"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, such as "it would be nice to do this" or "it would be nice to have that." For the first Higashimatsushima Shintona edition, we invited Masayo Sekiguchi, an immigration coordinator for Higashimatsushima City who connects people with the city and people with each other, and daydreamed about various aspects of life at Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintona.
With the theme of "How to enjoy a too-spacious house by the sea?", many daydreams were born from Ms. Sekiguchi and the participants. We encourage readers to also imagine what they would like to do in a too-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. As a regional revitalization cooperator, she designed city posters and packaging for farmers and fishermen, while also establishing the civic group H x Imagine to plan exciting events for the town. Currently, as an immigration coordinator, she is involved in various activities related to promoting migration and settlement.
First, let's briefly introduce Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintona, the stage for this "daydreaming" session.
Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintona 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 notable feature is the "spaciousness of the rooms," averaging 12.25 tatami mats, making it suitable not only for individuals but also for couples and families. It is a two-story share house located a 15-minute walk from Higashinami Station on the JR Senseki Line. With a large balcony on the second floor and the sea nearby, it is a base that offers enjoyment both "inside" and "outside" the share house.
If you would like to know more about Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintona, 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 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 you were working in Tokyo before that, weren'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 a fun job, but I had to quit due to health problems caused by overwork, 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, an official from Higashimatsushima City Hall asked me, "Would you like to work for the city as a designer?" I never imagined I could live in Miyagi as a designer, so I decided to move and work there, saying, "Absolutely." 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 behind-the-scenes story (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 perhaps thanks to that, the recognition of the name "Higashimatsushima City" itself seems to be increasing. The neighboring town of Matsushima is certainly famous, but it feels like it has taken time for people to understand that "there is a city called Higashimatsushima that is different from that one."
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 on the other hand, Higashimatsushima offers greater opportunities for involvement. The residents and business owners are also close, so I feel it's easy 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 people in similar professions, such as media editors and TV personnel, but everyone's work hours were different, so even people in the same room sometimes wouldn't see each other for more than half the week (laughs). However, even if I didn't see them, just feeling someone's presence 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 certainly prevents loneliness. Has your life changed since you moved to Higashimatsushima?
Sekiguchi: Higashimatsushima was the first time I lived alone, 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 thought it would be fun to live comfortably. On the other hand, even living alone, I had too much room, and buying furniture and appliances was difficult both financially and in terms of effort.
Watanabe: Share houses allow you to share things without having to prepare them yourself, so that's a big advantage of share houses.
Sekiguchi: And having acquaintances there for emotional support is also a benefit of share houses.
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