The Sanjo Monozukuri School was created in 2015 by renovating the closed Sanjo Municipal Minami Primary School.

It is attracting attention from within and outside the prefecture as a completely new information dissemination centre for the Tsubame-Sanjo area, which is attracting attention as a 'manufacturing town'.

The Tsubame Sanjo Mini 4WD University (hereafter 'Mini 4WD University'), a permanent facility within the Sanjo Monozukuri School, is a busy gathering place for mini 4WD enthusiasts.On 3 December 2017, the Mini 4WD University 'Tsubame Sanjo Mini 4WD University OPEN CAMPUS 2017' was held.This is the second time it has been held, Baybake Day, a food event where visitors can enjoy bread and sweets made from rice flour, was also held at the same time.

The first part is a photo report of the event. The second part focuses on the organisers' thoughts on holding the event.

Sanjo Monozukuri School

When you visit the Sanjo Monozukuri School and enter, this is the first thing you see. It is a map of the museum drawn in chalk on a huge blackboard.

Long corridors, classrooms...

This characteristic layout is very school-like. Just looking at it brings back those nostalgic memories of primary school, and it's kind of exciting.

The main event of the Open Campus appears to be held in a place called the Multipurpose Hall.

A large area in the school could be...

Yes, this was originally a school gymnasium. The vast gymnasium has been turned directly into an event space.

The main event is the President's Cup, which takes place in the gymnasium of a former primary school.

Kota Nezu, President of Tsubame-Sanjo Mini 4WD University (centre of photo). Also known for designing the popular mini 4WD model 'Raikiri'.

The main event is the President's Cup, a mini 4WD racing competition. Hotly contested races will be held for the President's Cup of Kota Nezu, President of the Mini 4WD University.

Mini 4WD University is a members-only space with the theme "a place for learning and playing through mini 4WD, open to everyone, from children to adults".

The President's Cup, now in its second year, is an event that has gone hand in hand with the Sanjo School of Monozukuri; it marks the second anniversary of the university's opening in 2015 and the number of students* at the university has expanded to 600.

*It means the same as membership. Any student of the Tsubame Sanjo Monozukuri School can become a member by paying a membership fee of 500 yen. (For more information, please contact the Sanjo Manufacturing School Secretariat.)

2nd Rector's Cup special course, approx. 190 m long.

This is the course where the President's Cup takes place.

Based on a course that is normally set up permanently in a separate room, this course was specially built for this race by members of the "STC (Sanjo Tamiya Fan Club)" and student volunteers from the Mini 4WD University.

It can be said that the dream that every boy who loves mini 4WD would think about - "I want to run my mini 4WD at school" - has taken shape.

There is a large board that is curved and raised. It is said to be one of the highlights of the course, but if you go around the back...

It is supported by a jumping box that was once used at Sanjo Municipal Minami Elementary School!

At first glance, it may look like an ordinary course set up in a gymnasium, but in places there are gimmicks that make you think, "Isn't this a tool we used to use at school?" and gimmicks that give the impression of a former school shine through everywhere.

One of the race participants said, "It's an amazing course. I can't stop thinking about the people who set it up".

Mini four-wheelers race around the venue all day long.

Amongst the whizzing, barreling mini four-wheelers, the occasional quirky machine with a mop on it could be seen slogging down the lanes.

They were told that the machine was a 'cleaning machine' that had been modified and produced by local people. They attached a quickle wiper to the tip of the machine to make it more efficient at cleaning the course.

The spirit of a manufacturing town can be felt in the way that "I wish it were here" is immediately realised.

The author was hooked on mini 4WD when he was in primary schools. I was inadvertently watching the races, but I'd like to take a walk around the venue here.

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Radio-controlled experience

On the stage and immediately below is a radio-controlled experience area. Not only boys, but also girls were spotted.

The stage is just a stage to operate a radio-controlled vehicle. A somewhat strange sight.

「JUN WATANABE〜STENCIL WORKSHOP〜supported by GOBLIN OFF-ROADER」

While releasing a series of creations in collaboration with numerous brands, the STENCIL WORKSHOP was opened by creator JUN WATANABE, who is also an enthusiastic radio control fan.

JUN WATANABE himself will be teaching at this event, where he will apply stencils to the items brought in for this special day, making it an unforgettable event for fans.

Stencils can also be applied to pre-prepared TOOL BAGs!

'Condele', a competition for the appearance of mini four-wheelers.

This is the Condélé Exhibition. Condélé is an abbreviation of the French term 'Concours d'Elegance'. The literal translation is 'Concours d'Elegance'. It is, so to speak, a competition for appearance.

Boldly damaged 'raikiri'.

What a fire engine! And it belongs to the Sanjo City Fire Department!

