What was the reason for Soil Work’s move-in?
I have been involved in Mitsui Fudosan’s area branding project for Nihonbashi for a long time, and for the past five years, I have been going to Mitsukoshimae every week.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I realized that I could change the way I work and decided to expand my field beyond the company. I started looking for creative and local coworking spaces. I was immediately drawn to the concept, the operating company, and the tenants, so I quickly came for a tour.
The reason I chose Soil Work is because it is a community where straightforward yet growth-oriented companies gather. As someone who originally worked at a startup, I felt a sense of affinity. It’s like we’re all a bunch of eager beavers. (laughs) I just felt like my kind would be there.
Could you tell me about your current ongoing projects?
In Nihonbashi and Yaesu, we are organizing and planning business events on themes such as ‘Regional × Entrepreneurship’ in July and ‘Sustainability’ in September. At the July event, Mr. Oka from Staple will be speaking, alongside Mr. Onami from Green Valley.
In Osaka, I’m involved in the ‘Umekita 2nd Phase’ project, working on both the dissemination and realization of the urban development vision for the Umeda area, as well as supporting MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) projects. Have you been to Umeda recently? The area is undergoing rapid development, and a park involving SANAA is scheduled to be completed next summer.
Additionally, we are currently preparing a child-rearing support project that was selected for Mitsui Fudosan’s new business proposal program ‘MAG!C’ last year. With my family being in a rural area and both my spouse and I working, raising children in the city is challenging, so this project stems from our personal experiences.
The Grand Journey of Bura Tamori and the Path of the Underground Culture Youth
Could you tell me about your background?
I loved fossils and geology, so I pursued my studies up to graduate school and majored in geology. However, fieldwork was tough for me (laughs).
Every day from 8 a.m. to the evening, for weeks on end, I would walk through the mountains in Matagi villages where bears and deer roam, spending time without speaking to anyone. It was like a grand version of ‘Bura Tamori.’ In the midst of this solitary research work, I realized that I couldn’t continue to a Ph.D.
I hoped that this experience would eventually lead to something, but after graduation, I joined a PR consulting startup. I felt a lot of self-loathing for quitting my research, and as a reaction, I wanted to challenge myself in a completely different field.
During my nine years at my previous job, I was fortunate to experience both reverse-engineering marketing and the zero-to-one mindset of a startup. It was tough as well, though (laughs).
I always wanted to start a business in the travel or urban domains, but when I left my job, I joined ATTIQUE, led by Kobayashi, who was also my dance buddy in college. Initially, my work focused on brand strategy and EC operation consulting, but as both Kobayashi and I were interested in cities and architecture, we gradually took on more urban design and place branding projects.
The Future We Envision with SOIL
In recent years, I’ve been increasingly involved in regional projects, such as Misotoro tea from my hometown Shiga, and horse therapy in Miho Village, Ibaraki Prefecture. I’ve always been interested in regional areas, so I proactively explored opportunities and received consultations from long-time acquaintances.
Now, I’m committed to shaping these initiatives as a lifelong endeavor, and eventually, I want to establish a business that connects regions and cities.
Actually, my student life revolved around two main interests: expanding dance culture through my circle and my academic research. I discovered house dance music and culture during my college years and became absolutely captivated. However, there was no house dance culture in Tsukuba where I lived at the time. Driven by my instinctive belief that it was incredibly cool, I expanded my activities, seeking out teachings from Tokyo clubs and outside my campus.
Looking back, I think I was instinctively pursuing what I found genuinely appealing through house dance, which was an underground culture in Tsukuba. This might explain why I joined a startup. Back then, I was learning from the city and giving back to the regions, but lately, I aspire to create spaces and opportunities for urban talents to learn in regional areas.
Eventually, I hope to organize study tours that can accommodate Soil Workers. While everyone may have different perspectives, it might be uninteresting if our values are too dissimilar. Therefore, it would be great to invite people nationwide, starting from Tokyo, through the SOIL community.
Profile: Yoshitada Hirobe
Producer. After completing a Master’s degree in Geology at the University of Tsukuba Graduate School, engaged in a wide range of marketing support services including brand strategy, PR strategy, and event planning for over 15 years. Particularly skilled in urban design thinking that captures food culture from geology, with a wealth of experience in producing urban development and MICE projects for real estate developers.
In recent years, working as a circular economy producer to utilize underutilized resources (vacant land, discarded food, retired racehorses) for regional economies in Shiga and Ibaraki. Also, as a father of two, currently involved in demonstrating and experimenting with childcare support services as a new business for real estate developers.
From July 18th to 21st, hosting the “Local Founder Dialogue” event at Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, bringing together entrepreneurs dedicated to community-based urban development. More details will be announced soon.
