1. DISCOVERLINK
Setouchi
A Japanese social venture
IBMS 104 Group 2
Mako Shimomura

2. Introduction
I am going to search for a social venture in Japan, and do research on the venture. Research
will be done on
- what kind of ventures they are
- what kind of project they have
- what their goals are
- why DLS is
- the possibility for RBS to collaborate
My suggestion about a social venture in Japan
Name of enterprise: DISCOVERLINK Setouchi
1. What kind of venture they are
DISCOVERLINK Setouchi (DLS) has been founded in June, 2012. This is the so-called
community development company that the member with rich individuality has gathered by
realizing their role of the creation of employment and business based on the tourism
resources.
2. What kinds of project they have
(1) Setouchi Minato no Yado
(2) Onomichi Denim Project
(3) ONOMICHI U2 etc
In December 2012, they opened the “Setouchi Minato no Yado” renovated a historic
building. The object of this project is to renovate the townhouses and revival the traditional
industries with suffering from the lack of successors as straw matting and Bingo Kasuri, and
the leasing business project of inviting the people who will occur the business by using
vacant shop in the shopping street. Through the activities, they are trying to recognize how
attractive Onomichi is.

3. And then, “Onomichi Denim Project” was born.
Where Onomichi is
Onomichi (Onomichi-shi) is a city located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, facing the Inland
Sea.

4. They are going forward by believing that they will be able to assume by making the deep
communication with the local people through the tool of denim, by disseminating the
attractiveness of Onomichi to the world through manufacturing.
This project is the one that DLS make people in Onomichi involved, and the people’s
cooperation in Onomichi is the necessary for the success of the project.
They promise that you delve into the advantages and disadvantages of the people of the city
to participate in the Onomichi Denim Project again, identify the landing point of this project
and do not neglect the share of the idea of DLS against the people of this town.
English version video clip:
http://youtu.be/yV5HPBo3CdE
These days, they started the project, “ONOMICHI U2”.
The slogan of this project is ‘Cycle, Travel and Good things’. By this project, they are
revitalizing the rural economy in order to let many people know what Onomichi is. For
example, they create a hotel for especially cyclists from home and abroad. People can bring
their bicycle into a room when stay. These are a hotel, restaurant, café and bar based on
local resources.
3. What their goals are
1. “Think about the future of town” to shape and review the local industry
Japanese technical capabilities have been received high reputation in the world. There are
amount of traditional craft with technical strength because of no keeping up the branding
and the traditional technical skill with no successor.
By reviewing such a status quo, adding a sense, DLS will help that the existing company
appeal to the market. They review the splendor of denim in Bingo region and then to form
along with the people of Onomichi through the Onomichi Denim Project.

5. 2. “Re-discovery and transmission”
With visitors and people who live in this town, they will re-discover the
attractiveness of the town and transmitting
(1) To the people of the town → They ask people in the several generation for wearing,
having one goal beyond the generation by participating this project, and providing the
conversation, communication and relationship between people.
(2) To visitors → They want you to feel the atmosphere of this town and people, who is the
most important property. They will try to create the opportunity that many people will
come to Onomichi and find the interesting points of Onomichi and communicate with
people.
3. “Creation”
Through town planning, they will create the employment and business
1. Tell the attractiveness of Onomichi as many as they can, increase the number of
visitor and income the new culture
2. Swell the town = Swell the existing business
3. New business comes out in the communication
4. Job creation
The project, Onomichi Denim Project, has just started, and they believe that the
communication with people will be gained, be able to share the idea and wish that they will
be able to meet new member in all project of DLS through this Denim Project.
4. Why DLS is
The reason why I have chosen DLS as my suggestion is because they are activating in a city
where is friendly to cyclists like the Netherlands. For instance, you can see The Shimanami
Kaido (meaning something like "the Ocean Road"), one of the best cycling courses, in Japan.
The bike course takes you across several islands in the Seto Inland Sea, and across gigantic,
remarkable suspension bridges. Moreover, their goal is to expand their traditional but
vanishing brand all over the world. Therefore, I thought it is possible to collaborate with an
elective, Social entrepreneurship.

6. 5. the possibility for RBS to collaborate
DLS want to know and let you write down these points for our collaboration:
I. The object/goal of the elective
II. What students taking elective want to ask to DLS
III. The merit/benefit for DLS
IV. How to do research about DLS (interview, questionnaires)
V. Who is the sponsor/agent for the collaboration
Therefore, before collaborating DLS, these points should be consider and mentioned first to
the person in charge, Yukinobu Danjo. This is the contact details:
For Onomichi Denim Project -- +81 848-37-0398
info@onomichidenim.com
http://www.onomichidenim.com/
For DISCOVERLINK Setouchi -- +81 848-38-1137
info@dlsetouchi.com
http://www.dlsetouchi.com
If you can make your goal clear and offer a helpful suggestion to DLS, they will work together.
This is because they are proceeding various projects at the same time, and they cannot
afford to do an unrealistic and high-cost project. However, he actually is thinking positively
about collaboration with elective. This is because as a company itself, it is interesting to
collaborate with foreign country. Moreover, he is thinking that there will be various ideas and
plans between DLS and the students from RBS. I am really interested in this company and
projects. Therefore, it is possible to intermediate and help the sponsor if the collaboration is
entertained for real. There are some ways of the collaboration I conceive:
- Creating new denim with artists based in the Netherlands (Rotterdam)
- Creating a magazine to introduce the projects of DLS into the Netherlands
- Organizing a special tours from the Netherlands to Japan (Onomichi)