[Vacant Property Utilization] Introducing Case Studies of Vacant Houses and Stores in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture!
In recent years, the issue of vacant houses has been greatly highlighted across Japan, and more people are starting businesses and new activities by utilizing vacant properties.
The utilization of vacant houses and stores not only solves such social problems but also provides opportunities for new challenges.
For those wondering, "What kind of businesses can be started by utilizing vacant houses and stores?" this article introduces examples from Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture.
We hope you'll enjoy reading and thinking about various things, such as property images and utilization methods, on your own.
There are various ways to start a business, but here are five advantages of starting a store-based business by utilizing vacant houses and stores.
This is probably what many people imagine when they hear "vacant property utilization," and cost reduction is indeed a significant advantage.
By utilizing existing vacant houses instead of new construction, construction costs and equipment investment can be minimized.
The building itself has history, and local residents are aware of it, so utilizing that vacant house itself can be an opportunity to gain interest.
Also, by communicating with the landlord, it may become easier to be introduced to local people.
The vacant house problem is now a nationwide issue, and utilizing vacant houses greatly contributes to the community.
By not only utilizing vacant houses but also starting new businesses, you can contribute to the revitalization of the local economy.
By utilizing vacant houses, the environmental burden associated with new construction can be reduced.
By utilizing waste materials and taking over furniture, it also leads to sustainable renovation.
If you want to start a business that uses a storefront, utilizing an existing building allows you to start your business more quickly than constructing a new property.
Depending on the condition of the vacant house, you can even utilize the existing layout and floor plan to start your business even more rapidly.
Now, let's introduce case studies of vacant house and store utilization in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture.
The business genres and uses of vacant houses are diverse, so we hope you'll feel that "this kind of approach is also possible."
Theater Kinematica, an entertainment complex with a cafe and theater, opened in 2022.
It operates in an area where art-related facilities used to gather, utilizing a former futon shop with the desire that "the flame of art must never be extinguished."
With a cafe in the front and a theater in the back, the intention is to "create a place where even people unfamiliar with art can easily enter."
Screenings and events are held almost every week, making it a new artistic hub for the region.
Address: 1-3-12 Chuo, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture 986-0822 Access: 12-minute walk from JR Ishinomaki Station Official HP:https://www.r-ishinomaki.com/kinematica
Next to Theater Kinematica, there is a brewery called 'ISHINOMAKI HOP WORKS' which utilizes the former Nikkatsu Pearl Theater building.
It is a brewery operated by "Ishinomaki Farm," an agricultural corporation that cultivates its own hops, establishing a flow of bringing its own hops to its own brewery to produce its own craft beer.
In the spring of 2023, a crowdfunding campaign was also conducted to create a beer stand between it and Theater Kinematica, creating a movement to revitalize the region in collaboration.
The brewery is not usually open to the public, but irregularly holds open days, so if you're interested, please check the ISHINOMAKI HOP WORKS website or Instagram account.
Address: 1-3-14 Chuo, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture 986-0822 Access: 12-minute walk from JR Ishinomaki Station Official HP:https://www.ishinomakihopworks.com/
'IRORI Ishinomaki' operates under the concept of "The lobby of the most interesting town in the world, IRORI Ishinomaki."
It is a facility born from a handmade renovation of a garage damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake, serving as a cafe and coworking space that local residents can easily visit.
The cafe space has a system where you can "sit down without ordering," creating opportunities for high school students and others to simply drop by and interact with adults.
The coworking space is available from 5,000 yen per month, and corporate registration is also possible for an additional fee.
Address: Nittaya Building 1F, 2-10-2 Chuo, Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture 986-0822 Access: 10-minute walk from JR Ishinomaki Station Official HP:http://irori.ishinomaki2.com/
'Michikusa Kobo' is a shared workshop where craft lovers gather, utilizing a vacant house with poor conditions—not facing a road, and located "even further back" behind multiple private homes.
Not only do users share the space, but as the name suggests, on open days held several times a week, anyone can easily drop in.
Because it's a shared space, the cost per person can be kept down, and many collaborative initiatives are born from it.
As of summer 2023, it is shared by four people: a sewing artist, a fortune teller, a general store owner, and a philosopher.
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