In Japan, golf carts are being used in a creative way as part of an outdoor library project. On September 19 and 20, 2026, the Hakodate Onuma Prince Hotel in Nanae, Hokkaido, transformed several golf carts into shelves for its Komorebi Library, an open-air library set up along a walking path on the hotel grounds. The event was part of the Komorebi Toshokan project, which placed books on the grass, alongside wine cases and mats for visitors to sit and read under the trees. The library was open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., free of charge and without the need for reservations. According to a press release from Seibu Prince Hotels & Resorts, the setup was located near the Prince Bakery on a walking path, not on the hotel’s golf course. The Komorebi Library was named after the Japanese term for sunlight filtering through leaves, and it aimed to encourage younger generations to engage with printed books, as the organizers noted the growing use of smartphones and e-books. The event featured nature-related workshops, including the preparation of herbal teas and gel printing using leaves, as well as physical games like mölkky, a Finnish throwing game. The library also shared space with the Onuma Marché, a local market organized by the Nanae-Onuma Tourism and Convention Association, which showcased local food, crafts, and services. This collaboration between the library and the market had already taken place in the previous year’s event. The outdoor library initiative was first tested in September 2025, when the first Komorebi Library was set up on the hotel’s "forest path" with activities such as outdoor readings, treasure hunts, and child-friendly events. For the 2026 edition, the hotel aimed to give the younger generation the "pleasure of taking a book in hand" and discovering new stories. The setup used repurposed items like golf carts and wine cases, and no screens or electronic devices were involved. The books were placed in the greenery at a height that made them easy for visitors to pick up, allowing them to move around and sit on mats as they read.