"Daydreaming in a Share House" is a talk event where the owner and guests of Roopt, a share house utilizing retro properties, freely imagine fun ways of living, thinking, "It would be nice if we could do that" and "It would be nice if we had this." For the first installment of the Higashimatsushima Shintonae edition, we invited Masayo Sekiguchi, who works as an immigration coordinator for Higashimatsushima City, connecting people and the city, and people with people, to daydream about life at Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintonae.
The theme, "How to enjoy a too-spacious house by the sea?" sparked many daydreams from Ms. Sekiguchi and the participants. We encourage our readers to also imagine what they would like to do in a spacious house by the sea as they read.
Born in Tokyo. Worked as a graphic designer at a music production company in Tokyo, designing CD jackets and concert merchandise for artists. Started volunteering in Tohoku after the Great East Japan Earthquake and moved to Higashimatsushima City, Miyagi Prefecture in 2016. While working as a regional revitalization cooperator, she created posters for the city and package designs for farmers and fishermen, and also launched the citizen group H x Imagine, planning events to make the town exciting. Currently, she works as an immigration coordinator, engaging in various activities related to promoting migration and settlement.
First, let's briefly introduce Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintonae, the setting for this "daydreaming" session.
Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintonae is a share house and guesthouse located in Higashimatsushima City, east of Matsushima, one of Japan's three most scenic views. It has 6 private rooms and 1 vacation rental room. Its most distinctive feature is the "spaciousness of the rooms," averaging 12.25 tatami mats, making it suitable not only for individuals but also for couples or families. It is a two-story share house located a 15-minute walk from Tona Station on the JR Senseki Line. With a large balcony on the second floor and the sea nearby, this location offers enjoyment both "inside" and "outside" the share house.
If you would like to know more about Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintonae, please refer to this share house information page.
The first half of the event, a talk session, was moderated by Kyoko Watanabe, CEO of Makigumi Inc., the owner of the "Roopt" share house, who asked questions to guest Ms. Sekiguchi. Many questions and comments were also received from event participants, making it a very pleasant event.
Watanabe: Ms. Sekiguchi, you were appointed as a regional revitalization cooperator in Higashimatsushima City in 2016 and are still active as an immigration coordinator for Higashimatsushima City, but before that, you worked in Tokyo, didn't you?
Sekiguchi: Yes, I worked as a designer in the music industry for 13 years. I designed CD jackets and tour merchandise for artists, and sometimes went on location scouting with photographers as a coordinator. It was an enjoyable job, but I had to quit due to overwork and health issues, which was my time in Tokyo.
Watanabe: I hear you even designed merchandise for super famous artists. How did you end up moving to Higashimatsushima from there?
Sekiguchi: I had been coming to Miyagi frequently as a volunteer for earthquake reconstruction since 2011, so I already had a connection. Some time after I resigned, I was approached by someone from Higashimatsushima City Hall who asked, "Would you like to work for the city as a designer?" I never imagined I could live in Miyagi as a designer, so I readily accepted and decided to move and work there. To be honest, I initially thought I was being hired as a city hall employee, and only later found out I was a regional revitalization cooperator (laughs).
Watanabe: That's an interesting backstory (laughs). You're currently working as an immigration coordinator, but are the number of immigrants actually increasing?
Sekiguchi: Yes, they are increasing. The city is also putting a lot of effort into immigration support, and thanks to that, I feel that the recognition of the name "Higashimatsushima City" itself is rising. Matsushima Town next door is certainly famous, but it feels like over time, people have come to understand that "there is a city called Higashimatsushima that is different from there."
Participant 1: Compared to Sendai and Ishinomaki, what do you think are the advantages of moving to Higashimatsushima?
Sekiguchi: Sendai and Ishinomaki have many interesting people, and I sometimes envy that, but Higashimatsushima, in turn, offers greater opportunities for involvement. The residents and businesses are close-knit, so I feel it's easier to receive consultations like, "Can you do this?" By the way, since it's only a 35-minute train ride from Sendai, the number of people moving from Sendai is also increasing.
Watanabe: It might be a city with many opportunities for people who want to work hard and succeed.
Watanabe: Going back a bit, what kind of life did you have in Tokyo?
Sekiguchi: Actually, I lived in a share house the entire time I was in Tokyo. So, I was quite happy when they contacted me this time (laughs).
Watanabe: Is that so! What kind of share house was it?
Sekiguchi: I lived with media editors, TV professionals, and others in similar professions to mine, but everyone's work hours were so varied that even people in the same room wouldn't see each other for more than half the week (laughs). However, even without seeing them, just feeling the presence of others gave me a sense of security, so I think that's the good thing about a share house that you don't get when living alone.
Watanabe: It prevents loneliness, doesn't it? Has your life changed since you moved to Higashimatsushima?
Sekiguchi: I started living alone for the first time in Higashimatsushima, and there were both good things and things I missed. The good thing was that I could live in a spacious house for about the same rent as a single apartment in Tokyo, and I found comfortable living enjoyable. On the other hand, even living alone, the room felt too big, and buying furniture and appliances was difficult both financially and in terms of effort.
Watanabe: In a share house, you can share things without having to prepare them yourself, so that's a big advantage of a share house.
Sekiguchi: And having acquaintances around for emotional support is also a benefit of a share house.
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