Hello! I'm Shiyu Sano, a fourth-year student.
I would like to introduce Yumekobo, my favorite place.

Yumekobo is a facility on the Kanazawa Campus where we can work on mechanical fabrication. It is mainly used by students of Kanazawa Institute of Technology, but ICT students like us can also use it.
There is also a place called Maker Studio V on the Kanazawa Campus where we can do mechanical work, but Yumekobo is much larger in scale. In addition, if we have the required license, we can use the facility freely during its opening hours (until 9 PM on weekdays and until 5 PM on Saturdays) even without a faculty member present.

I have been a member of the Design & Fabrication Club since my first year and have been participating in the National College of Technology Robot Contest (Kosen Robocon) project. At first, I didn’t understand anything, but I gradually discovered the joy of machining parts, and I’m still completely absorbed in it today.

At Yumekobo, you can use machine tools and other equipment after completing the safety training and license training. I had also taken similar training at the Maker Studio at the Hakusanroku Campus during my first year, but the license training at Yumekobo is divided into more specialized fields, making it longer and considerably more difficult. In addition, during the first semester—when applications tend to pile up—the training sessions may be assigned by lottery, so there were times when I couldn’t take the courses as planned. Since I was working on building a robot for Kosen Robocon at the time, I felt a bit anxious.

Although this is a bit of a digression, the rules for the Kosen Robocon are announced in mid‑April, the regional competitions are held in October, and the national competition takes place in mid‑November. This year’s Tokai-Hokuriku regional competition was held in Toyama City on Sunday, October 5. In the first match of the preliminary league, our robot passed through the gate without any mistakes and scored 260 points. However, in the second match, the gate collapsed, and we were eliminated from the preliminary league. But incredibly, we received the Technical Award, and thanks to the judges’ recommendation, we earned a spot in the national competition!!!

We decided to improve our robot in preparation for the national competition on Sunday, November 16. I’ll leave the detailed story to the ICT Journal written by Professor Michihiro Hayashi.

Since the building on the Kanazawa Campus where we usually practiced had a low ceiling—so low that the cardboard gate almost touched it—and the space was a bit cramped, our robot sometimes couldn’t make a clean lap around the gate. Because of this, we were allowed to practice at Yumekobo on short notice two weeks before the national competition. We were able to borrow the space normally used by the KIT Robot Project members, which allowed us to practice freely in an environment very close to actual competition conditions. Since the technicians from Yumekobo who always support us, as well as seniors from KIT came to watch, I felt a little nervous.

Thanks to everyone’s support, we were able to win our first match at the national competition!!! Unfortunately, we were eliminated in the second round, but we received the prestigious Design Award. Although our main team had only four members, and we caused a great deal of trouble for our advisor, Professor Hayashi (and honestly, we still are), we achieved a result we could proudly bring home. It’s no exaggeration to say that Professor Hayashi was the one who truly earned the award.

Now, I’d like to explain why Yumekobo has become my favorite place—not just a facility where we can use machine tools. In the fourth year of the ICT program, there is an internship course through which students can gain experience in places such as research laboratories and the Student Station, a hub for student interaction and information sharing at KIT. Yumekobo is also one of the possible internship placements, and I chose it without hesitation. I spent about three months doing an internship at Yumekobo, during which I also had the opportunity to help create manuals for its users. Since almost everything was new to me, it felt like I was finally able to see Yumekobo—not just from the perspective of a user, but also, even if only a little, from the perspective of those who run it. Through this experience, my awareness of machine tools and safety changed significantly. Wanting to be more deeply involved, I decided to apply to become a student staff member at Yumekobo.

Let me also explain a bit about the student staff (on‑campus internship) system. KIT operates a student staff program in which students work on campus. Those who participate not only earn income but also take an active role in improving the campus environment, making it a valuable opportunity for personal growth. There are many places to work on campus, but ICT students can only work at Yumekobo and the Student Station.

Unlike during the internship course, where I worked more like a guest or trainee, I am now working as a paid staff member. Because of that, I’m doing my best not to cause any trouble for the technicians or the senior staff.

Yumekobo student staff members wear yellow jackets while working, so we are also known as the “Yellow Staff.” Our duties cover a wide range of tasks, including reception work, inspecting machine tools, and cleaning—always making sure that students using Yumekobo can work safely and with peace of mind. I’ve also become a bit more knowledgeable about the machine tools than before, and I feel that I’ve been able to grow in my own way.

I simply enjoy machining parts, and with so many machine tools available—and the casual conversations I get to have with the technicians and senior staff—Yumekobo has become a comfortable place for me, almost a part of my daily life.

On Saturday, February 21 this year, the Yumekobo Project Presentation will be held, and the Kosen Robocon team will also have a booth. Yumekobo is also open to the public during the Kosen Festival (the school festival) held in October, so if you’re interested, please come visit. It’s a facility that’s fun to see even if you’re just looking around.

That concludes my introduction to Yumekobo, my favorite place.

Shiyu Sano