TOKYU HOTELS Co., Ltd. (headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter referred to as "TOKYU HOTELS") and Tokyu Bus Co., Ltd. (headquarters: Meguro-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter referred to as "Tokyu Bus") will hold an environmental education event called "Learning about SDGs through Hydrogen" for 36 fifth graders from Kawasaki City Higashi-Ojima Elementary School at KAWASAKI KING SKYFRONT TOKYU REI HOTEL (Kawasaki City Kanagawa), which is operated by TOKYU HOTELS, on Thursday, December 15, 2022, where the students will learn about the "hydrogen initiatives" being implemented by both companies while experiencing them.
This initiative was proposed to Kawasaki City by TOKYU HOTELS and Tokyu Bus, and was implemented with the cooperation of the Kawasaki City Board of Education.
On the day, the children gathered at 9am, where they were first given an explanation by hotel staff about how the "Hydrogen Hotel" (*1) works at the venue, KAWASAKI KING SKYFRONT TOKYU REI HOTEL. Afterwards, they were given the opportunity to learn not only through classroom lectures but also through hands-on experience, including a tour of a lettuce factory (*2) within the hotel, where hydrogen-derived energy is used to grow vegetables, and to drive a hydrogen-powered remote-controlled car. They then toured Tokyu Bus' fuel cell bus (hydrogen bus) (*3) on the hotel grounds, learning about how it works while taking a test drive. The entire program, including a Q&A session, lasted about two and a half hours.
TOKYU HOTELS and Tokyu Bus would like the children who will lead the next generation to know more about the role of hydrogen and realize its potential, and we would like to learn about the environment together and work together in whatever way we can.
We will continue to provide environmental education to children and promote environmental activities in collaboration with the local community.
KAWASAKI KING SKYFRONT TOKYU REI HOTEL
Fuel cell bus "SORA"
Overview of the environmental study "Learning about SDGs through Hydrogen"
Date and time
Thursday, December 15, 2022 9:00am - 12:00pm (including travel time)
participant
36 students (5th graders) from Higashi-Oshima Elementary School, Kawasaki City
(5-25-1 Oshima, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki City Kanagawa Prefecture)
Learning content and time schedule
- 09:00
-
Depart from Higashi Ojima Elementary School (travel by hotel shuttle bus)
- 09:20
-
Arrival at KAWASAKI KING SKYFRONT TOKYU REI HOTEL
(Move to hotel and take toilet break)
- 09:35
-
Lecture on the mechanism of "Hydrogen Hotel" in the co-working space on the first floor (35 mins)
- 10:10
-
Lettuce factory tour in the lobby on the first floor (10 minutes)
- 10:20
-
Hydrogen radio-controlled car experience in the 1st floor lobby (15 minutes)
(Toilet break ~ moving outside the building)
- 10:45
-
Learn about the mechanism of a fuel cell bus (hydrogen bus) while viewing and test driving it on the hotel grounds (transfer to the hotel)
- 11:15
-
Q&A session in the coworking space on the first floor
*There will be time for media interviews after the Q&A session with the children.
- 11:40
-
Depart from hotel (travel by hotel shuttle bus)
- 11:40
-
Depart from hotel (travel by hotel shuttle bus)
- 12:00
-
Arrival at Higashi Oshima Elementary School
- ※1
-
About Hydrogen Hotels
Since its opening in 2018, KAWASAKI KING SKYFRONT TOKYU REI HOTEL has participated in the Ministry of the Environment's Regional Collaboration and Low-Carbon Hydrogen Technology Demonstration Project under Kawasaki City's Waterfront Vision and Kawasaki Hydrogen Strategy, and has supplied approximately 30% of the hotel's electricity with hydrogen, but this demonstration project will end on March 31, 2022. In order to maintain CO2 reductions, the hotel will introduce a 50kW pure hydrogen stationary FC power generation system manufactured by Meiji Electric Industry Co., Ltd., which uses a fuel cell (FC) module manufactured by Toyota Motor Corporation, and will resume hydrogen power generation from January 2023 with the cooperation of partner companies.
- ※2
-
About the hotel's lettuce factory
-
On November 24, 2020, a lettuce factory powered by hydrogen energy was opened, and the first harvest was on December 24 of the same year.
-
Until hydrogen power generation resumes in January 2023, crops will be grown using biogas power.
-
- ※3
-
About Hydrogen Buses
Tokyu Bus has introduced the fuel cell bus "SORA" (manufactured by Toyota Motor Corporation) since April 1, 2020, and is operating between the south exit of Tokyo Station and Todoroki Marshalling Yard, and between Shibuya Station and Oimachi Station. The fuel cell bus "SORA" is a hybrid bus that uses diesel and
The difference is that it uses hydrogen as fuel instead of diesel. It generates electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the air, which drives the motor to run. It does not emit CO2 or other substances of concern while running, reducing the burden on the environment.
The vehicle is also quieter and more comfortable to ride in than a typical diesel bus.
Lettuce growing in the hotel lobby
The harvested lettuce is served at the hotel breakfast.
High-pressure hydrogen tank mounted on top of the bus
TOKYU HOTELS Overview
- Company Name
-
Tokyu Hotels Co., Ltd.
- location
-
3rd floor, Goto Educational Building, 1-10-7 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku Tokyo
- Representative
-
Jun Murai, President and CEO
- Established
-
January 9, 2001
The company operates 50 hotels nationwide, including TOKYU HOTEL, EXCEL HOTEL TOKYU, TOKYU REI HOTEL, and PARTNER HOTELS.
In 2019, we established a Sustainable Policy to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society through our hotel business.
Tokyu Bus Overview
- Company Name
-
Tokyu Bus Co., Ltd.
- location
-
Tokyu Ikejiri Ohashi Building 4F, 3-8-1 Higashiyama, Meguro-ku Tokyo
- Representative
-
President and CEO: Takashi Furukawa
- Established
-
May 21, 1991
The main operating areas are the Jonan district of Tokyo, Kawasaki City, and northern Yokohama City. In order to contribute to the realization of carbon neutrality, in addition to introducing fuel cell buses and hybrid buses, they are also using renewable energy power and making some of their bus stops CO2-free, a first in Japan.
- Official website