At Roopt, we not only recruit residents, but we also hold events from time to time to let more people know about share house living and the charms of Miyagi Prefecture. From among those events, this time we will introduce the "1st Roopt MEET UP" which was held for three days from April 29th (Fri) to May 1st (Sun), 2022!
Unlike the "Daydreaming in a Share House" series we've held so far, Roopt MEET UP is a mobile event that makes full use of multiple Roopt locations. If you're curious about what happened at the first event, what the participants thought, or about Roopt and Miyagi Prefecture, please read on.
To briefly explain Roopt MEET UP, it's an event where you can experience life in a port town in Miyagi Prefecture while staying at one of Roopt's locations. As of June 2022, the event takes place in Shiogama City, Higashimatsushima City, and Ishinomaki City, where Roopt has locations, and aims to let participants learn about the charms of Roopt and Miyagi Prefecture through walking tours and interactions.
This inaugural event followed the schedule below. As it took place during the first half of Golden Week, the schedule was heavily focused on sightseeing.
■Schedule Friday, April 29th 12:00: Meet at Hon-Shiogama Station 12:30: Walk around Shiogama town & lunch 15:00: Guided tour of Shiogama coastal road by Roopt 19:00: Social gathering Saturday, April 30th 7:30: Breakfast at Shiogama Fish Market 10:30: Sightseeing in Matsushima, one of Japan's three most scenic spots 14:00: Sightseeing on the Shin-Tomei Expressway in Higashi-Matsushima by Roopt 15:30: Walk around Higashi-Matsushima town 19:30: Social gathering Sunday, May 1st 10:00: Walk around Ishinomaki town 12:00: Wrap-up 12:30: Disband
participants
The following four people participated in the first Roopt MEET UP. Many of them were visiting Miyagi Prefecture for the first time, and everyone seemed to enjoy the MEET UP with a fresh perspective.
Female in her 30s, residing in Shizuoka Prefecture, freelance web director.
Now, let's get to the main topic. I'll report on the contents of the 2-night, 3-day Roopt MEET UP!
We met at Hon-Shiogama Station at 12:00 and then went straight into Roopt Shiogama Kaigan-dori. After introductions and a brief orientation, we took our first group photo. Everyone looks great!
It was originally lunchtime, but since rain was forecast for the afternoon, we changed our plans and decided to take a walk around town first. The first place we visited was Shiogama Shrine, a historical shrine designated as a National Important Cultural Property. We enjoyed its tranquil atmosphere, ate fried mochi, and took pictures of things like the Shiogama cherry blossoms, making for a very fulfilling time.
Afterward, I walked through the retro-style shopping street, gathering information about cafes and other shops. From old-fashioned candy stores to newer gelato and chocolate shops, it's a fun shopping street just to walk around in.
For a late lunch, we went to "otomo," a restaurant that offers a daily changing lunch menu. The menu changes depending on the day of the week, and on this day (Friday), it was curry. While waiting, we looked at the merchandise and chatted happily, and everyone seemed satisfied after eating the mild-tasting curry.
As the rain intensified, we returned to the share house for a presentation on the renovations and innovations at Roopt Shiogama Kaigan-dori. The participants, some of whom aspire to open a guesthouse in the future, seemed to listen with great interest. Afterwards, there was a fun little entertainment segment where we decided which room to stay in using a lottery system.
During their free time afterward, they each enjoyed themselves in their own way, whether it was working, going to a cafe, or taking a break. It seems they were happy that they weren't over-scheduled and could enjoy themselves at their own pace.
In the evening, we had a get-together at the share house. Many of the organizing members and participants were meeting for the first time, so it was a great opportunity to get to know each other better. Later, some residents from Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori joined us, and we had a great time chatting about various things, making it a wonderful way to end the first day.
Participant feedback
After the first day, which ended in the blink of an eye, we received the following feedback from the participants.
Thanks to the extensive support I received leading up to the day before, I was able to participate with peace of mind!
I found the renovations at Roopt interesting. There's a certain charm to it that you can only appreciate by going inside and seeing it for yourself.
On the second day, we started our day at 7 AM! We went to the Shiogama Fish 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 rice bowl. Both the participants and the organizing staff were in high spirits from the morning, enjoying making their own seafood rice bowls.
After returning to the share house from the wholesale market to take a breather, I took the JR train to Matsushima, one of Japan's three most scenic spots. It only takes about 10 minutes from Hon-Shiogama Station, so being able to easily get to one of Japan's leading tourist destinations is a major attraction. The beauty of the scenery needs no explanation.
After enjoying Matsushima, we traveled by JR train again to our second accommodation, Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintomei. Hiratsuka from Makigumi's public relations department joined us and explained the concept of Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintomei and the ingenuity of its renovation. The participants seemed to be letting their imaginations run wild, wondering, "What kind of life would I like to live there?"
I gave you a brief tour of the town of Higashimatsushima.
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