu. She had been working in Bangladesh, but when she was looking for a job connected to tourism and sustainability, she suddenly remembered Kamikatsu.

Kana: "I had known about Kamikatsu as a zero-waste town for about five years, and as I searched on social networking sites, I found Cafe polestar and also happened to find Linda's post at that time. I was also living in Canada, so it was very interesting to me that a Canadian named Linda was moving to Kamikatsu to work. So, we exchanged messages directly, and I heard that she was working on the INOW Program, and she said, 'Why don’t you come over here?’ And I really came to Kamikatsu. I wanted to live in the countryside with nature, and I immediately fell in love with Kamikatsu. The country life was very interesting, and thanks to Terumi and Linda, I immediately felt at home in the town. And before I knew it, I had already lived here for three years.

Kana's partner, Sil, arrived at almost the exact same time as Linda moved to Tokyo. Due to restrictions on entry because of the pandemic, they had not been able to see each other for a long time, but he came to Kamikatsu just as the Japanese border was re-opening in October 2022.

Sil: "I originally wanted to go with Kana when she came to Kamikatsu Town in 2020, and I wanted to be involved with INOW program. INOW is an educational program that gives people the opportunity to learn about the land and the people who live there. INOW is a very powerful tool for tourism in the sense that it acts as an ambassador, and I think it is the right kind of tourism.

Since around October 2022, INOW has been accepting many participants, and 80-90% of them come from overseas. Depending on the season, you can also experience picking and making Kamikatsu Awa Bancha tea. Other experiences include accepting garbage from townspeople at the Zero Waste Center with the staff, hiking at Mt. Yamainudake and Mt. Takamaru, indigo dyeing, and more....

For those who participate in INOW, meetings and hearings are held well in advance to tailor-make and customize the program to suit their background and interests. But the program is not completely fixed, which is the INOW way. This is because of the weather and the physical condition and availability of the townspeople.

Ms. Azuma: "The chef who participated last year wanted a food-related experience, so we visited a farmhouse to share our knowledge of yuzu citrus and have him taste it for himself. Also, a researcher wanted to meet and interview local residents, so we set that up for her.”

Kana: "We don't give participants an itinerary of time slots. We tell them, 'This is the kind of program you will experience, but please leave the final arrangements to us,' based on the interests and wishes we have heard in the preliminary meeting. The clients are willing to accept this style of arrangement, saying, 'Of course, it is just fine. I trust you.’”

However, they always keep in mind the capacity of Kamikatsu. They think about not having the sort of "over-tourism" that would make the program unwelcome by the people of the town, not to mention those who cooperate with us. They keep asking themselves what INOW should be.

Kana: "I think we should always think about what kind of impact INOW will have on the town and its people, rather than putting a definite number on how many people we can accept per year and whether it is appropriate or too many.... Change is something that happens constantly, so we have to take the impacts, both positive and negative, in stride."

Ms. Azuma: "I mentioned earlier that INOW is committed to a minimum two-week stay, but in reality, some people can only do a shorter period. We have a one-week program to meet that need, and we have also created a workshop program where people can learn about Zero Waste in a few hours. We are always thinking about what we can do in Kamikatsu, and we are working on new programs as well."

The INOW Program has been selected as a finalist in the JAPAN TRAVEL AWARDS 2024 and was previously named a 2021 crQlr Award Winner. The INOW Program is now attracting worldwide attention. It is no exaggeration to say that it is always changing, always deepening and evolving. I hope you will experience Kamikatsu through INOW as if you were living there under the guidance of Ms. Azuma, Kana, and Sil, which is something that cannot be experienced by just dropping in.

Cafe polestar
32-1, Aza Hirama, Oaza Fukuhara, Kamikatsu-cho, Katsuura-gun, Tokushima
Open: 11:00-17:00 (L.O. 16:00) *Closed on Thursday and Friday
https://cafepolestar.com/