British Business Awards Supporting the Noto Peninsula

A Home for All

Home for All (Minna no Ie) is a Japanese initiative, founded after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, to build safe, supportive spaces for communities affected by disasters. These structures, both temporary and permanent, offer a place for displaced individuals to gather, reconnect, and regain a sense of normalcy while fostering resilience and community spirit. BCCJ member Klein Dytham architecture is leading the base in Noroshimachi.

NPO Tsumugigumi

NPO Tsumugigumi has been working on renovating vacant houses into accommodations, focusing on human resource development and expanding employment, and collaborating with the government to tackle local challenges to address the issues of declining tourism and depopulation in Wajima City and to revitalise the community.

Creating the Future of Sotoura

The “Creating the Future of Sotoura” Committee is a community development organization established to support the recovery and reconstruction of the Sotoura area. Located along the Sea of Japan on the northern side of the Noto Peninsula, it has suffered significant damage from both the Noto Peninsula earthquake on January 1 and the torrential rains of September 21. Founded on June 23, the committee has been creating spaces for gathering and conversation, collecting information, exchanging opinions, voicing requests, and sharing information, which replaces the district newsletter previously issued by the community centre.

NOTO NOT ALONE 

The BCCJ has teamed up with NOTO NOT ALONE to provide some limited edition BBA 2024 T-shirts as modelled by our raffle team on the night of the gala. Additional shirts will be available to purchase from the Noto Peninsula booth in the ballroom on the night. The NOTO, NOT ALONE Research Institute was established by the social welfare corporation Butsusien as an employment programme for Wajima KABULET, with a view of “creative recovery” from the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

Fusion Menu

This year’s British Business Awards will welcome ingredients local to Wajima in the menu as part of a 5-course UK-Japan gourmet fusion meal.

“I am delighted to be able to work with amazing cuisines from both Japan and the UK, taking cooking techniques and ingredients from each to create this menu. It was also a great experience to discover ingredients from the Noto peninsula that we are using in the starter.”
Mandar Madav, Executive Chef at Hilton Tokyo

Sake

This year, the BBA is delighted to feature a selection of nihonshu from Hiyoshi Sake Brewery, Hakutou Sake Brewery and Shimizu Sake Brewery at the BCCJ bar. Flavours have a distinctive style that is generally light and dry, with a subtle sweetness in the aftertaste. All 3 breweries were devastated by the January 1 earthquake and are now rebuilding, largely buoyed by the support of other breweries in Japan.

Gojinjo-Daiko

We will be welcoming entertainment from Gojinjo-daiko. This is a traditional Japanese taiko drumming style from Wajima City, rooted in a legend of the deity Gojin, who protected villagers from invaders. Known for its powerful rhythms and synchronised movements, this performance embodies martial spirit and community strength.

Silent Auction

Craftsmanship plays an essential role in the culture and economy of the Noto Peninsula in Japan, a region renowned for its traditional arts and crafts. The area is famous for its Wajima-nuri lacquerware, a labor-intensive craft requiring many intricate steps and exceptional skill. At the BBA 2024, we will be running an auction for a beautifully crafted jet-black plate, created by skilled artisans and featuring a bespoke design of the Union Jack using the maki-e technique. Made exclusively for the BBA 2024.