“We want to introduce cultures and attractions of this town and this country.”

An interview with Mr.Mitsuyoshi Shiota and Ms.Naomi Shiota, the owners of The Marugame Guest House FUKUFUKU

”There was no telling he will succeed or not. Still, I wanted to support my husband, who had been immersing himself in preparation for the opening.”
”I was just driven by momentum. It was challenging, so I made it with momentum. If I have to do that again, I need extra energy.”

At the end of this interview, they talked about their honest thoughts like that quietly. After Mitsuyoshi retired at mandatory retirement age, they have opened a guest house in front of Marugame station for their second life. It has been two years since the opening, and a feature of the guest house FUKUFUKU is international guests. They talked about the attractions of this town, which they perceive through interactions with the guests and their feelings for the operation of the guest house.

This area is located perfectly.

Could you tell me what made you to start a guest house in Marugame?

Naomi(N): We got information about this real-estate with a good location at the perfect timing. My husband, who was a work-oriented person to the core, had just retired in that year. I didn’t want him to stay inside because of retirement, and I thought we needed to do something.

Mitsuyoshi(M): I’ve always been a person who is always doing something and can’t live without work.

When were you inspired to open a guest house?

N: To be honest, initially, we didn’t think about a guest house at all. When we were referred to this building, we started thinking a guest house might suit here considering the contents and location of the building.

From which point of view did you think a guest house might suit?

M: Originally, several owners of this real estate lent rooms to each tenant. A sewing machine shop and a cafe were on the first floor, and some offices were above on the second floor at that time. Because it has been in front of the station, people used to have their base here, and went to Takamatsu and the west by train, I guess.

With those backgrounds and the recent tendency of foreign tourists, I motivated to have guests who stay here for a while and travel to the south and the west. Since my wife speaks English, I thought we were able to support backpackers from abroad.

Did you consider other areas and real estate before you decided?

M: No, we didn’t. I am originally from Tadotsu, and my wife was from Kotohira. Furthermore, the center of mid-Kagawa and west Kagawa is Marugame. Considering the convenience of transport, the guests tend to have a base here. A building, which is located in front of Marugame station, is rare.

It marked the second anniversary this February. Congratulation! After two years of operation, what kind of attractions do you think this area has?

N: Number one is Marugame castle. And they are followed by MIMOCA(Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of contemporary art),  Art students sometimes visit just for MIMOCA.

Moreover, there are islands. We once had a guest from France who wanted to see a Japanese landscape in the original state, as seen in a movie and visited one island per day. European people spend their time differently compare to us. We Japanese consume time, like dividing into many pieces. European people don’t do the same, and it is impressive for me. Maybe time which flows in islands suits for them. There are many islands in Seto inland sea, and I think it is desirable.

Like this, we have Seto inland sea to the north, Marugame Castle in the south, there are Kompira shrine and Zentsuji to the west, and to the east, there is Shikoku Aquarium which is going to open soon, Gold tower and Seto Ohashi. It’s so easy to get around, and located in the best place, I believe.

※Marugame port is ten minute walk from the station. Honjima, Shiwaku Navy’s base is accessible from here.

We’ve learned charms of Japan and local city from oversea guests.

You often update the SNS, and I got the impression of many guests from abroad in photos. What kind of people does usually stay?

N: We have Japanese guests who stay for their work, but there are many guests from abroad, too. Especially in the last year, because of Setouchi Trienniale 2019, there were many oversea guests. During the art festival, more than 90% of oversea guests were from Taiwan. We usually have a lot of guests from Europe who walk the pilgrimage.

Were there any memorable guests?

N: Every person is memorable for us, but there was a pilgrim from Germany, and he stayed here several times. When he stayed here for the first time, he was wearing white as pilgrims and looked like “a pilgrim from abroad.” Later, we found out he was a pianist for classical music, indeed, who was also a composer. He had worked together with Jo Hisaishi for Universal studio Japan.
Therefore, we went to Sound Bar Ocho in Toricho together, in which there was a grand piano. We also invited three or four guests who were staying at that night.

