From August 28 to 30, 2026, members of Robo Co-op participated in the “Kinnyamonya Festival 2026” held in Ama Town, Oki District, Shimane Prefecture. 

Robo Co-op has built an ongoing relationship with the people of Ama Town through initiatives such as AI training programs. This time, we visited Ama Town in a slightly different way from our usual training activities: by taking part in a local festival. 

The three days left a strong impression not only because of the excitement of the festival itself, but also because of the way the organizers, vendors, island residents, and visitors from outside the islands each contributed in their own way to creating the festival together. 

◆The Organizers’ Flexible Response to Schedule Changes 

This year’s Kinnyamonya Festival was affected by the weather, and various schedule changes were made up until the day of the event. 

Participants coming from outside the islands were kept informed of these changes, and we saw how the organizers responded flexibly to the situation. 

At the same time, on-site, there was not a clear separation between the people running the festival and the people enjoying it. Instead, the organizers themselves seemed to be part of the festival, moving around while also enjoying the atmosphere. 

Behind the successful completion of the festival, despite the many behind-the-scenes adjustments that were not visible from the outside, was the support and cooperation of each person involved. 

◆Welcoming Participants Across the Four Oki Islands 

• This time, participants visiting from outside the islands stayed not only in Ama Town, but across the four Oki Islands. 

  On each island, staff members accompanied and supported participants in various ways, including transportation and accommodation. 

  The way the organizers welcomed many participants across the four islands, while ensuring that each person could spend their time with peace of mind, showed both the team’s responsiveness and the warmth of the local community in welcoming visitors. 

  There were also opportunities for participants to interact with one another. 

  People came from different places, worked in different fields, and had different relationships with Ama Town. Through the festival, new connections were created with people we would not normally have the chance to meet through our usual activities. 

◆Experiencing Oki Beyond the Festival 

On the morning of the festival day, activities were also prepared to help participants learn more about Oki. 

As part of this program, Robo Co-op members visited the Oki Nature Museum. Guided by the museum director, we learned about Oki’s geological layers and the history of how the islands were formed. 

Rather than simply visiting the area, hearing directly from people who live there and know the region well gave us an opportunity to understand Oki’s nature and history more deeply. 

◆The Energy of the Kinnyamonya Festival 

In the afternoon, the Kinnyamonya Festival finally began. 

Although some parts of the schedule were changed due to the weather, the venue was filled with many visitors and a lively atmosphere. 

What left a particularly strong impression was the presence of the vendors. 

Vendors calling out to visitors while enjoying conversations with them, staff members supporting the festival, and people visiting the venue — everyone was involved in the festival in different ways while sharing the same time together. 

Rather than a clear division between “those who watch” and “those who create,” there was a natural atmosphere throughout the venue where everyone present became part of the festival. 

◆Fireworks to Close the Festival 

The festival concluded with fireworks launched from a very close distance. 

Due to the weather, there had been concerns until shortly before the event about whether the fireworks would go ahead, but they were successfully launched, lighting up the night sky. 

The fireworks, launched very close to the venue, were powerful and impressive. Together with the sound and light, they created a memorable moment to close the three-day festival. 

◆ Spending Time Together Within the Community  

What we saw throughout these three days was that the Kinnyamonya Festival is not simply an event where people go to watch something created by others. It is a festival created together by many different people, each participating in their own way. 

Organizers, vendors, island residents, and visitors from outside the islands. 

Even when things did not go exactly as planned, people thought about what could be done in the moment, cooperated with one another, and enjoyed the festival together. 

Robo Co-op continues to build connections with the people of Ama Town through initiatives such as AI training programs. 

By entering the local community and spending time together in a way that was different from our usual training activities, we had the opportunity to learn about Ama Town, Oki, and the people who live there from a new perspective. 

Connections with a community are not created only through project or training hours. 

Enjoying a festival together, learning about the region, and exchanging words with many different people — we felt that these accumulated moments are also important opportunities for nurturing relationships with the community. 

We would like to thank everyone who was involved with us over these three days.