Community
Projects
The Island Where Life Flows
in Harmony with Nature
At the heart of Tour Designers lies a simple wish — to carry the smiles and culture of Okinawa into the future.
Beyond designing journeys, we think and act together with local people, nurturing projects that are deeply rooted in their communities. This is our commitment.
Through the Kanasa Smile Project, connecting children with their hometowns, and the Orizuru Project, sharing Okinawa’s message of peace with the world, we continue to cherish the power of life, connection, and compassion through travel.
Together with the people of Okinawa, we will keep designing a future filled with culture and warmth — a future where new smiles blossom for generations to come.
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Kanasa Smile
ProjectFor the smiles of children
— and the future they deserve.
“Kanasa” is an Okinawan word that means precious or beloved. Born from our wish to protect the smiles of children — the ones who carry the future — Tour Designers launched the Kanasa Smile Project to nurture hope through the power of community.
In Okinawa, nearly one in three children is said to live in relative poverty. This challenge is not only about economic hardship, but also about unequal access to opportunities for learning, play, and connection — and the warmth of a caring community.
We believe that tourism can be a force for good — a way to revitalize communities and create meaningful change.
Through this project, we work hand in hand with local residents, businesses, government partners, and those in the tourism industry to build an environment where every child can learn, play, and dream freely.
Through our continued efforts, we hope to nurture connections where children and communities can grow together — with joy, resilience, and compassion.
Guided by the spirit of Kanasa — the love and kindness this word evokes — Tour Designers will continue to walk alongside the people of Okinawa, designing a society where smiles can truly flourish. -
Paper Crane
ProjectFrom Okinawa to the World
— A Wish for Peace
At Tour Designers, we invite participants of our War Heritage Tours to take part in the Paper Crane Project — a way to give form to prayers for peace.
In the final days of World War II, Okinawa became the site of fierce ground battles that claimed countless lives and erased much of its culture. Visiting this island is not only to learn about that tragedy, but also to reflect on the precious value of peace.
At the end of the tour, each participant receives a sheet of origami paper, on which they are invited to write their thoughts or wishes for peace — words that arise from the heart after standing on these historic grounds.
Each handwritten message is folded into a paper crane. As a thousand cranes come together, they form a single Senbazuru — a quiet symbol of everyone’s shared hope for peace. These cranes, carrying your heartfelt wishes, are dedicated to Okinawa’s Sites of Peace — places where the spirit of remembrance and hope continues to live on.
May each word take flight like a feather, and may these prayers, born in Okinawa, cross borders and generations to carry the spirit of peace to the world.