M: Everyone but me. I had to stay here. However, their faces looked different for me because of his music, and they said his music was so good.

N: Obviously. He was a professional. There were cheers of joy while he was playing.

Furthermore, we have Adren from Canada, who has been staying for four weeks, and it is the most extended stay among our guests.
He came here as a pilgrim at first and were staying here while he had walked from Tadotsu to Utazu. When we were talking, he mentioned, “I have been learning martial arts all over the world, but I’m not satisfied with only doing a workout.” So I said, “There is the authority of Shorinji Kempo in Utazu where you can train the mind and body.” Then he said, “After I reached Mt.Koya, I’ll come back.” He came back indeed, and have been learning Shorinji Kempo for a month. The day after tomorrow will be the last lesson.

M: Isn’t it amazing? He came back really. We were so glad.

※This is Adren. Since he has been initially interested in Buddhism, he had earned and saved money for the 88 temples pilgrimage in Shikoku. After coming back from Mt. Koya, he had been jogging every morning to Marugame Castle for three weeks.

N: Besides them, there were guests from France, Australia, and Estonia. A guest from Shanghai was interested in Japanese classical literature.
These guests have a diversity of countries and professions so that they can interact with each other at this lounge. It may be an excellent opportunity to get to know the cultures of other countries. We also get many pieces of information from guests all over the world. It makes us feel like we have been there.

I suppose so. In your opinion, what kind of impression do people from abroad have of Shikoku?

N: Many of them who visit around here have also been to some big cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. Compare to those cities, Shikoku seems to be attractive to them. “Never thought Shikoku is such a nice place,” they say.

Which points do they think are attractive, for example?

N: Everybody mentions about safety and cleanliness. Many oversea repeat customers at this guest house are women. We asked once about the reason why they came to Shikoku. Their answer was safety and cleanliness. Thus people go on a trip with their smartphones and without speaking Japanese. We sometimes wonder, “Is she ok by herself ?” However, they go where even we Japanese don’t go.

As its background, they feel safe, I suppose. Of course, nature, people, and flow of time attract them; safety comes first, though. On condition that they feel safe, they can enjoy those stuff.

We’ve found our way after spent two years.

Braking into the third year, what is your future prospect?

M: I’m not sure if it is a prospect, guests we have talked within this lounge have a tendency.

The word ‘culture’ came up my mind as a keyword or stuff like that—the culture of the world, the culture of Japan, and the culture of locals. Guests will understand this information by themselves and hopefully make use of them further. Our role is to coordinate this process, I think.

I see. You are going to ’shuffle’ those cultures, right?

M: That’s true. The exciting thing is when I seek a specific type of guests, they happen to come. Therefore, we have many things to talk about, and we become closer.

The other day, guests who got to know each other here, met again in China. Hearing those stories makes me happy. That’s why I think we are getting closer. Our feeling is starting to take shape in the third year, I guess.

After we make a basis and set the tone, hopefully, young people will manage this guest house. If so, they learn new cultures, and it will be a win-win situation for guests and us. We may carry on and develop cultures in this way, I think.

It is hard and to form a basis, but also worth it. Once it works well, it gets more exciting.

※‘Kami-shibai' which Mitsuyoshi and his friends made together. Jin-uemon Kageyama was a founder of the Sanuki private railroad, which was the predecessor of the Shikoku railroad in the Meiji era. Sanuki private railroad operated between Tadotsu(Mitsuyoshi's hometown), Kotohira(Naomi's hometown), and Marugame(where FUKUFUKU is located). That's why he feels a sense of familiarity.

That sounds exciting.

M : Yes. We don’t know what will happen, but we are excited.

By their story, I understood learning other cultures enriches local culture, Japanese culture, furthermore, that enriches oneself. I also realized that they feel the fact from their own experience, so they want to pass down those cultures to the next generation in Marugame. I felt their kindness thorough the ambition.
The third year of the guest house FUKUFUKU. I'm excited about the history and cultures of FUKUFUKU, which they are going to make! Thank you very much.