"Shibuya good pass" is a "passport that allows you to participate in Shibuya town development". You can send out ideas to improve Shibuya and support by using local good shops and services. (Excerpt from the official site)
We ask the landlord of Hakuhodo Mirai's business office about the thoughts put into this service, which is developed under the theme of "creating a consumer-driven smart city."
"Smart city" from the perspective of daily life
——What are the characteristics of “shibuya good pass”?
Now, even if you say "smart city" in a word, it is a very broad concept. Some talk about digitizing government services to make procedures smoother, while others refer to private services such as on-demand mobility. Under such circumstances, we are thinking about how to change various smart city services into "things that benefit the citizens", gathering voices from the consumers' side, and making the city better. We provide services to change.
What the "shibuya good pass" values as the basis of the project is "listening to the voices of the citizens."
After all, even though it is a smart city, what actually happens there is a change in the physical lives of the people in the city, so I don't think it will be completed by digital alone. The most important thing is how the physical world will change, and there is advanced digital technology as a tool for that. We are promoting the project, being careful not to reverse it.
Also, I think that things like citizenship and citizenship are often said to be sparse in Japan. Certainly, I think there are places where citizens feel like "customers" to the government. But when you look at Europe, the public consciousness is completely different. Even in Barcelona, for example, I feel that we are taking the initiative to protect our culture or change our lives.
Rather than waiting as a "customer," I think that citizens will be more involved in community development on their own and will be responsible for it, so that it will be used more effectively in terms of taxes, for example. I think that such a society can be realized in an area like Shibuya where each individual has the power to communicate.
Listen to the voice of the town using both online and offline
——As one of the concrete measures to change the city with “consumer driven”, the “Sasahatahatsu Machi Lab” has started.
We have been branding the activities of "Machi Lab" and supporting the excitement of civic activities, but in addition, we are trying to start experimentally implementing "good talk" as one of the services of "shibuya good pass". is.
This is a project based on a citizen-participation digital platform called "Decidim", which has been widely used in cities around the world starting from Barcelona. In the cities of the world where this "Decidim" is effectively utilized, the system is such that citizens can come up with various ideas for the administration and actually budget.
Using this "good talk" that implemented the open source "Decidim" for Shibuya, we started by listening to the voices of everyone in the Sasahatahatsu area, having them draft a project, and adopting it. I'm about to do it.
And even offline, we are planning a measure called "good talk live" where we will set up a place like a radio booth in the town and invite activists who are active in Shibuya to talk. We are trying to collect the voices of the town by creating content that can be participated by local people.
Aiming for a society where technology can empower citizens
——What do you think about the fact that the “shibuya good pass” always keeps close to the voices of the people in the city?
This is my personal experience, but I was originally majoring in architectural design, and I was interested in updating the city with the involvement of each individual.
I lived in Daikanyama when I was a student, and at that time I was exhibiting as a writer at an art event called "Daikanyama Installation". Starting from that point, I've been involved in a project called "Sunflower Garden Daikanyamazaka," which has been planting sunflowers in Daikanyama for nearly 20 years, but since it's a volunteer activity, everyone sweats when doing it. It's really interesting, but it doesn't make money. I thought it would be interesting to have a world where we could support it with a more economic system.
And now, looking at the city of Shibuya from the perspective of community development, there are still many people who are thinking about the city and making efforts from small things even at the individual level. But it's a pain to continue volunteering all the time, because I have patience. So the more you do, the more you need something to be rewarded. It's not just about money, it's about being grateful, being seen by someone, and so on. It is necessary to create such a mechanism, and I think that is exactly the part that can be innovated with digital technology.
——You can visualize the efforts of local people through the “shibuya good pass”.
that's right. It is also possible to create a mechanism that looks nice to other people, or to give some points to what you have done. You can imagine such things in various ways if it is digital. Some companies may want to do that together.
——I think it is very important that each and every citizen can change the city by their voices and actions.
I agree. A city full of technology that connects the contributions of each and every one of them. I would like to see this as a "smart city" and create an environment where technology empowers citizens.
Also plays a role in creating and supporting the culture of the town
I also want Shibuya to connect to the next city by transmitting such urban culture from Shibuya.
For example, like the "Sasahatahatsu" area, I live in the city, but I want to cherish the connection between the areas and the nature of the green road together, which is not so much in the Shibuya statue so far. I think it's just one side. However, I think it is of great significance to disseminate such a new aspect of Shibuya to the world.
In terms of urban culture, the meaning of commuting to work or going to school in a big city was also questioned for visitors due to the corona disaster. On the other hand, don't you all like urban culture? At that time, I was also involved in the story of "customer citizens", but I think it will be even more important to be proactively involved in the town.
——It is not only the administrative services that you just enjoyed as a “customer”, but also the culture of the town. It is of great significance to have an awareness that each person who spends time in Shibuya is the main actor who also creates the culture of this town.
It would be great if the "shibuya good pass" could be involved in the connection between the city and people and the fostering of the culture that was born there, and disseminating it both domestically and internationally is a field that Hakuhodo is originally good at, so from now on. I hope I can get involved with the city of Shibuya.
I want to increase the number of friends who will change together from the way public-private partnerships should be
——Finally, what are your good things about working with Future Design Shibuya (FDS) and what do you expect in the future?
Speaking of semi-governmental and semi-private organizations, I think there are similar organizations all over the country, but I think it is amazing that they are made in Shibuya. While based on Shibuya's transmission and centripetal force, there is already a network of member companies. Some take with help as needed, or conversely give from us.
In addition, cooperation with the ward is smooth. No matter what kind of municipality you are in, it is really difficult to get in touch with each section of that municipality individually, but I think that the environment where you can do that in one stop is exactly what makes FDS so attractive.
I think that what we want to achieve through the "shibuya good pass" and what FDS wants to achieve are in a sense common. That is to change the way public-private partnerships should be.
But that doesn't mean that one company will completely change the system. I think that it is now necessary for both the government and private companies to work hand in hand with each other, transform themselves, and change with each major ecosystem.
In that sense, I have a strong desire to find a companion who will lead this transformation together.
I am interested in creating this public-private partnership and the new smart city itself, and I would be happy if more people could work together as a team.
