At Roopt, we regularly hold events not only to recruit residents but also to introduce many people to the charm of share house living and Miyagi Prefecture. From these events, this time we will report on the "1st Roopt MEET UP" held for three days from April 29 (Fri) to May 1 (Sun), 2022!
Unlike the previous "Imagining Life in a Share House" series, the Roopt MEET UP is a mobile event that fully utilizes multiple Roopt locations. If you are interested in Roopt or Miyagi Prefecture, please read on to find out what we did in the first event and what the participants felt.
To briefly explain the Roopt MEET UP, it is an event to "experience life in Miyagi's port towns while staying at various Roopt locations." It is held to help people discover the charm of Roopt and Miyagi Prefecture through city walks and interactions, set in Shiogama City, Higashimatsushima City, and Ishinomaki City, where Roopt locations are present as of June 2022.
For this memorable first event, we held the following schedule. As it was during the first half of Golden Week, the schedule had a strong tourist focus.
■Schedule April 29 (Fri) 12:00: Meet at Hon-Shiogama Station 12:30: Shiogama city walk & lunch 15:00: Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori tour 19:00: Social gathering April 30 (Sat) 7:30: Breakfast at Shiogama Fish Market 10:30: Sightseeing at Matsushima, one of Japan's three most scenic views 14:00: Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintome tour 15:30: Higashimatsushima city tour 19:30: Social gathering May 1 (Sun) 10:00: Ishinomaki city walk 12:00: Wrap-up 12:30: Dismissal
Participants
The following four people participated in the 1st Roopt MEET UP. Many of them were visiting Miyagi Prefecture for the first time, and they seemed to enjoy the MEET UP with a fresh perspective.
Female, 30s, residing in Shizuoka Prefecture, freelance web director
Now to the main topic. Here's a report on the 3-day, 2-night Roopt MEET UP!
We met at Hon-Shiogama Station at 12:00 and proceeded directly into Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori. After self-introductions and a brief orientation, we took our first group photo. Everyone looks happy.
Originally, this was lunch time, but since rain was forecast for the afternoon, we changed our plans and went for a city walk first. The first place we visited was Shiogama Shrine, a historic shrine designated as a National Important Cultural Property. We enjoyed its tranquil atmosphere, ate fried mochi, and took photos of the Shiogama cherry blossoms, spending a fulfilling time.
Afterward, we walked through a retro-style shopping street, gathering information about cafes and other shops. From old-fashioned shops like candy stores to new gelato and chocolate shops, it's a fun shopping street just to walk through.
For a late lunch, we went to "otomo," a restaurant that offers a daily lunch menu. The menu is set for each day of the week, and on this day (Friday), it was curry. The participants seemed satisfied, enjoying the waiting time by looking at merchandise and chatting happily, and then eating the mild-flavored curry.
As the rain intensified, we returned to the share house, where we received an explanation about the renovation efforts at Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori. The participant who wants to open a guesthouse in the future seemed very interested. Afterward, there was a small entertainment activity where we decided which room to stay in using a lottery.
During the subsequent free time, everyone enjoyed themselves in their own way, whether working, going to a cafe, or taking a break. It seems they appreciated not having too packed a schedule and being able to enjoy at their own pace.
In the evening, we had a social gathering in the share house. Many of the operating members and participants were meeting for the first time, making it an opportunity to deepen friendships. Later, residents of Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori joined us, and we had various conversations, making it a great end to the first day.
Participants' Impressions
After a first day that flew by, we received comments like these from the participants.
The extensive support before the event made me feel at ease participating!
The ingenuity of Roopt's renovation was interesting. There's a fascinating aspect you can only understand by seeing it from the inside.
Day 2 started surprisingly early, at 7 AM! We went to the Shiogama Fish Market (hereinafter referred to as the wholesale market) for breakfast.
At the wholesale market, you can buy your favorite sashimi and make your own seafood bowl. Both participants and staff were excited to make their own seafood bowls from the morning.
After enjoying Matsushima, we moved again by JR to Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintome, our second accommodation. Makigumi's PR representative, Hiratsuka, joined us and explained the concept of Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintome and the ingenuity of its renovation. Participants seemed to be imagining "what kind of life they would like to live" there.
After enjoying Matsushima, we moved again by JR to Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintome, our second accommodation. Makigumi's PR representative, Hiratsuka, joined us and explained the concept of Roopt Higashimatsushima Shintome and the ingenuity of its renovation. Participants seemed to be imagining "what kind of life they would like to live" there.
We gave a brief tour of Higashimatsushima city.
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