Utokyo Ocean
Awareness
Shaping the future of offshore wind, together
Creative citizen engagement from the very beginning is the key to long-term project success.
Tecnology alone isn’t enough
Japan has the ambition, the engineering, and the policy momentum to lead on offshore wind. But time and again — across Japan and globally — renewable energy projects hit an invisible wall. Not a technical one. A human one. Communities who live on those coastlines, fish those waters, and breathe that sea air were never part of the conversation. When trust breaks down between developers and locals, projects stall for years. Sometimes they never recover. That’s exactly why UTokyo Ocean Awareness exists — to close that gap before it opens.
Next-generation energy at Japan’s coastline
These are the technologies at the heart of Japan’s energy transition. Each one is real, scalable, and already in development. For them to succeed, the communities that live alongside them need to understand them, engage with them, and ultimately believe in them.
Tidal Current
Japan’s narrow straits channel some of the world’s most powerful tidal flows. Unlike wind or solar, tidal currents run on a predictable schedule, making them a reliable baseload to complement variable renewables.
Floating Offshore Wind
Over 80% of Japan’s offshore wind potential sits in waters too deep for fixed foundations. Floating platforms — anchored but free to move with the ocean — bring that untapped resource within reach, opening a new frontier for large-scale clean energy.
Solar Power
Distributed solar gives coastal and island communities energy independence — reducing reliance on mainland grids and fossil imports.
Green Hydrogen
Excess offshore wind energy can be converted into hydrogen — stored, shipped, and used as clean fuel for industry, transport, and heating.
We involve communities though participatory design
We bridge the gap between ocean technology and public understanding through a three-part framework
💬
01
Dialogue
Think Together with Communities
We run continuous workshops where local voices directly shape ideas. Through creative facilitation, we build trust, surface concerns, and develop solutions rooted in local reality — not just technical possibility.
🧠
02
Learn
Know Next-Generation Energy
We run continuous workshops where local voices directly shape ideas. Through creative facilitation, we build trust, surface concerns, and develop solutions rooted in local reality — not just technical possibility.
✏️
03
Create
Build Projects Together
Citizen ideas become tangible products, tools, and programs. We co-design wind energy learning kits, digital tools, and community prototypes — turning local imagination into real-world impact.
Our Workshops in action
In February 2026, 30 high school students from Koka High School in Nagasaki’s Minami-Shimabara were given a physical toolkit — 3D-printed offshore wind turbines, solar panels, tidal energy models, community destination cards, and a blank map of their own region. Their task: design how renewable energy would flow through their town. Using coloured string to connect power sources to hospitals, farms, fishing ports and schools, every team arrived at a completely different answer — and that’s exactly the point.
Where we’re heading next
Building on community insights and academic expertise, we’re developing three interconnected innovation areas around offshore wind.
Regional Talent Ecosystem
Partnering with technical colleges and vocational high schools to nurture the next generation of offshore wind maintenance professionals — rooted in local communities.
Local Industry Innovation
Supporting SMEs and building supply chain networks so local businesses can actively participate in offshore wind construction and operations.
Smart Ocean Technology
Developing AUV-compatible devices that repurpose wind turbine infrastructure for fishery revitalization — merging energy production with marine ecosystem recovery.
Our Team
UTokyo Ocean Awareness brings together two University of Tokyo labs — linking citizen-participatory design with energy strategy expertise.
Tomomi Sayuda
Research Associate at Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo
Experience designer specialising in citizen science. Royal College of Art MA graduate. WIRED Creative Hack Award 2023 Grand Prix winner.
Michio Hashimoto
Professor at Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo
Leading researcher in Japan’s next-generation energy strategy and offshore wind policy.
Tatsusaburo Kimura
Project Researcher at Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo
Offshore energy systems and coastal community integration.
Max Fischer
Project Researcher at Institute of industrial Science, The University of Tokyo
Product Designer at the intersection of science and design.