APU Opens APU Community Art Hub in Downtown Beppu for Five Days as a Trial Initiative for Vacant House Utilization

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Mar 25, 2026

From February 14 to 15 and February 21 to 23, the APU Community Art Hub (APU Machinaka Studio), a cultural exchange space connecting the university and the local community, was opened for a limited period of five days in downtown Beppu. This initiative was launched by faculty volunteers from APU and Ritsumeikan University and was selected by the Ritsumeikan Trust for the 2025 Grassroots Practical Support Program (GPSP). The venue for the project was Nakai-tei, a roughly 90-year-old traditional residence located in the Kitahama district of Beppu. Built during the late Taishō to early Shōwa era, the house retains historical features indicating that it was once used as an okiya (a lodging house for geisha).

At the APU Community Art Hub, students, faculty, and alumni from APU and Ritsumeikan University collaborated to create and deliver a variety of art-centered programs, drawing on their diverse expertise and perspectives. With a focus on fostering an environment that embodies diversity and inclusion, the event was titled “Hiraku” (Open)—reflecting the hope that participants, regardless of nationality, age, or background, would open up their senses, open up themselves, and open up new connections through art.

During the five-day period, the venue hosted a wide range of programs including a rakugo performance, photography exhibitions, a dialogue-based art appreciation session, a film development workshop, and a tea gathering. Throughout the event period, a coffee stand run by APU students was open each day, and background music curated around the theme of “the passage of time in Beppu” added to the atmosphere of the space.

The rakugo performance featured Hayashiya Hikoinchi, a shin’uchi (master rakugo)and board member of the Rakugo Association, along with two students from the Ritsumeikan University Rakugo Research Club. Their engaging performances drew in the audience and filled the venue with laughter and appreciation.

The photography exhibition showcased monochrome images of Beppu captured from different perspectives by photographer Yozō Fujita, who has documented the history of the region for over 60 years, and Hsu Hsin Tse (College of International Management, 4th year, Taiwan), a member of the university photography club.

Over the five days, the event welcomed a total of 280 visitors. Post-event surveys indicated high levels of satisfaction with the programs and atmosphere, participants also reported improvements to their sense of relaxation and overall well-being. The initiative created a vibrant space where local residents, students, faculty, and staff could interact, and it gained attention from local media, being covered by both newspapers and television.

By revitalizing a vacant historic residence, this project also addressed a broader social issue in Japan: how to preserve and utilize aging architectural assets. Regarding Nakai-tei, the property owner has expressed a strong desire to “responsibly preserve this culturally significant asset for future generations,” and further discussions on its conservation are expected to continue.

*Selected for the 2025 Ritsumeikan Trust GPSP (Grassroots Practical Support Program)
“Creating the APU Community Art Hub for Knowledge Exchange between the University and the Community
— A Co Creation Project Utilizing a Historically Valuable Vacant House in Beppu City —”