vol.10

Revitalizing
Communities and the Future
Daiwa House Industry is revitalizing the Neopolis suburban housing complexes it developed in the past. It has begun to deploy the Livness Town Project to produce new appeal in the city.

General Manager, Human Care Department, Marketing Headquarters Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd. KAZUAKI URISAKA General Manager, Human Care Department, Marketing Headquarters Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd. KAZUAKI URISAKA

Deputy Executive Trustee, Livness Town Business Promotion Department Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd.

KAZUAKI URISAKA

1990: Joined Daiwa House Industry, and was put in charge of medical and nursing care facilities at Nagano Branch

2011: Assumed the position of Manager of the Next Life Office in the Human Care Division at Head Office

2018: Assumed the position of General Manager of the Human Care Department at Head Office. Supervised projects related to senior citizens for the Daiwa House Group

2021: Appointed to the Deputy Executive Trustee of Livness Town Business Promotion Department

Left : Current photo of Kamigo Neopolis (2020) Right: Photo at the time Kamigo Neopolis was developed (1970s)Left : Current photo of Kamigo Neopolis (2020) Right: Photo at the time Kamigo Neopolis was developed (1970s)
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Continue turning dreams into reality once again

Spirit of Hearts VOL.10

Both now and in the past, people have yearned for orderly planned suburban communities with plenty of green with large lots and wide roads. The development of Japan’s “new towns” started during a period of high economic growth, and has now spread to more than 3,000 locations nationwide *1. Daiwa House Industry also started developing its Neopolis communities in the 1960s. However, most of the “new towns” developed in that era have become old towns, with issues such as declining population and increasing number of vacant houses. Even in the Kanto area, which has a concentration of people from all over Japan, those trends cannot be avoided.

Just south of Sakae-ku in the city of Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture is the city of Kamakura. This is where Kamigo Neopolis, Daiwa House Industry’s suburban housing complex, is located. Development started in the 1970s. Even now, 50 years later, approximately 2,000 people *2 live there in a total of 868 households, but the percentage of senior citizens is approximately 50% *3. The elementary school closed, and stores also closed one after the other. The community association tried many times to revitalize the town, but it could not come to an agreement of opinions, and the discussions fell through.

The orderly and beautiful community of Kamigo Neopolis

The orderly and beautiful community of Kamigo Neopolis

For people in the community, this town was their precious hometown. Daiwa House Industry had a corporate history of developing Neopolis communities and financial resources as well. At the time, customers bought the houses they longed for, that were their dreams. As the developer of Neopolis communities, Daiwa House Industry was the only company that could continue turning their dreams into a reality. This is how the concept of the Livness Town Project to revitalize the communities came about. Mr. Urisaka and the Livness Town Business Promotion Department turned to Kamigo Neopolis as the first step.

  • *1: Housing Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport: “Actual State of Housing Complexes” (December 2018)
  • *2: Research by the Kamigo Neopolis Community Association (as of Sept. 2019)
  • *3: Research by the Statistical Information Section, Policy Bureau, City of Yokohama (as of Sept. 2017)
Noshichiri TerraceNoshichiri Terrace
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We want a place where people can gather

Spirit of Hearts VOL.10

The people in the community met Mr. Urisaka and his colleagues with cold looks. “You came to sell us renovations and second-generation housing, right?”

Mr. Urisaka shook his head. If this community could not gain new appeal in itself, it would not be possible to attract the younger generation back. It also wouldn’t be profitable in terms of business. The goals of the people in the community and the goals of Daiwa House Industry were the same. “We want to revitalize this community and make it into an attractive community again. Will you let us work with you?”

Much of the population of the community had left, and it had become a marginal community where a large portion of the people were senior citizens. But there were many people who still wished to continue living there. The time had come for them to work together with people from outside the community.

Nagomi Terrace satellite branch

Nagomi Terrace satellite branch

In 2014, people started exchanging ideas. In 2015, the Kamigo Neopolis Community Development Committee was launched within the community association. In 2016, the community association and Daiwa House Industry concluded a Community Development Agreement, and the Kamigo Neopolis Community Development Council * was launched with university professors also participating.

The first request that came up at the council was, “We want a place where people can gather.” Kamigo Neopolis was a Type-1 low-rise exclusive residential district, so it was not possible to build things like cafes and convenience stores. If people wanted to gather, they could only stand around chatting or go to each other’s houses. Fortunately, in the city of Yokohama, if a district has a problem with people having limited access to shopping facilities, permission to build convenience stores can be granted in special cases. After consultations went on for a year and a half, Kamigo Neopolis was the first suburban housing complex that was given permission to build.

In October 2019, Noshichiri Terrace was finally built, which contains a convenience store and a community facility. More than 400 people attended its opening celebration on a fall day when light rain was falling, and umbrellas were everywhere in colorful hues, like blooming flowers. The people were excited, and had the light of expectation in their eyes because this building itself would become a place that represented the future of the community.

*Composed of members from organizations such as the Kamigo Neopolis Community Association, Senior Housing Association, University of Tokyo, Meiji University, and Daiwa House Industry.

Serving customers at the Sachi Terrace convenience storeServing customers at the Sachi Terrace convenience store
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A high-school student and an 82-year-old work side by side

Spirit of Hearts VOL.10

Noshichiri Terrace contains Ima Terrace, a community space with a bus stop waiting area, and Sachi Terrace, a convenience store (Kamigo Noshichiri Terrace, a Lawson store). A Nagomi Terrace satellite branch was also opened in front of the bus roundabout. Daiwa House Industry employees are stationed there, engaging in training activities for volunteers and accepting housing consultations. Daiwa Living, which is part of the Daiwa House Group, concluded a franchise agreement with Lawson and manages the convenience store.

