SPEAKERS
TEDxSapporo 2024
kibaco
Musician
Formed in 2004, Sapporo, this electronic music duo consists of SAyA (vocals, synthesizer) and Satoshi Nishimura(programming, guitar). Their music combines electronic sounds with live instruments, creating an organic sound complemented by SAyA’s transparent vocals, crafting a distinctive sonic world. After making their major debutin 2010, they founded their independent label, Kitorina Records, in 2012, and have since released six albums.
The duo has performed at music festivals like RSR and held shows abroad. They have also hosted immersive planetarium performances, blending music with interactive elements. In 2022, they relocated to Kuriyama, a nature-rich town, and established their music production studio, Kitorina Studio.
Celebrating their 20th anniversaryin 2024, they continue to evolve and create music.
Rie Kumada
"Meishu no Yutaka" CEO
Born in Sapporo in 1978, the eldest of four siblings, raised by a dedicated and principled father, the fourth-generation proprietor of “Meishu no Yutaka,” and a hardworking,business-savvy mother. After learning the spirit of Japanese martial arts through judo, Kumada studied abroad atage 19, an experience that led them to realize how little she knew about Japan. This sparked a deep interest in Japanese traditional culture.
Before taking over the family business, Kumada launched a “Sake Shop & Bar” to create spaces where people in their 20s, especially women, could more easily discover Japanese sake. During this time, she met Karin, her future partner from California. After gaining this experience, they joined Yutaka Shopping Co., Ltd. (Meishu no Yutaka) in 2008 and assumed the role of presidentin 2022.
Currently,they are involved in sake and snack production, event planning and management, public speaking, television and radio appearances, all with a commitmentto passing on Japanese culture to future generations.
Isamu Wakana
Marimo Researcher, Kushiro City World Natural Heritage Promotion Office
Born in 1957, Mizusawa City,Iwate Prefecture (now Oshu City),Wakana was raised in Hanamaki City. He studied plant physiology at Yamagata University and algae ecology at Hokkaido University Graduate School. Since 1991, he has been involved in the protection and management of the special natural monument Marimo in Lake Akan through the Akan Town Board of Education (now the Kushiro City Board of Education).
In addition to domestic work, Wakana has conducted field studies at marimo lakes around the world, including Lake Myvatn in Iceland, working to uncover the mysteries of the marimo and promoting conservation efforts. In 2012, he developed the Marimo Conservation and Management Plan, a guiding framework for marimo preservation. With the motto “Marimo belongs to everyone,” he leads community-based activities in collaboration with a global research network.
His research has contributed to a reevaluation of the natural environment surrounding Lake Akan, highlighting the unique ecosystem ofthe Akan caldera lake area. Building on these findings, he has been working on a project since 2024 to achieve World Natural Heritage designation for the Akan region.
Teruko Mitsushima
Manager of 7-chome Powder Room / Gay Drag Activist
Born in 1990 in Mie Prefecture, Mitsushima is openly gay and actively engaged in drag as a profession. He serves as the manager of the drag salon 7-chome Powder Room and as the Deputy Executive Director of Sapporo Rainbow Pride, the organization that hosts the LGBTQ Pride Parade in Sapporo. Additionally, he appear as a guest commentator on HBC’s “Kyo Doki!” and write an advice column on the website Sitakke.
Beyond media appearances, he conducts lectures at universities and seminars for various companies, promoting awareness and providing educational talks on LGBTQ and sexual minority issues.
Natsumi Osawa
Museum goods lover
Born in 1987 in Hokkaido, Japan. Graduated from the Graduate School of Literature at Hokkaido University. Osawa studied media design at Sapporo City University, where an interest in museology led to further graduate studies. She has conducted research on museum goods from the perspective of museum management theory. After working in the corporate sector, Osawa began a career as a museum goods enthusiast. Believing that museum goods offer a way to bring the museum experience home and serve as a bridge to communicate museum activities, She have pursued various activities to convey this appeal. Through writing,lectures, media appearances, and workshops, she aims to expand the role of museum goods.
Publications include “the Power of Museum Goods” series (Kokusho Kankokai),”Tokimeki no Museum Goods” (Genkosha), and “Living with Museums” (Bungaku Tsushin).
Ayato Takada
Virologist
Born in Tokyo in 1968, currently a professor at the Hokkaido University International Institute for Zoonosis Control. Graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University in 1993, and completed a doctorate in Veterinary Science at the same university in 1996. After serving as an assistant at the Hokkaido University in 1997 and the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Tokyo in 2000, Takada assumed his current position in 2005.
Takada specializes in virology, focusing on the ecology of zoonotic viruses such as Ebola and influenza, as well as developing diagnostic and therapeutic methods for these viruses. He has conducted research in various locations worldwide, including Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mongolia, and Indonesia. His comprehensive research approach spans from molecular biology to global epidemiological studies. Takada is also the first Japanese researcher on Ebola to work in a foreign Biosafety Level 4 laboratory.
Shuhei Kaneko
Toy Creator
Born in 1988, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Kaneko is a toy artistwith a concept centered on marbles. After graduating from Hokkaido Childcare College, he discovered a passion for toy-making while working as a childcare provider. Self-taught,He created various toys and held workshops and sold products at events.
In 2018, Kaneko studied furniture-making at Asahikawa Technical College and focused on creating a world centered around marbles, gradually developing his unique “Marble World” concept. In 2022, he established his home-based studio, Atelier Marble: Marbles and Wooden Toys. The following year, his workshop’s signature piece, a giant interactive marble machine wall called “Marble Machine Wall 2” was completed and featured on lnstagram and various media outlets as an interactive attraction.
In 2024, Kaneko opened the Craft Art Space Art Gallery in his studio garage, a place for hands-on creativity with materials like recycled items and wood, where people of all ages can rediscover the charm of analog craftsmanship. Driven by a desire to create joy for all generations, he manages this marble-themed home studio, crafting toys that celebrate the beauty, motion, and material diversity of marbles.