A closer look at the cockpit shows that sitting there is..!

'Wa' themed machines.

The machine with the most popular decoration among the participants is selected by voting.

Immediately after the doors opened, there were crowds of people. I used to make mini four-wheelers when I was in primary school, but I haven't done it for a long time now," said a father who was visiting with a boy of primary school age! I didn't know such a thing existed", as if he had gone back to his boyhood.

Mini four-wheelers are not only a competition for speed, but are also expanding into decoration and the expression of ideas.

Mr Takayuki Yamazaki (pictured centre)

Hyper designer Mr Takayuki Yamazaki, who is also known for designing the mini 4WD "Decross", also attended the event. A talk show with Mr Nezu and Mr JUN WATANABE was also held to enliven the event ( see Part 2 of this article for details).

It's not just mini four-wheelers! Fun tricks everywhere!

This is a 'maki-e experience' workshop. The workshop is held at Yamada Butsudan in Sanjo. This is a corner where maki-e, one of the decorative techniques used on Buddhist altars, is applied to the body of a mini four-wheel drive vehicle.

Incidentally, the fact that a hands-on workshop was set up within the Sanjo Monozukuri School was one of the reasons for the decision to collaborate on the event.

Sweets Deco Workshops are very popular with girls.

This is the '3D modelling experience' corner.

Designs can be made on a PC and output using a 3D printer. This section allows visitors to experience state-of-the-art technology with their own hands.

In this workshop, you will make a driver (pilot) for your mini 4WD.

The desk and chairs in the break area are, to my surprise, from a primary school!

Mr Takayuki Yamazaki applying maki-e to a mini 4x4 at the hands-on corner. There were many opportunities to walk around the venue and casually interact with fans.

Large selection of rice-based menus! 'Bay Bake Day'.

Another main event is Bay Bake Day.

This is a market for baking (=bake) rice (bay) - in other words, breads and pastries made from rice and rice flour. Delicious products made from rice are gathered from all over the prefecture.

Rice-flour bagels from ReRi Bagel, a popular bagel shop in Gosen City. They are not normally made with rice flour, but with home-made yeast and domestic wheat. The shop opened with a limited menu specially baked for the occasion.

Like a snack, like a rice ball. A strange texture. Niigata rice flour and vegetables are used to make vegetannbo's 'Okome Chiffon'.

Ameya Honpo, a long-established confectionery shop in Tsubame City, established in 1871, offers a menu of sekihan and okowa (rice with red beans).

Nagaoka City NPO Unexpected. Omusubi Jam, a collaboration between a company and a university.

MARNIE, a kall will store that offers sugar-free & vegetable-rich sweets.

This one looks like tiramisu. What is it really?

It's an 'okara cake' made from rice flour, sweet potato and okara, coated with cocoa powder. We tasted it and were impressed by its natural, gentle sweetness.

Gluten-free sweets and granola. The photo is from pursweets and, a vegan sweets shop in Niigata City. Along with rice flour, it was also impressive to see a number of gluten-free products, which have been attracting attention in recent years, at the stalls.

Three toasters at the venue allowed visitors to eat hot bread and pastries on the spot.

Incidentally, this is the Mirror Glass Oven Toaster, manufactured by Twinbird Industries Ltd, based in Tsubame City.

While we were having hot bagels baked in the toaster, we heard loud cheers from the direction of the multi-purpose hall.

Glowing President's Cup.

The 'vehicle inspection station' is located right next to the track. The cars are rigorously inspected to ensure that they conform to the official standards set for the race. Everyone is very serious.

In the multi-purpose hall, the race to decide the winner of the junior class was about to start.

The machines are set up on the start slope and the hotly contested battle begins.

The race ended with a great success as Mr Nezu, Mr Yamazaki and others looked on. The second President's Cup came to a close amidst cheers and smiles.

award ceremony

Mr Nezu and Mr Yamazaki personally presented the awards.

After the heated races came the awards ceremony. Certificates and prizes were presented to the winners of each class, as well as to the Condelet exhibition winners and others.

The author repeatedly went back and forth between the Multipurpose Hall and Room 105, the venue for Bay Bay Bay Day, and strangely forgot that they were two completely different events.

With her mini four-wheel drive, she was taken by her mother to Baybay Day

There seemed to be a natural flow of people: fathers, mothers who were taken by their sons to watch the mini 4WD event, fathers who were taken by their mothers or daughters to Bay Bay Bay Day... It was like a school festival.

This may have been helped by the peculiarities created by the 'former school' location.

It seemed to me that an indescribable naturalness and cosiness had been created, with a strange and seamless connection through the gymnasium, classrooms and the characteristic school corridors.

In fact, this was the Sanjo Monozukuri School's commitment to placemaking.

(Continued in Part Two)