【Activity Report】We exhibited and won the Grand Prize at LOHAS Festa Banpaku 2026 Spring!

Hello, this is Abiru from AHORA!

We exhibited at the LOHAS Festa Banpaku 2026 Spring (2nd) held at Expo ’70 Commemorative Park from May 2nd to 6th, 2026. And I have some very happy news to share.

We won the Grand Prix!!

1. What is LOHAS Festa?

With the theme "Turning everyone's small eco-efforts into a big voice," it's a large-scale market event where craft artists, food vendors, and product creators focused on the environment and lifestyle gather.

It also received the Good Design Award in 2023, making it one of Kansai's leading eco-friendly events.

Amidst exhibitors with unique personalities from all over the country, the Grand Prix is awarded to particularly outstanding works and activities.

2. Our booth on the day of the event

At the venue, we exhibited and sold accessories and clocks upcycled from marine plastic collected from the beaches of Tsushima.

Many customers stopped at our booth, picked up the pieces, and asked, "This is made from trash from the ocean?" or "The colors are beautiful!"

It was a moment where I truly felt that the things we meticulously created on the island of Tsushima were reaching the hearts of people in Osaka.

3. The moment we won the Grand Prix

And then, the awards ceremony.

Before my name was called, I was so nervous I couldn't sit still and kept pacing around the waiting room...

I was incredibly nervous on stage, but once I had my work in my hands, I just wanted to talk about it, and I ended up speaking a bit longer than I should have...

The works of the other award winners were all wonderful, and to be evaluated alongside them made me feel deeply emotional, thinking, "It was worth continuing all this time," and filled me with gratitude for everyone who has been involved and supported us.

I am filled with gratitude for everyone who has been involved and supported us on a daily basis.

4. About AHORA's craftsmanship

AHORA's clocks and accessories are made from marine plastic that has washed ashore on the coast of Tsushima.

Tsushima is an island in the Sea of Japan, and its coasts are inundated with a massive amount of plastic waste. Facing this reality, we started our activities from the idea of "instead of just discarding it, can we transform it into something beautiful?"

We envision the desired colors first, then crush the collected plastic, melt it with heat, and pour it into molds. The accidental blending of colors and patterns that emerge during this process is, I believe, the greatest charm of AHORA's works. No two pieces are ever the same, and I myself am captivated by these unique colors, wanting to share them with more people—this feeling has driven me to keep creating.

And as an extension of AHORA's creative activities, the exchange event we held last year, inviting Korean artists to Tsushima, was also evaluated in this setting, which made me incredibly happy.

To everyone who has supported us, thank you very much! & We look forward to your continued support!