The people in the community are the ones taking the main role. The local residents created Noshichiri Terrace, manage the community space, and provide customer service at the convenience store. The support team was recruited from the residents. A new idea was introduced called “Noshichiri coins,” which is a local currency for volunteer activities that can only be used at the convenience store.

There was concern about being able to secure personnel for the convenience store, but many people applied. A couple in their 60s were hired as the store managers. The oldest store employee is 82. A high-school student taught him how to use the register, and he is happy to stand at the counter.

Also, due to the location, there are few customers who are not residents, so the store got Lawson’s cooperation to come up with some policies to make it profitable. The Michibata Terrace food truck goes to the empty parking lots of residences once a week in 5 locations in the town. When the truck comes, the people in the neighborhood gather and start chatting right away. Sometimes it leads to people checking on others, saying “I haven’t seen him recently.” The Michibata Terrace truck also goes outside the community, such as to housing with services for senior citizens, and to fee-based nursing homes. The truck sells even more than predicted when it goes to facilities where 100 or 200 people live. In this way, the “Terraces” bring people the joy of working, the happiness of being relied upon, and the enjoyment of coming in contact with people.

Michibata Terrace food truck

Michibata Terrace food truck

Local currency called “Noshichiri coins”

Local currency called “Noshichiri coins”

Noshichiri Terrace volunteer jacket

Noshichiri Terrace volunteer jacket

Noshichiri Terrace is bustling with events and shoppersNoshichiri Terrace is bustling with events and shoppers
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New towns where residents can meet new people and find something meaningful

Spirit of Hearts VOL.10

The ideas for revitalizing the community are endless. For example, there was an idea to have electric carts to support travel within the complex. During a trial run in the community, almost 200 people took test rides in 4 days. Another idea was to have kitchen gardens where multiple generations could gather, or to establish group homes where senior citizens could stay. Another suggestion was to use existing facilities to support childcare or in-home nursing care. In January 2020, a comprehensive agreement was signed with the city of Yokohama for community development to turn that kind of dream into a reality.

Mr. Urisaka is also looking outside the community. At the time he joined the company, he happened to be in Nagano, and made the acquaintance of the essayist and painter Toyoo Tamamura, who managed a winery in the city of Tomi. Mr. Tamamura reclaimed abandoned mulberry fields and built a winery, and before he realized it, many producers had gathered. Mr. Urisaka heard that Mr. Tamamura didn’t have enough personnel, and told him that there were some active senior citizens in the city, so a bus tour was set up from Kamigo Neopolis to the city of Tomi. The people in the city of Tomi also visited Kamigo Neopolis with wine and local specialty products.

“The residents become friends by doing something together, like pulling weeds in the fields or drinking wine. They are told, ‘Come again next year’ or ‘I’m counting on you.’ That’s meaningful,” Mr. Urisaka said. If the kitchen gardens aren’t enough, they can go help in the grape fields in Shinshu. Not only Shinshu--they can go to farms and fishing ports throughout Japan. The Daiwa House Group has hotels nationwide, so the discussion can happen quickly. They might be able to take trips for the purpose of going to Group fitness clubs or commercial facilities or home improvement stores. If people live in a Neopolis, they have more chances to meet people and find something meaningful.

Mr. Urisaka chatting with residents at Noshichiri TerraceMr. Urisaka chatting with residents at Noshichiri Terrace
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Moving toward using the housing complex revitalization model throughout Japan

Spirit of Hearts VOL.10

Noshichiri Terrace is thoroughly immersed in the community scene. Groups of senior citizens stop by when they go on walks in the mornings. Parents bring their children to eat snacks. Elementary and middle-school students do homework and play games. Amidst these people, there was a man whose wife had passed away, who said he had previously been drinking alone in the evenings. But he started going to Noshichiri Terrace every day, and made more friends. “There is nowhere as fun as this. I made friends too. It’s thanks to Mr. Urisaka,” the man said. At that time, Mr. Urisaka felt that his work had been useful to people. If he could make people this happy, he wanted to make them even happier, and that was exciting.

“My father lives in the local area, and when I talk about this community, he says ‘You should do mine too.’ It’s not so easy,” Mr. Urisaka laughed. “But if it’s a community that Daiwa House Industry created, we can broaden the revitalization plan.” It’s important to hurry. The University of Tokyo professor that is an advisor to the Community Development Council said, “Mr. Urisaka, there is no time. If we don’t make a model while the baby-boomer generation is still active and well, it will be too late.” Hurry. But have a good time. And go forward smiling.

“Think about what kind of business will be good for the world.” With that founding spirit in mind, in parallel with Kamigo Neopolis, which was the first step, the Livness Town Project to revitalize communities linked with industry, government, and academia started the Midorigaoka Neopolis in 2014 in the city of Miki in Hyogo Prefecture. Daiwa House Industry wants to develop town management plans for other Neopolis communities as well. Before that, the company is waiting for the time to revitalize new towns throughout Japan.

If people walk through the communities, they will run into someone with a familiar face

If people walk through the communities, they will run into someone with a familiar face

*The information in this article was current as of May 2021.