"Imagining in a Share House" is a talk event held at Roopt, a share house utilizing retro properties, where the landlord and guests can freely fantasize about fun ways of living, such as "Wouldn't it be great if we could do this?" or "Wouldn't it be great if we had this?". For the first installment of the Shiogama Kaigan-dori edition, we invited Kazunari Monou, who is involved in community building activities mainly in Sendai, to join the event participants in imagining all sorts of things about Roopt Shiogama Kaigan-dori and life in Shiogama City.
Thanks to Ms. Momoi's deep understanding of media and community, there were many unique ideas, making the entire venue a place of excitement. Readers, please enjoy imagining what life would be like in Shiogama, a town full of port town charm.
Born in Sendai City in 1982 and raised in Iwaki City. Completed the Master's program in Spatial Design at the Graduate School of Business Planning, Miyagi University. Joined the NPO Sendai-Miyagi NPO Center in 2008. After serving as the director of the Tagajo City Citizen Activity Support Center, left the organization in 2016. In the same year, established the general incorporated association Granny Rideto. Director of the Rifu Town Community, People, and Work Creation Station tsumiki (since 2016), Director of the shared complex facility THE6 (since 2016), and part-time lecturer at Tohoku Bunka Gakuen University (since 2018). Co-authored "Citizen-Participatory Community Development Learned from Reconstruction - Intermediate Support and Networking -" (Soseisha, 2018). Also active as the leader of Tsurezure-dan, an organization focused on making everyday life in Tohoku more interesting.
First, let me briefly introduce Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori, the setting for this "fantasy."
Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori is a four-story share house located about 30 minutes by train or car from Sendai Station, and a 1-minute walk from Hon-Shiogama Station on the JR Senseki Line. The second floor has a common space and rooms for short-term rentals, while the third and fourth floors have a total of five private rooms for share house residents. The house offers a glimpse into Shiogama's "artistic" atmosphere, with features such as bookshelves utilizing the steps of the staircase, a ceiling painted in tricolor, and tatami mats that were discarded during renovations embedded in the walls.
For more information about Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori, please see this share house information page.
The first half of the event consisted of a talk session moderated by Kyoko Watanabe, CEO of Makigumi Co., Ltd., the owner of the "Roopt" share house, who asked questions to the guest, Momoi.
First, we asked about coworking spaces around Sendai, as well as communities that Momoi herself is involved in and manages.
Watanabe: When I think of Momoi-san, I strongly associate her with managing spaces like THE6 (a shared office and coworking space in Sendai City). Could you tell me what got you started in that field?
Momoi: When THE6 was first established, the company that was running it had a challenge: "We're good at construction, but we're not good at creating communication among the residents." They asked us to help run the space, and that's how it all started. I used my experience running public facilities during my time at an NPO to help liven up the space and so on.
Watanabe: I imagine the types of people who live in a place vary depending on the location, but what do you think is the significance of "sharing" in the first place?
Momoi: Of course, there are economic benefits such as lower rent, but more importantly, it creates new value that didn't exist before.
Watanabe: Could you tell me a little more specifically?
Momoi: For example, if a company wants to create a new sign and is looking for a designer, they might not normally have any contact with each other, but they can meet because it's a shared office. And even if they don't know each other yet, connecting them can lead to job orders and new projects. I think that's a big part of the value of sharing.
Watanabe: I guess it's the people themselves that make them attractive, isn't it?
Momoi: That's right. Just having the right facilities isn't enough to make a place attractive. I think knowing "what kind of people are there" makes it easier to attract people and creates a sense of security.
Watanabe: The same could probably be said for Roopt. Have there been any interesting incidents that have occurred while you've been running it, Momoi-san?
Momoi: Yes, there were. There was a resident of THE6 who loved to bake cakes, and before we knew it, that person had made connections with the neighborhood association and ended up setting up a stall at the town festival. Or, the residents of THE6 created a local map of the area where it is located, and in the process, relationships were formed with the surrounding shops.
Watanabe: It's amazing how the residents are proactively connecting with the local community!
Watanabe: Let's get to the main topic, "Daydreaming in a Share House." I know you frequent Shiogama, so I'd like to hear about some interesting spots in Shiogama from Momoi's perspective.
Momoi: There are plenty. There are cultural facilities such as the Shiogama City Sugimura Jun Museum of Art, which is designated as a municipal tangible cultural property, and the Nagai Katsuichi Manga Museum, which honors Nagai Katsuichi, who served as the editor-in-chief of the manga magazine "Monthly Manga Garo." There are also sake breweries where you can sample Miyagi's famous sake, "Urakasumi."
Watanabe: Shiogama has many cultural places, doesn't it?
Momoi: That's right. Actually, Shiogama is also famous for haiku, and I was taught by Seiichiro Watanabe (who is from Shiogama), a famous haiku poet, at a group called "Haiku Society," and I was writing haiku while crying (laughs).
Watanabe: So you received loving guidance (laughs). If Momoi-san, who is so knowledgeable about Shiogama's culture, were to live at Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori, what would you like to do?
Momoi: We could take advantage of our location, which is just a one-minute walk from the station, and start something like an "unofficial tourist association."
Watanabe: An unofficial tourism association...?
Momoi: For example, we could create a "personal preference map" where residents introduce their favorite local shops, saying things like, "I like this aspect of this confectionery," from their own perspective, and make it an open space for people using Hon-Shiogama Station. By doing so, we could create connections with locals and tourists alike, and it could function like a tourist information center. So, it might be interesting to have creative people who work in video, design, writing, etc., move in.
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