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Dassai’s 100 Million Yen Donation × Space Fermentation × Light Taxis — The Quiet Movement of ‘Delivering Through Systems’ in Iwakuni

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Delivering the sales of sake brewed in space to disaster-stricken areas. Transforming light vehicles into taxis to serve villages not covered by bus routes. Connecting a sightseeing train from Shin-Yamaguchi to Iwakuni, redefining the contours of the region through the train windows — three distinct initiatives born from entirely different contexts have coincided in Yamaguchi Prefecture’s Iwakuni City.

None of these are flashy fireworks displays. However, when viewed together, a single question arises: “Who does this make easier?” What emerges as the answer is not individual goodwill or a temporary event, but a design philosophy of delivering through systems.

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The Sake Brewed in Space Had a Destination

Asahi Shuzo (located in Shuto-cho, Iwakuni City) announced that it would donate 100 million yen from the sales of its sake “Dassai Moon,” brewed using yeast fermented in the International Space Station (ISS), to areas affected by the floods in Nepal and domestic heavy rain disasters.

“Dassai Moon” was born from an unprecedented project where yeast was cultivated in the microgravity environment of the ISS in 2023 and then returned to Earth for brewing. Despite its price range of several tens of thousands of yen for a 720ml bottle, it sold out rapidly, not just because the space theme attracted attention, but because the design embedded in the product’s framework was rooted in Asahi Shuzo President Hiroshi Sakurai’s repeated assertion that “there is a place we want to deliver to after selling.”

Notably, the donation is split between Nepal and domestic disaster areas. Asahi Shuzo has previously experienced recovery from the Western Japan floods in 2018 and has continued to provide disaster support based on that experience. The overseas donation extends from the relationships Dassai has built in the Asian market as an export destination. In other words, this 100 million yen is not a spontaneous act of charity, but a donation placed on the path that the business has traversed. Sales are generated, there are destinations to deliver to, and reasons for delivery — only when these three points align can it be called a “system.”

President Sakurai has previously stated, “What a sake brewery should do is produce good sake and sell it at a fair price. Social contribution exists within that cycle.” Sake brewed in the farthest place, space, reaches the most difficult-to-access areas, disaster-stricken regions. The vastness of that distance directly reflects the reach of the system.

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The Significance of Light Vehicle Taxis — Designing to Transform ‘Inaccessibility’ into ‘Accessibility’

Kuga Daiichi Kotsu has become the first in the Chugoku region to start operating light vehicle taxis. This move follows the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s decision to lift the ban on the use of light vehicles as taxis in November 2024.

Looking at the numbers, the aim of this initiative becomes clear. The price of a regular taxi vehicle is generally around 3 million yen, while a light vehicle costs about 1.5 million yen. Fuel efficiency is also approximately 1.5 to 2 times better. With both initial investment and operational costs reduced, the breakeven point per vehicle decreases, creating the potential to dispatch taxis to areas where “it is not financially viable to operate.”

In Iwakuni City’s mountainous areas, reductions and discontinuations of bus services are progressing. It is not uncommon for villages to have an aging rate exceeding 40%. In such regions, the lack of transportation is not just a problem for shopping or medical visits; it directly relates to whether people can continue to live there.

The fare for light vehicle taxis is expected to be set about 10-20% lower than that of regular taxis. This will significantly lower the psychological barrier for short-distance use — for example, a one-way trip of 3 km to the nearest clinic or a round trip of 5 km to the supermarket. The mindset of “it’s not worth calling a taxi” can shift to “I can call a light taxi.” While the difference may seem small, it can change the contours of daily life.

Another point not to overlook is the issue of securing drivers. While a special license is required for regular taxis, the same applies to light vehicle taxis. However, due to the smaller size of the vehicles, the driving burden is reduced, which may lower the barriers for older drivers and female drivers. In regions facing severe labor shortages in transportation, this design expands the options for “who will drive.”

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The Sightseeing Train ‘Hanaakari’ — A Device to Transform Movement into ‘Experience’

JR West’s sightseeing train “Hanaakari” will begin operations for the first time between Shin-Yamaguchi and Iwakuni. During its 20-day operation period, the two-car train will serve dishes made from local ingredients, while passengers can enjoy views of the Nishiki River and the Seto Inland Sea towards Suo-Oshima from the windows.

“Hanaakari” is a train that started operating in the fall of 2024 on the Sanyo Main Line and Yamaguchi Line, with the concept of “illuminating the region as flowers bloom brightly.” Notably, this train is designed not merely as a means of transportation but as a device that allows passengers to experience the region’s food, scenery, and culture all on one rail.

Local railway lines are caught between decreasing ridership and maintenance costs. The list of “lines with a transport density of fewer than 2,000 people” published by JR West in 2022 included routes around Iwakuni. The introduction of sightseeing trains is an attempt to create a different context from daily transport needs — a demand where “the act of riding itself becomes the purpose.”

For local inns and restaurants along the route, preparing to accommodate passengers in line with the train’s schedule is required. While this can be a burden, it also represents predictable demand, as they can anticipate “when, from where, and how many people will come.” Predictable visitors make it easier for local businesses to prepare. What the sightseeing train brings is not a random influx of tourists, but a planned flow of people delivered according to a timetable.

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The Intersection of Three Movements

The donations from Dassai, the light vehicle taxis, and the sightseeing train. What these three initiatives have in common is the verb “to deliver.” Delivering the sales of sake to disaster areas. Delivering transportation options to residents in mountainous regions. Delivering the region’s charm to passengers through train windows.

Another commonality is that none of these initiatives rely on individual efforts but are designed to operate through systems. Asahi Shuzo’s donations are linked to sales and are embedded in the business structure rather than left to the discretion of individuals. Light taxis aim for sustainable operations through a redesign of cost structures. The sightseeing train carries experiences of food and scenery on the framework of a timetable.

The beauty of systems lies in their reduction of personal dependency. Things that stop if someone doesn’t keep trying will eventually come to a halt. Systems that operate can continue even when people change. The sustainability of a region ultimately comes down to the concept of “designing for continuity.”

Of course, there are things that systems alone cannot deliver. The gestures of drivers helping elderly passengers into light taxis, the skills of local chefs serving dishes on the sightseeing train, and the decisions made by the toji brewing Dassai — at the end of every system, there are always human hands involved. Systems exist to make things easier for people, and people pass on warmth beyond the systems. When both are in harmony, the act of “delivering” is complete.

The three gears that have quietly begun to move in Iwakuni have just started to mesh. However, if you listen closely, you can already hear the sound of those gears beginning to turn.