On October 2024, 10, Kio University held a signing ceremony at Kawai Town Hall with Kawai Town (Kitakatsuragi District, Nara Prefecture) and Morimotogumi Co., Ltd. to sign an agreement on the sustainable utilization of the historic building, the former Mameyamaso.
The "Agreement on the Sustainable Utilization of the Historical Building, Former Mameyamaso" was concluded as a three-way collaboration agreement between Kawai Town, Morimoto Gumi, and Kio University, with the main aim of examining ways to preserve and utilize the former Mameyamaso, a historical building located on the grounds of Kawai Town Hall that has cultural value, through cooperation between industry, government, and academia.
The former Mameyamaso was the mansion built in 12 by Morimoto Senkichi, a businessman and politician who built the Yamato Railway (now the Kintetsu Tawaramoto Line). It became the property of Kawai Village in 23 and was subsequently used as the village office. When Kawai Town was established in 46, it was decided to demolish part of the house to make way for the construction of a new office building, reducing the size of the building to less than half of its former size. Currently, all that remains are the main house, a detached building with a Japanese-Western style, and a ridge gate.
The signing ceremony was attended by Mayor Morikawa Yoshiyuki, Chairman Hikita Toshifumi, Deputy Mayor Sato Takehiro, Superintendent of Education Uemura Kinya, General Affairs Department Director Uemura Takuya from Kawai Town, Osaka Branch Manager Gusoku Takashi and General Affairs Department Director Harada Yoshiharu from Morimoto Gumi, and President Fuyuki Masahiko, Department Head of Human Environment Design Department Miida Yasunori and Director of the Regional Collaboration Center from Kio University. After an explanation of the purpose of the agreement, Mayor Morikawa, Osaka Branch Manager Gusoku, and President Fuyuki signed the agreement.
In the future, Kawai Town/Morimoto Gumi and Kio University will work together to provide a place of relaxation in Kawai Town, and will work to develop new businesses by involving young students.