Kanako Harada: Local Areas Are Exciting Right Now!

2019/12/24

Just as there are Disney hotels at Disneyland and mountain huts in the mountains, why not have an udon inn in the "Udon Prefecture"? "UDON HOUSE" was born from that very idea.

After graduating from university, I joined Rakuten Travel. I traveled all over the country while working on consulting for inns and hotels and supporting local government promotions, meeting many people along the way. Was what I was doing truly leading to regional revitalization? While harboring such doubts, I was struck by the sight of people working on businesses within their local communities. Their willingness to take risks and take on challenges seemed more dazzling and cool than anyone else, and I became convinced that this was the path I should take. I resigned from Rakuten after nine years of service, moved to Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture in June 2018, and launched the hands-on lodging facility "UDON HOUSE" in October of the same year.

At "UDON HOUSE," when you check in, you are handed a rolling pin instead of a key, and a six-hour udon class begins. While the dough is resting, you learn about the history and culture of Sanuki udon and its broth, harvest seasonal vegetables at a nearby farm, and eat them together with the udon you made yourself. All guests must take this udon class to experience the culture of Sanuki udon and the daily life of the region.

What I wanted to achieve was not conventional tourism, but rather touching the culture rooted in the land and standing as much as possible from the same perspective as the locals. I hope "UDON HOUSE" can become that kind of presence.

Exactly one year has passed since the opening, and we have been featured in articles by The Japan Times, CNN Travel, Lonely Planet, NHK World, and others, welcoming guests from about 20 countries so far. People who say, "I was looking for an experience like this!" visit us one after another.

What I want to work on next is creating a system for hosting where the entire town becomes a single lodging facility. By actually diving into the community and taking on the challenge, many people lent their strength and supported me. There are many peers of my generation in this region taking on new challenges, and an incredible variety of projects have been born over the past year. It has only just begun, but I feel a great sense of fulfillment in the tangible feeling of creating the future of the town ourselves while working hard alongside my colleagues.