"´ºÓêÖ±²¥app no Mizu" (´ºÓêÖ±²¥app Water) was launched in August 2013. The bottle features the Sanshokuki as its motif, with a sophisticated and simple design that catches the eye: a navy background with thin red lines, The Pen Mark positioned in the center, and another Pen Mark adorning the cap.
This "´ºÓêÖ±²¥app no Mizu" was proposed and realized as a measure to foster bonds and culture through the water at the foot of Mt. Fuji by ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app students at SFC. These students were conducting research on regional revitalization utilizing local resources based on a partnership agreement signed with Yamanashi Prefecture and Fujiyoshida City in 2007. Furthermore, research by ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app students and faculty revealed that the water is high-quality, slightly alkaline, and rich in vanadium. It originates from Mt. Fuji at an altitude of approximately 2,000 meters and emerges as spring water after about 30 years. It has a very soft mouthfeel and a subtle sweetness.
In turning the ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app students' project into a reality, faculty and staff joined the process, emphasizing the students' proposal to give "´ºÓêÖ±²¥app no Mizu" various layers of significance. Specifically, while commercializing local natural resources is a form of regional contribution, the project also ensures that sales are allocated to the Juku's scholarship funds. Additionally, the company handling the commercialization contributes through its sales to a foundation that supports the environmental conservation of Mt. Fuji and regional revitalization. This community fund (Fujiyoshida Minna-no-Chokinbako Foundation) was also established based on a plan by ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app students. The product is manufactured by Fuji Mineral Water Co., Ltd., founded in 1929 as the first company to sell mineral water in Japan. Their products are used as table water for hosting official guests and are served at long-established restaurants.
The plastic bottle design was selected from 16 proposals following a selection process by approximately 40 faculty and staff members and feedback from ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app students. The design was conceived with various usage scenarios in mind, referencing the designs of mineral water used in hotels both in Japan and abroad. As a result, the finished design uses colors that convey the essence of ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app at a glance, possessing an elegance that is accepted by a wide range of generations. Furthermore, the significance imbued in this water is described on the back of the bottle.
Thus, "´ºÓêÖ±²¥app no Mizu," born from the collaboration of ´ºÓêÖ±²¥app students, faculty, staff, and the local community, has become a distinctive product with two-fold significance: its sales are used for scholarship funds, and through the cooperation of the producer, it contributes to regional revitalization and environmental conservation.
Currently, it is used and enjoyed in many settings, such as table water for Juku-hosted events and Mita-kai meetings, and is distributed at open campuses. In addition to over-the-counter and mail-order sales, it is sold in vending machines on each campus, and many people purchase it as a souvenir of their visit.
(Erika Kuroda, Office of Alumni Affairs)
*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.