Source: Peatix

I want to start a sauna in Tamura City, Fukushima Prefecture! A casual chat with a young immigrant whose life changed after he encountered saunas, and who decided to move and start a business here @ Shibuya Wework!

If you are one of these people, please join us!
■I want to move to the countryside with my family, but I'm worried about living and working.
■I'm interested in starting a business in the countryside, but I have no idea who to talk to!
■I'm interested in relocating, but I want to start by working part-time or trying out relocating first!
■I want to live a relaxed rural life and work in a way that suits me!
■I'm worried about starting a business in the metropolitan area, but I don't really understand the benefits of starting a business in the countryside!

The guests:

・Shinnosuke Honda, Entrepreneurial Regional Revitalization Volunteer

Born in Yamanashi Prefecture, 29 years old. He used to work as an office worker in Tokyo, but when he was struggling with life as an office worker, he discovered saunas and learned their charm. Since then, he has become an enthusiast, visiting saunas all over Japan and even Finland.

With the goal of running his own sauna after retiring from work, he will move to Tamura City alone in December 2023 and take up his post as an entrepreneurial regional revitalization volunteer. He is currently working hard every day to open a sauna facility in Tamura City that utilizes local resources.

-Takuya Matsumoto, JR East Planning Co., Ltd.

He is a member of the Social Business Production Department of JR East Japan Planning Co., Ltd. He works as a regional producer supporting regional development by utilizing the attractions of the local culture, industry, and natural environment, as well as issues such as declining population and an aging population. He is involved in various regional development projects with the motto of "creating things that we can enjoy ourselves."

Facilitator: Hiroshi Goto, MAKOTOWILL Co., Ltd.

【event information】

■Date: Friday, September 8, 2023, 20:00-21:30 *Deadline: Thursday, September 7
■ Venue: Tamura City, Tokyo Recruit Center (inside WeWork SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE SQUARE)
2-24-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002 (Nearest station: direct access from JR Shibuya Station)

■ Participation fee: Free

*Light snacks will be provided, including beer and summer strawberries, which are local specialties of Tamura City.

■ Contents:
Stories about deciding to move to the countryside, changes before and after moving, activities as a local entrepreneurial revitalization volunteer, family stories, etc.
(Entrepreneurial Regional Revitalization Volunteer/Shinnosuke Honda)
Other information about Tamura City, such as the appeal of starting a business in Tamura City

■How to apply: Please apply for tickets via Peatix

Supplementary information
What kind of area is Tamura City, Fukushima Prefecture?

Tamura City is located in the center of Fukushima Prefecture and is easily accessible from Tokyo, just two hours by Shinkansen.
There is a large shopping center in the town, so you will have no trouble buying your daily necessities.
Surrounded by the Abukuma Plateau, it is a town rich in nature and a peaceful place to live.

Feature 1: Rich natural environment including the Abukuma Plateau

Mountains and rainbow seen from Tamura City Sky Palace

Tamura City is located in the mountain valley of the Abukuma Plateau, with a series of large and small mountains stretching from north to south.
As a result, the area is characterized by panoramic views of the Abukuma Plateau from all over the area.

In spring, cherry blossoms bloom all over Tamura city. The city's cherry blossoms are modeled after the Shikoku Pilgrimage, and the 88 famous cherry blossom spots are called "Tamura's 88 Beautiful Cherry Blossom Views."

In Takine-cho, Tamura City, there is a 600m long limestone cave called Abukuma Cave, which is a popular spot for its illuminations in winter.
The cave is filled with many fascinating attractions, including "Moon World," the first in Japan to feature a dimming system for stage productions, "Takine Palace," the largest hall in the cave, and the "Exploration Course" where you can experience a sense of adventure.

Feature 2: Good transport access to Tokyo, about 2 hours

It takes about two hours to travel from Tamura City to Tokyo by Shinkansen.

Example: Tokyo Station → Koriyama Station (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes)
Koriyama Station → Funehiki Station (approx. 30 minutes)

Another feature of the area is its excellent accessibility, with the major city of Sendai only an hour and 10 minutes away by Shinkansen.

