Gakudo Hotel and Kobe Mazda Launch a New Community Collaboration Project The First Collaboration Event, “Become a Future Car Expert!” Will Be Held on Saturday, August 22

Maintenance Experience

Paper Crafts

Mazda Logo

After-School Hotel Logo

Amid growing social concerns over the “experience gap”—where children’s opportunities for hands-on experiences vary depending on their family background and economic circumstances—the “After-School Hotel,” operated by the General Incorporated Association Holonic (Location: Higashinada Ward, Kobe City; Representative Director: Ichiro Nagata), is launching a new project in collaboration with local businesses to provide children with authentic work experiences.

The seventh corporate partner in this initiative is Kobe Mazda. Driven by a shared desire to “provide children with authentic experiences and foster their future dreams and interest in careers,” the two organizations will collaborate on a new career education program that opens up corporate technologies, jobs, and opportunities to meet professionals to the local community.

Moving forward, the organization aims to further expand collaborations with local companies, including Kobe Mazda, to create a system where businesses serve as “learning venues” for the community and the entire region works together to nurture children’s futures.As a first step toward this goal, on Saturday, August 22, 2026, we will host “Let’s Become Future Car Experts!” to provide hands-on learning experiences—such as trying out the work of a mechanic and hands-on crafting—that can only be gained through real-world experiences.

■Background of the Event

[“Authentic Experiences” Broaden Children’s Futures]

Driven by a desire to “eliminate the experience gap,” Gakudo Hotel has been collaborating with businesses, the local community, and government agencies to provide children with “authentic experiences” using the hotel as a venue. By connecting children with professionals in various fields—such as cooking, agriculture, traditional culture, and sports—and allowing them to engage in hands-on activities, we have fostered their curiosity and spirit of adventure.

Meanwhile, Kobe Mazda Co., Ltd., guided by the philosophy of “nurturing people and building the future together with the community,” actively creates learning opportunities for children and engages in activities that contribute to the local community. Through experiential programs that convey the appeal of manufacturing and the joy of work, the company supports the growth of the children who will shape the future.

What both organizations shared was the belief that “experiences that allow children to engage with the real world give them the power to forge their own futures.”

Click here to register: https://forms.gle/9xR4cqVMJkJL7aALA

Event Registration QR Code

This event fuses the spirit of craftsmanship that Mazda has cultivated over many years with the experiential learning that Gakudo Hotel has always valued. Through authentic experiences centered on “creating, touching, thinking, and challenging oneself,” we aim to inspire children to discover the joy of craftsmanship, foster a passion for work, and help them envision their future dreams.

■ Event Highlights

“Authentic Work Experience for Aspiring ‘Future Car Experts’”

The theme is “Create, Touch, Think, and Challenge.”

Together with Mazda staff, children will experience the manufacturing environment firsthand while learning about how cars work and the importance of maintenance.

■Program Details

● Theater Room Experience: Learning About “Mazda’s History” and “Car Manufacturing”

Through videos, children will learn about Mazda’s history, the values embodied in the brand, and the company’s commitment to car manufacturing. This introductory program builds anticipation for the upcoming activities by exposing participants not only to technology but also to the spirit of manufacturing that prioritizes people.

● “Paper Craft”: Build a Car That’s One of a Kind

Using Mazda’s original paper craft kit, participants assemble their very own car. This program allows them to experience the joy of making things and the satisfaction of completion while exploring car design and structure.

● Driving Experience with the “Racing Simulator”

Using a state-of-the-art racing simulator, you’ll experience an immersive driving simulation. While enjoying the thrill of controlling a car, you’ll also learn about the importance of safe driving, as well as the judgment and concentration required behind the wheel.

● Authentic Maintenance Experience in a Mechanic’s Uniform

Dressed in the same uniform as Mazda mechanics, you’ll take on the challenge of performing maintenance on real vehicles. This special program allows you to learn about the maintenance process from current staff while gaining a firsthand understanding of how cars work, the importance of the work that ensures safety, and the depth of craftsmanship involved.

● Presentation of a Certificate of Completion

Each child who completes the program will receive a certificate of completion. As proof of their participation in this authentic experience, this certificate fosters a sense of accomplishment and confidence, bringing the day to a close that may inspire future dreams and spark an interest in careers.

