https://www.shinshu-u.ac.jp/topics/2026/04/8j-peaks.html

On Saturday, April 4, during the 2026 Academic Year Entrance Ceremony held at the Kissei Cultural Hall, we conducted a promotional event to raise awareness of the “J-PEAKS (Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities)” initiative, which our university is promoting.
On the day of the event, we set up a special booth in the entrance hall to introduce J-PEAKS and, as a new initiative, sold “Iroha-do Oyaki” under the theme “Science, Technology, and Traditional Cuisine.” We planned this event with the idea that if people realized the cutting-edge research conducted at the university—which might otherwise seem somewhat distant—is actually connected to the products they eat every day, it might help them feel a closer connection to the university. The science and technology featured this time is “Shindai Crystal,” an inorganic crystalline material that is one of the core technologies of J-PEAKS. It removes unwanted components from water, leaving behind only “natural minerals,” which are the key to flavor. By using this water in the dough, we succeeded in bringing out the maximum umami flavor of the oyaki’s ingredients.
There was high interest in both Shindai Crystal and the oyaki, and before the entrance ceremony concluded, we sold out a total of approximately 1,500 oyaki—including those prepared in advance and those added on short notice. We believe this provided a valuable opportunity for new students and their parents to experience the university’s research achievements firsthand.
This J-PEAKS promotional event and oyaki sale are part of our activities in the Aqua Regeneration (ARG) field, centered on world-class materials research—a core strength of our university. Through the J-PEAKS initiative, our university aims to achieve both a sustainable society and the regeneration of the global environment (Earth Positive) by utilizing innovative water purification technologies and other advancements.