"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 this" and "it would be nice if we had that." For the first installment of the Higashimatsushima Shintona 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 Shintona.
The event generated many daydreams from Ms. Sekiguchi and the participants, living up to the theme of "How to enjoy a too-spacious house by the sea?" We encourage our readers to also read along while imagining what they would like to do in a too-spacious house by the sea.
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 designed city posters and packaging for farmers and fishermen, and also launched the civic group H×Imagine, planning exciting events for the city. Currently, she works as an immigration coordinator, engaging in various activities related to promoting immigration and settlement.
First, let me briefly introduce Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintona, the setting for this "daydreaming" session.
Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintona is a share house and guest house located in Higashimatsushima City, east of Matsushima, one of Japan's three most scenic views. It features 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 Higashinomyō Station on the JR Senseki Line. With a large balcony on the second floor and the sea nearby, it serves as a base with enjoyment both "inside" and "outside" the share house.
For more details 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 interviewed guest Ms. Sekiguchi. Many questions and comments were received from event participants, making for a very pleasant atmosphere.
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 a connection with Miyagi Prefecture since 2011, when I frequently visited as a volunteer for earthquake reconstruction. 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 untold 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 effort into immigration support, and perhaps because of that, the recognition of the name "Higashimatsushima City" itself seems to be rising. Matsushima Town next door is certainly famous, but it feels like the message that "there is a city called Higashimatsushima that is different from there" has gradually spread over time.
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 distance between residents and businesses is also close, 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: For people who want to work hard, it might be a city with many opportunities to 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 I was invited 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 had different work hours, so 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, and 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: Higashimatsushima was my first time living alone, and there were both good things and things I found lacking. The good thing was being able to live in a spacious house for about the same rent as a single apartment in Tokyo, and I found it enjoyable to have a comfortable life. On the other hand, even living alone, the room felt too big, and buying furniture and appliances was both financially and physically demanding.
Watanabe: Share houses allow you to share things without having to prepare them yourself, which is a big advantage of share houses.
Sekiguchi: And the fact that you have acquaintances there is also a mentally supportive benefit of a share house.
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