In addition, we offer parents the opportunity to test-drive the latest Mazda models and enjoy sweets specially prepared by a hotel pastry chef, making this a program that parents and children can enjoy together.

■ Value Made Possible Through Our Partnership with Mazda

The venue, “Kobe Mazda Event Square,” is a community hub open to local residents.

The maintenance workshop—where participants can learn directly from current staff using facilities and actual vehicles unique to an automaker—offers a valuable opportunity that cannot be experienced elsewhere.

Rather than simply “looking” at cars, participants can “touch” and “experience” them firsthand, gaining a real sense of the depth of craftsmanship and the appeal of working in this field—a value made possible only through our partnership with Mazda.

Mazda SHOP

■What the After-School Hotel Wants to Convey――

[“Authentic Experiences” Nurture Children’s Futures]

Gakudo Hotel aims to provide all children with authentic experiences, regardless of their family background or financial circumstances.

By partnering with companies and local communities, we foster children’s curiosity and spirit of inquiry through hands-on experiences where they see, touch, think, and take on challenges, thereby expanding their future options with thoughts like, “I’d like to try a job like this” or “I want to learn more.”

Moving forward, we will continue to create new learning environments that nurture children’s potential through co-creation with local communities and businesses.

After-School Hotel: Main

■Event Overview

Event Name: Become a Future Car Expert!

　　　　　　Special Kids’ Day to Experience Mazda’s “Monozukuri”

Date and Time: Saturday, August 22, 2026

　　　　　　[Part 1] 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. [Part 2] 1:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m.

Venue: Kobe Mazda Event Square (8-1-70 Aoyamadai, Tarumi-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture)

Eligibility: 3rd–6th graders (Participants from the first and second sessions of the After-School Program, as well as the general public)

Capacity: 20 participants per session (parents and children)

Participation Fee: Free (Advance registration required; if oversubscribed, participants will be selected by lottery)

Registration Deadline: Registration closes once capacity is reached

Organizer: Gakudo Hotel (Holonic, General Incorporated Association)

In Cooperation With: Kobe Mazda Co., Ltd.

■ Highlights for Media Coverage

● Children will wear mechanic uniforms and work on real vehicles

● Thrilling scenes of children using a racing simulator

● Creation of a one-of-a-kind, original car

● Test drives of the latest Mazda models by parents

● Presentation of completion certificates and commemorative photos for parents and children

● A new community outreach and career education initiative through the “Corporate × After-School Care Hotel” partnership

■ About Kobe Mazda Co., Ltd.

Kobe Mazda Co., Ltd. is a comprehensive automotive service company that sells and services Mazda vehicles in Hyogo Prefecture. Guided by a corporate philosophy centered on realizing “5HAPPY”—happiness for “customers,” “the community,” “society and the environment,” “partners,” and “employees and their families”—the company strives to be a business that walks hand in hand with the local community.The company is also actively engaged in social contribution activities that nurture the next generation—such as workplace experience programs, field trips for elementary school students, traffic safety awareness campaigns, community clean-ups, and support for local events—and continues to carry out activities that connect people and the community as a company open to the local area.

◯ URL: https://www.mazda-hgr.co.jp/

■ About the After-School Hotel

The After-School Hotel is an experiential program operated by the General Incorporated Association Holonic that provides children with diverse opportunities for hands-on experiences in a hotel setting. Guided by the philosophy of “eliminating the experiential divide,” we collaborate with businesses, local communities, and government agencies to offer learning experiences that allow children to engage with authentic activities such as cooking, agriculture, craftsmanship, and traditional culture.While fostering children’s curiosity and spirit of challenge through these experiences, the program also works to create an environment where parents can feel secure leaving their children in our care, aiming to serve as a “third place” where the entire community supports children’s growth.

◯ URL: https://www.gakudohotel.or.jp/

After-School Hotel Experience Program 1

After-School Hotel: Family Dining Hall

■ About Holonic Co., Ltd.

Holonic Co., Ltd. is a community-building company that operates hotels utilizing local resources, guided by the philosophy of “Connecting and Bringing People Together.”The company operates five “SETRE” hotels in Hyogo, Shiga, Nara, and Nagasaki, and in June 2026, it opened “SETRE Canal Nagoya,” its first property in the Tokai region. Using its hotels as hubs, the company promotes the appeal of local communities while creating new value that connects people to one another and to their communities.

◯ URL: https://www.hol-onic.co.jp/

SETRE