{"id":3053,"date":"2025-12-25T17:08:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T08:08:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eikei.ac.jp\/english\/?post_type=alumni&p=3053"},"modified":"2025-12-25T17:20:24","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T08:20:24","slug":"fujimoto-kohei-2","status":"publish","type":"alumni","link":"https:\/\/eikei.ac.jp\/english\/about\/alumni\/fujimoto-kohei-2\/","title":{"rendered":"FUJIMOTO Kohei"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Discovering the World to See Your Community Clearly! What does \u201cglocal learning\u201d mean to a first-graduate of Eikei University of Hiroshima, who gained experience both in Japan and abroad and clarified his passion for community development?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


Founded in April 2021 by Hiroshima Prefecture, Eikei University of Hiroshima (located in Naka Ward, Hiroshima City) is a public university unlike any other in Japan, dedicated to fostering the competencies\u2014skills and abilities\u2014<\/a>needed to thrive in the real world. One of its distinctive features is its strong emphasis on connections with society. Students have numerous opportunities to engage with the real world not only through curricular activities but also through extracurricular ones.
As part of its practical learning approach, the university requires students to participate in Experiential and Practical Programs<\/a> both in Japan and overseas. Each student must complete at least two such programs before graduation, including at least one overseas experience. Through these programs, Eikei University students build connections with diverse people, tackle social issues, and gain experience both locally and globally. This dual exposure nurtures an international perspective alongside a community-based mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n


We spoke with FUJIMOTO Kohei<\/strong>, a first-generation graduate of Eikei University who now works at Hiroshima Electric Railway Co., Ltd.<\/strong>, a company deeply rooted in the community through its train and bus services. He shared how his university experiences shaped his passion for community development and revitalization.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s Why I Keep Learning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Were you always interested in community development and revitalization?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n


Not really\u2014just vaguely. In high school, I didn\u2019t have a clear vision for the future. I thought, \u201cMaybe I\u2019ll study economics.\u201d But when I learned about Eikei University, I thought, \u201cIf I go there, I might find what I really want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was drawn to the university\u2019s philosophy: \u201cCreate the society you want to see in the future by identifying issues, designing solutions, collaborating with others, demonstrating leadership, and generating new social value.\u201d<\/em>
However, during my four years at university, while studying with a focus on community development, I often felt powerless. That\u2019s why I decided, \u201cI want to keep learning even after entering society,\u201d and chose Hiroshima Electric Railway, where I could contribute to community building.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Same Desire to Change<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014You first learned about Hiroshima Electric Railway through the \u201cHiroshima Urban Core Conference,\u201d a forum for discussing urban development, right?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n


Yes. A friend was interning at Hiroshima Electric Railway but couldn\u2019t attend a meeting of the conference, so I went in his place. For me, it was an extracurricular activity\u2014but I really enjoyed it. After that, I kept participating and even organized a candlelight event along a riverside space in Hiroshima during my time at university. The idea came from an event I experienced during a domestic internship at a hotel in Matsuno Town, Ehime Prefecture.

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Eikei University requires students to join both domestic and overseas programs. Where did you go abroad?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n


I spent two months at a hotel in Cambodia that was actively engaged in community-based development. Everyone there had a strong desire to contribute to their local area. Meeting such energetic people was inspiring.
I\u2019ve realized something: rural areas often lack diversity because everyone knows each other. I felt that in both Ehime and Cambodia. But the desire to change isn\u2019t limited by community size. Even Hiroshima, which is relatively urban, shares that same challenge. My experiences at home and abroad gave me confidence: \u201cWe can make it happen in Hiroshima too!\u201d<\/em>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014It seems you\u2019ve developed a glocal perspective. Did you also work on solving local issues in your graduation project?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n


Yes. On Osakikamijima, an island in the Seto Inland Sea not connected to the mainland by bridge, I worked on a mechanism for community revitalization. We installed capsule toy machines at the port containing coupons for local shops, encouraging tourists to visit them. Creating systems that foster human connections is something that relates to my current job as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Eikei University Enriched My Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Now you\u2019re involved in bus operation planning at the Bus Business Division, correct?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n


Yes, mainly designing bus timetables. We aim to provide convenient public transportation by considering routes, schedules, and services.
Even a single aspect of urban development\u2014like bus operations\u2014faces numerous challenges. Questions such as \u201cWhy are buses being reduced?\u201d or \u201cWon\u2019t fewer buses accelerate depopulation?\u201d don\u2019t have easy answers. I believe solutions will come gradually through persistent efforts by those of us on the ground. As a first-year employee, I\u2019m still learning the big picture, but that helps me see what really matters. The problem-solving approaches I learned through PBL (Project-Based Learning Exercises)<\/a> at university are proving invaluable now.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Your practical experiences seem to have become part of you.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n


Absolutely. But practice alone isn\u2019t enough\u2014knowledge and theory are essential. At first, learning systems thinking and design thinking felt abstract, but applying them in real-world activities made them click. Repeating this cycle of learning and doing helped me develop critical insight and other competencies<\/a>.
Surprisingly, my English skills<\/a> from university have also come in handy. I once created English announcements for bus audio systems, and those announcements are still being used today.

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014Did Eikei University change you compared to your high school self?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n


In high school, I gave a speech on \u201cThe Closure and Survival of Local Rail Lines\u201d at an English contest\u2014a theme that connects to my current work. So, in essence, I haven\u2019t changed. What has changed is that my \u201cI want to do this\u201d became clear. Eikei University brought that out. It enriched my life.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25a0Comment from a supervisor at Hiroshima Electric Railway Co., Ltd.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


Bus operation planning requires collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. Despite being in his first year, Fujimoto takes initiative on his assigned themes and actively works toward solutions.
Yes. Fujimoto manages routes with many foreign tourists. His awareness of issues and efforts to address them clearly reflect the skills he gained at university.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":3173,"template":"","class_list":["post-3053","alumni","type-alumni","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eikei.ac.jp\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/alumni\/3053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eikei.ac.jp\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/alumni"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eikei.ac.jp\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/alumni"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/eikei.ac.jp\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/alumni\/3053\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3180,"href":"https:\/\/eikei.ac.jp\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/alumni\/3053\/revisions\/3180"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eikei.ac.jp\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eikei.ac.jp\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}