Example: Sendai Station → Koriyama Station (about 40 minutes)
Koriyama Station → Funehiki Station (approx. 30 minutes)

In addition to public transportation, access by car is also improving with the recent construction of a network of expressways, including the Ban'etsu Expressway, and plans for the construction of the Abukuma Expressway in the future.

Feature 3: Abundant tourism and recreational resources

Hoshinomura Observatory and the Milky Way (Source: https://tamura-ijyu.jp/about/)

In addition to the Abukuma Cave mentioned above, Tamura City has many other unique tourist and recreational resources.
One of them is the "Hoshi no Mura Astronomical Observatory."

In Tamura City, the night sky is so clear that you can see the Milky Way all year round, and the starry sky is a spectacular sight even to the naked eye.
Within the facility, you can enjoy astronomical observations using a 65cm diameter telescope, one of the largest in the prefecture.

"Mushi Mushi Land" opens only during the summer

In the Tokoha area, there is Mushi Mushi Land, which is only open during the summer.

Not only can you enjoy interacting with the rhinoceros beetles directly, but you can also see over 100 different types of specimens and learn about how to care for insects and their ecology, providing a variety of other ways to enjoy yourself.

Hop Garden Auto Campsite has only 10 sites on its vast grounds.

Tamura City is also known for its abundance of campsites. The most popular of these is Green Park Miyakoji.

There are only 10 sites on the vast land, making it a luxurious space where you can enjoy nature to the fullest. Inside the park, there is also the Hop Garden Brewery, where you can taste freshly brewed craft beer made with hops grown in Tamura City.
There are also many other ways to have fun, such as playing disc golf or experiencing farming.

Feature 4: Many people gather here to take on new challenges and choose their own way of life.

In Tamura City, there are many people who are choosing to live their own lives and taking on challenges.

Using the warmth of the Tamura people as energy, we are expanding our business in a new direction
Try your hand at making Italian bread using leftover beer lees.

Oshima-san is trying her hand at making Italian bread with the support of local people (Source: https://tamura-ijyu.jp/tamudex/2888/)

After being appointed as a member of the Tamura City Regional Revitalization Cooperation Volunteer, Oshima gained experience at a company that runs a craft beer brewery. He sells buckwheat flour waffles from a food truck and also makes sweets using the malt lees that are generated during the beer brewing process. With the support of local residents, Oshima says that it has become a source of comfort outside of work. He is currently working hard to set up a craft gin brewery.

>For more details, please click here

Characteristic 5: Agriculture and forestry are thriving

Agriculture and forestry are thriving industries, including tobacco leaf production. (Source:https://tamura-ijyu.jp/event/4504/)

Agriculture and forestry are thriving in Tamura City, with the city's tobacco leaf harvest accounting for 36% of the total harvest in Fukushima Prefecture. In addition to tobacco leaf, Tamura City is also actively producing other agricultural products, such as bell peppers, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and blueberries, taking advantage of its blessed natural environment and semi-highland climate.

Additionally, as a new initiative, the city is working to develop production areas for specific regional vegetables, and there are also moves to promote the branding of agricultural products.

Other lifestyle information

Climate of Tamura City
Tamura City's climate is characterized by large annual temperature differences. However, the amount of rainfall and snowfall is low, and even in the cold season, the period of continuous snowfall is short, so there is no need to worry about snow.
However, the cold is particularly severe in the Tohoku region, so it's a good idea to keep this in mind in advance.

Shopping environment in Tamura city
There is a large shopping center in the Funehiki area, with supermarkets, bookstores, pharmacies, and restaurants. There are also mass retailers on the roadside, so if you go shopping in this area, you will not have any inconveniences in your daily life.

Educational environment in Tamura city
Tamura City has 11 elementary schools, 6 junior high schools, and 6 high schools. Based on the goal of being a "town where people can learn," we aim to be a town where everyone can learn and expand their potential.
The town has set a goal of having 10 students attend Tokyo University by 2023, and is also committed to education.

Introducing videos to learn more about Tamura City

Tamura City Promotional Video
"Tamura Life: What's There"

Voices of veteran immigrants

Nakamura-san moved from Chiba to Tamura City for the sake of his children.

