At Roopt, we regularly hold events not only to recruit residents but also to introduce many people to the charm of share house living and Miyagi Prefecture. From these events, this time we will report on the "1st Roopt MEET UP" held for three days from April 29 (Fri) to May 1 (Sun), 2022!
Unlike the "Imagining Life in a Share House" series we've held so far, the Roopt MEET UP is a mobile event that makes full use of 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 the Roopt MEET UP, it's an event where participants "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 tourist focus.
■Schedule April 29 (Fri) 12:00: Meet at Hon-Shiogama Station 12:30: Shiogama city walk & lunch 15:00: Tour of Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori 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 Views 14:00: Tour of Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintome 15:30: Higashimatsushima city 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 headed straight into Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori. After self-introductions and a brief orientation, we took our first group photo. Everyone looks great.
Originally, this was lunch time, but since rain was forecast for the afternoon, we changed our plans and went for a city walk first. The first place we visited was Shiogama Shrine, a historic shrine designated as a National Important Cultural Property. We enjoyed its tranquil atmosphere, ate fried mochi, and took photos of the Shiogama cherry blossoms, spending a fulfilling time.
Afterward, we walked through a retro-style shopping street, gathering information on cafes and other shops. From old-fashioned candy stores to new gelato and chocolate shops, it's a fun shopping street just to walk through.
For a late lunch, we went to "otomo," a restaurant offering daily lunch specials. The menu is set by day of the week, and on this day (Friday), it was curry. Participants seemed satisfied, enjoying the wait by browsing merchandise and chatting, then savoring the mild-flavored curry.
As the rain intensified, we returned to the share house, where we received an explanation about the renovation efforts at Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori. A participant who hopes to open a guesthouse in the future listened with great interest. Afterward, there was a fun activity where we decided our rooms by a lottery.
During the subsequent free time, everyone enjoyed themselves in their own way, whether working, going to a cafe, or taking a break. They seemed happy that the schedule wasn't too packed, allowing them to enjoy at their own pace.
In the evening, we had a social gathering in the share house. Many of the operating members and participants were meeting for the first time, making it an opportunity to deepen friendships. Later, residents of Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori joined us, and we had various conversations, making it a great end to the first day.
Participants' Impressions
After the first day, which flew by, we received comments like these from the participants.
The extensive support before the event made me feel at ease participating!
The renovation efforts at Roopt were interesting. There's a fascinating aspect you can only understand by seeing it inside.
Day 2 started surprisingly 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 make your own seafood bowl. Both participants and staff 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 to Matsushima, one of Japan's Three Views. It takes about 10 minutes from Hon-Shiogama Station, so being able to easily visit one of Japan's leading tourist spots is a major attraction. The beauty of the scenery goes without saying.
After enjoying Matsushima, we moved again by JR to Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintome, our second place of stay. Makigumi's PR representative, Hiratsuka, joined us and explained the concept of Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintome and its renovation efforts. Participants seemed to be imagining "what kind of life they would like to live" there.
We gave a brief tour of Higashimatsushima city.
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