Peace of mind cannot be built alone.

"A Music Festival to Explore 'Reassuring Relationships'"

On Partner Day, April 14, 2024, we held BLUE HANDS TOKYO, a free music festival at the lawn plaza of Shibuya MIYASHITA PARK. The festival aimed to raise awareness about sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Our goal was to educate attendees about the significance of prevention and testing, and to encourage them to reflect on the importance of building safe and trusting relationships with both themselves and their partners.

Issue

Raising Awareness of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a common health concern. To raise awareness about the importance of prevention and testing—not only among those who may be difficult to reach online or have little interest in the topic, but also among partners, friends, and loved ones—Nekuino Inc. initiated the "#Shikatanakunai" (It Doesn't Have to Be This Way) social project. This project aims to challenge the widespread notion of "it can't be helped" in matters related to the body and sexual health.

Creation

A free music festival to create opportunities for thinking about "Reassuring Relationships."

We hosted BLUE HANDS TOKYO, a free music festival to inspire thoughts about building "trusting relationships" with oneself and partners. Six artists who agreed with the concept performed live and made statements. We also set up a "statement photo booth" where people could take photos posing with their hands raised towards the future. By gathering photos of both artists and the audience with the same pose, we aimed to create a "circle of support" for safe sex. The venue featured a message board where people could anonymously share things they'd like to keep in mind or communicate with their partners to foster trust. This allowed participants to visualize their future intentions and current concerns. Furthermore, we provided everyone with a "smaluna check," an at-home STI mail testing kit provided by Nekuino, and original condoms from our sponsor, Nakane Rubber Co., Ltd.

The participating artists included Akko Gorilla, Lovely Summer Chan, Maco Marets, ASOUND, Le Makeup, and Aisho Nakajima. They actively participated in live performances featuring original remixes of #Shikatanakunai, as well as engaged in proactive communication before and after the event. Through music, we were able to reach a larger audience and advocate for building trusting relationships and raising awareness about STIs.