Moved to Tamura City to raise children (Source:https://tamura-ijyu.jp/tamudex/306/)

What prompted you to move here?
I have lived in the Tokyo metropolitan area since I was little. I spent my three years of high school in Tomioka Town, Fukushima Prefecture, due to my father's work, but I returned to the Tokyo metropolitan area when I got a job. The main reason I decided to move to Tamura City was, of course, having a child.
Before moving, I was in charge of sales, management, and human resource development at a home appliance retailer in the metropolitan area. My husband was also in the same business, but we were very busy. We both worked from early in the morning until late at night. I felt that there was no way I could raise a child in such an environment, and I began to think about moving.
Just then, my husband was able to work at the factory in Tamura that my father ran, so we decided to move to Tamura.

What is life like after you move?
I gave birth soon after moving here. When I decided to enroll my child in nursery school to start working again, I chose a small, homey nursery school because my child is more sensitive and shy than most people.
However, even after my child started going to nursery school, I was frequently called in due to fever or feeling unwell. Sometimes I thought I had gone to work, but then I got a phone call and had to rush back. It was quite difficult to go to work... so I decided to start my own business.
Originally, I had the feeling that I couldn't pass on a worn-out Earth to my children, so I started a "reuse" business to reuse things that have been used once. I collect and sell items that are no longer used through on-site purchases, pre-death sorting, and estate sorting.
To be honest, I didn't know what I was going to do at first, so I registered as a "handyman" (laughs). But I did anything I wanted, like mowing the lawn or doing housework.

For those considering relocating
In this day and age, I think being in the countryside has its advantages. Having moved to Tamura and started a business here, I feel that it's only because it's a small town that "you get support from a lot of different people," "it's easy to be found," and "there's a system in place to welcome you." I think it's a great environment for people who have dreams and want to take on new challenges.
Of course, there are some concerns that are unique to the countryside. For example, depending on the area, the number of children is limited, so club activities and lessons have to be chosen from a small number. It's not necessarily a good thing to have a lot of stores, but the stores, especially those that sell children's goods, are somewhat limited.
Although there are some small concerns like this, I hope that everyone in the community can work together to make up for any shortcomings.

https://tamura-ijyu.jp/tamudex/306/

Mr. Hiraoka became a strawberry farmer after moving to the area, with the health of his family in mind.

Becoming a strawberry farmer with the health of the whole family in mind (Source:https://tamura-ijyu.jp/tamudex/254/)

What made you move here and become a strawberry farmer?
The reason I started thinking about moving was because my work in Tokyo was getting busy and I felt like life itself was suffocating, so I wondered what I could do to ensure that not only I but my family could live healthy lives.
I felt that no matter how busy I was, it was important to spend time with my family, doing things like eating meals together, so I decided to start farming so I could work close to my family.
When we were thinking about what to grow, our children had said they liked strawberries, so we decided to start a strawberry farm.

What is life like after you move?
There were no summer strawberry farmers nearby, so exploring new things through the internet and contacting people who were farming far away piqued my curiosity.
Also, when things go well, I think there is a high possibility of making as much profit as possible with as little effort as possible, so in that sense, I felt it was an area where I could take on a challenge. However, most new farmers start out with land and farm equipment already in place from their parents, but I started from scratch, preparing the farmland by mowing the grass, etc., so it was very difficult.
I am currently going through a lot of difficult times myself, but these are not wasted efforts; they are rewarding, so I would like to support those who want to start farming.

How was it when you moved here?
The air and water in the countryside are definitely of good quality, and the food is also much tastier than in Tokyo, so you really feel like you're living in a more natural environment. Of course, I had some worries about moving here, but I think that's the same no matter where you go.
It may be a big hurdle for people who are thinking about moving to work in agriculture, but if you are prepared to take full advantage of the system that provides subsidies for new farmers for five years, I think you can get through it to some extent. Looking back, I think it would have been difficult for me if I hadn't done that kind of research beforehand.
Right now, my big goal is to be able to consistently produce good results, and I think the most important thing for that is to keep going, so I want to change things little by little. The reality is far from what I had imagined, but I still think I've taken a big step forward, so I want to take the next step toward my goal.

Sponsorship
Tamura City

Contact Us
MAKOTO WILL Co., Ltd.
TEL: 022-352-8850 (main number)
MAIL：　info-will@mkto.org

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