Thoughts on participating in the North Highway Revitalization Project

2023In February this year, the "Kitakaido Shopping Street Revitalization Project" for about five months was completed.

We opened our Sunpu Office on November 1, 2021 in Sunpu-cho, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka City.
The reason why we chose the name Sunpu Office instead of Shizuoka Office is that Omaezaki City is also located in Shizuoka Prefecture, so the Shizuoka Office is a simple reason that I thought was a little different.
We were fortunate that the location of the opening was Sunpu Town.
Sunpu means "Fuchu of Suruga", and it existed as a place name before "Shizuoka" in the Edo period, and in fact it is a name that has been used longer than Shizuoka now.
I digress.

This North Kaido Shopping Street Revitalization Project.
At the request of the NPO ESUNE, which was located in Sunpu Town until last year (currently relocated to Oga in Suruga Ward), we will participate in the project of Shizuoka City. It was a joint project between local university students (young people) and companies and organizations with offices in Sunpu Town to revitalize the Kita Kaido shopping district. I proposed the opening of a website to Esne, who consulted with me, and I managed to complete the first phase of the website, which was the basis for it.

The two university students who cooperated as part of the internship, Ms. Yasui and Ms. Shiratsuchi, also really worked hard to conduct an unfamiliar interview (reporter) and expressed their thoughts and wishes in an article from their point of view.
I have had the opportunity to talk with young people at work in the past, and I was really impressed that each of them, including the coordinator, Mr. Kusuda, is facing their own lives, worried about them, and doing their best than when I was your age.
I am also grateful that they are participating in such a project, and I feel that it is worthy of respect.

The project was intended to revitalize the Kita Kaido Shopping Street, but in reality, "Kita Kaido Shopping Street" is an area concept, and it is composed of falconer districts and Sunpucho shopping associations. There are also various shops among them.
It is too rough to lump together under the name of shopping street. We created our website with the idea of wanting to spotlight each shop and office, and to that end, we would listen to the personality and thoughts of each shopkeeper.

At the same time, the event "Taka no Ichi and Sunpu City", which had been suspended for about two and a half years, was planned to be restarted as a marche this time, and two projects were planned: the website and the marche. The event business, which was restarted with the "Kitakai Marche", will be held next week on Saturday, February 25.

Finally, the main subject. Thinking about and promoting the revitalization of the North Kaido shopping district.
11It was around the moon, but I still can't get the words that coordinator Kusuda-san said in a meeting, "So what exactly is activation?"
2023Now that I'm finishing the year's project, I've thought of the answer (it's definitely late!). )。


I think activation is "encounter = encounter".


Surprisingly, it became a normal word (laughs).
I still remember the words that Mr. Matsushita, the lecturer, said at the workshop on the website before as a basic principle of business.
"To increase sales, the number of customers × unit price", and how to increase sales more than now
"Do you want to increase the number of customers?"
Either "increase the unit price (of the product)".

It is quite difficult to increase the unit price of a product.
So, how do you increase the number of customers (although the price of goods has increased recently).

It thinks "supply and demand" in IMHO these days. I think it means that "activities to increase demand" are necessary.
I think that activities to increase that demand are not about "creating encounters."

Our activities this time and the activities of "Kitakai Marche" are also "encounters".
Encounter with Shizuoka City.
Encounter with Ethnay.
Encounter with the merchants.
Meet students.

At the end of that chain of encounters, I think that "creating an encounter between a store and a customer" is revitalizing.

This possibility can be found both in the Kitakai Marche and on our website.

This activity "creates motivation to meet in the North Kaido shopping street."
For that reason, it is important to "connect with falconers, things, and people that can only be met in Sunpu Town".

When I think about it, my work relationships have always been "in encounters" and connected.
15Opening an office in Shizuoka City a month ago was also a decision made during the company's survival during the Corona disaster, "opening a store in the most difficult and unknown area." However, the connection with the family of the former chairman of the "Sea Model Contest" that we have independently held in Omaezaki, and the encounters with everyone in these projects have given rise to new connections.
I am grateful for the encounters I have had since my previous job and my previous job days, and the connections I have with everyone who continues to connect with me, including SNS. We are also planning to take on the challenge of a wider area.

Among the shops, there are owners who are the third generation since their founding in the Meiji era, and there are also founders who have opened stores in this town from outside the prefecture and are doing their best. I believe that we must continue to transmit and connect the thoughts, history, and pride of each of you as "motivations for encounters."


And the most important thing is to make this "encounter" "think about it together" and "have energy and courage".


I was expecting it, but it turned out to be a long sentence (laughs).
I entered it for the time being, so please note that there are typographical errors.

Finally, I would like to once again express my sincere gratitude to Shizuoka City, NPO Esne, everyone in each shopping district, university students Mr. Yasui and Mr. Shiratsuchi, and our staff Mr. Suzuki who did their best for this activity.
The photo shows this month's activity report meeting.
I am not shown in this photo, but the photo of Katayama in the report made by Mr. Kusuda is a photo of Ossan that is not good enough, and I regret that it will not look good (it's a lie).



Thank you so much! (Also for you who read this article).
This is the beginning, not the end.

Janken will end with a victory if you do it until you win.
Never give up.

Face Co., Ltd. Representative Director Katayama
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