At Roopt, in addition to recruiting residents, we regularly hold events to introduce many people to share house living and the charms of Miyagi Prefecture. From these events, this time we'll report on the "1st Roopt MEET UP" held for three days from April 29 (Fri) to May 1 (Sun), 2022!
Unlike the "Daydreaming in a Share House" series we've held so far, Roopt MEET UP is a mobile event that fully utilizes multiple Roopt bases. If you're interested in Roopt or Miyagi Prefecture, please read on to find out what we did at the first event and what the participants experienced.
To briefly explain Roopt MEET UP, it's an event where you "experience life in Miyagi's port towns while staying at various Roopt bases." It's held to introduce the charms of Roopt and Miyagi Prefecture through city walks and interactions, set in Shiogama City, Higashimatsushima City, and Ishinomaki City, where Roopt bases are located as of June 2022.
The memorable first event was held according to the following schedule. As it was during the first half of Golden Week, the schedule had a strong tourism focus.
■Schedule April 29 (Fri) 12:00: Meet at Hon-Shiogama Station 12:30: Shiogama city walk & lunch 15:00: Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori tour 19:00: Social gathering April 30 (Sat) 7:30: Breakfast at Shiogama Seafood Wholesale Market 10:30: Sightseeing at Matsushima, one of Japan's Three Scenic Views 14:00: Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintome tour 15:30: Higashimatsushima town tour 19:30: Social gathering May 1 (Sun) 10:00: Ishinomaki city walk 12:00: Wrap-up 12:30: Dismissal
Participants
The following four people participated in the 1st Roopt MEET UP. Many of them were visiting Miyagi Prefecture for the first time, and they seemed to enjoy the MEET UP with a fresh perspective.
Female, 30s, residing in Shizuoka Prefecture, freelance web director
Now to the main topic. Here's a report on the 3-day, 2-night Roopt MEET UP!
We met at Hon-Shiogama Station at 12:00 and went straight into Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori. After self-introductions and a brief orientation, we took our first group photo. Everyone looks happy.
Originally, this was lunch time, but since rain was forecast for the afternoon, we changed the plan to walk around the city first. The first place we visited, Shiogama Shrine, is a historic shrine designated as a National Important Cultural Property. While enjoying its tranquil atmosphere, we spent a fulfilling time eating fried mochi and taking photos of Shiogama cherry blossoms.
Afterward, we walked through a retro-style shopping street, gathering information about cafes and other shops. There were old-fashioned shops like candy stores, as well as new gelato and chocolate shops, making it a fun street to simply walk along.
For a late lunch, we went to "otomo," a restaurant that offers daily lunch specials. The menu is set for each day of the week, and on this day (Friday), it was curry. Participants seemed satisfied, spending the waiting time looking at merchandise and chatting happily, and then enjoying the mild-flavored curry.
As the rain intensified, we returned to the share house, where we explained the renovation efforts at Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori. Participants who wanted to open a guesthouse in the future seemed very interested. Afterward, there was a small entertainment segment where rooms were decided by a lottery.
During the free time that followed, everyone enjoyed themselves in their own way, whether working, going to a cafe, or taking a break. It seems they appreciated not having too packed a schedule and being able to enjoy at their own pace.
In the evening, we had a social gathering in the share house. For many of the operating members and participants, it was their first meeting, providing an opportunity to deepen their friendships. Also, a resident of Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori joined us midway, and we had various conversations, making it a great end to the first day.
Participants' Feedback
After the first day, which flew by, we received feedback from participants like this:
The support before the event was excellent, so I felt at ease participating!
The renovation efforts at Roopt were interesting. There's an appeal you can only understand by seeing it inside.
Day 2 started early, at 7 AM! We went to the Shiogama Seafood Wholesale Market (hereinafter referred to as the Wholesale Market) for breakfast.
At the Wholesale Market, you can buy your favorite sashimi and create your own seafood bowl. Both participants and operating members were excited to make their own seafood bowls from the morning.
After enjoying the Wholesale Market, we returned to the share house for a break, then took the JR train to Matsushima, one of Japan's Three Scenic Views. It takes about 10 minutes from Hon-Shiogama Station, so being able to easily visit one of Japan's leading tourist destinations is a major appeal. The beauty of its scenery goes without saying.
After enjoying Matsushima, we moved again by JR to Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintome, our second place of stay. Hiratsuka from Makigumi PR joined us and explained the concept and renovation efforts of Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintome. Participants seemed to be imagining "what kind of life they would like to live" there.
We gave a brief tour of Higashimatsushima town.
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