This audio is generated by AI, so pronunciation and expressions may not be fully accurate. The narration is only in English.
Fukagawa Enmichi is located near Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine in Fukagawa, Koto City, one of Tokyo's shitamachi (old towns) where small stores line the alleyways. The two-story building houses the adult day care center on the first floor, with the after-school care service and the play space for infants and toddlers on the second floor. With the Enmichi walkway at the center of the first floor, the building has an open design that allows people who use the facility to move freely within.
"I hear that some people oppose building welfare facilities in densely populated areas, but people in Fukagawa are very accepting, perhaps because it is a tight-knit community with a large local festival," says Oshikiri.
The facility opened in 2024 at a former funeral home. "It is the only place in Tokyo, and one of the few in Japan, with an after-school care program and an adult day care service in the same facility. Recently, we have been receiving an increasing number of visitors not only from Japan, but also from overseas. A student from Denmark, a renowned welfare state, told us that his country does not have such a multi-generational facility," says Oshikiri.
"We're back," say the elementary school kids as they arrive one after another at the facility with their school backpacks, and seniors from the adult day care greet them in turn with, "Welcome back!"
This is an everyday scene at Fukagawa Enmichi. The children are allowed to walk freely within the facility and sometimes come to the first floor to get help from the seniors with their homework. Similarly, the seniors sometimes go upstairs to the second floor to get exercise and play with the kids.
"We have social events such as bean-throwing for Setsubun (a festival heralding the start of spring), but since they interact with each other on a daily basis, both the seniors and the children begin calling each other by name before they know it."
Sometimes the kids learn that a senior they have not seen for a while turns out to have been hospitalized.
"This is a shocking but valuable experience for them. On rare occasions, some seniors start arguing with each other. The children are surprised to see this, but it is a good opportunity for them to see that adults are not so different from themselves."
Many children interact with their grandparents only during long breaks, and the experience of sharing their daily lives with the elderly is valuable.
"The seniors also seem to be able to avoid boredom. They might be looking forward to the children coming back."
The remodeled funeral home is unrecognizable with its bright and open atmosphere. ©Tomoyuki Kusunose
A signboard at the entrance.
The adult day care section's "Machi Kitchen" hosts events to connect with the local community. ©Tomoyuki Kusunose
The "Enmichi" walkway on the first floor is designed to draw people into the building. ©Tomoyuki Kusunose
Children from the after-school care program enter the building through the adult day care section. ©Tomoyuki Kusunose
The larger-scale "Light After-School Club" has a capacity of 135 children. ©Tomoyuki Kusunose
The facility accepts children from several elementary schools, creating an opportunity for inter-school interactions. ©Tomoyuki Kusunose
The "Koro Koro" space is for parents with infants and toddlers. ©Tomoyuki Kusunose
Toys and equipment are plentiful.
Anyone in the community with a child that has not started preschool or kindergarten can use the space.
Fukagawa Enmichi aims to be a new hub for multi-generational exchange. ©Tomoyuki Kusunose
Seniors at the day care sometimes help children with their homework. ©Tomoyuki Kusunose
The "earth oven" was handmade with the help of pizza oven craftsman, Kudo Shuuji.
Multi-generational interactions also take place around the "earth oven." ©Tomoyuki Kusunose
Its location in the Fukagawa Park area overflows with the shitamachi atmosphere. ©Tomoyuki Kusunose
The Enmichi Bunko, a private library set up along Enmichi, is another unique experiment. Residents can pay a fee to become the owner of a section of bookshelves and stock it with books they recommend. It is a true "third place" where locals gather as owners or users of the library.
"One resident who moved from Osaka for business reasons and has lived here alone for several years told us that, after becoming an owner, he has been casually approached by children from the after-school care on the street. The Enmichi Bunko is set up within a welfare facility. Many people think that welfare services have nothing to do with them, but the Enmichi Bunko provides an opportunity for such people to come here and create new connections."
The outdoor "Kamado Hiroba" (Stove Plaza) features an "earth oven" and stove made of clay. Here, dishes including pizza, pork miso soup, and curry are prepared and enjoyed together. Since Fukagawa used to be home to many lumber wholesalers, firewood for fuel is still delivered by neighbors who are in the lumber business.
The facility won the Good Design Gold Award in 2024 for its ability to connect people in the community.
"This year, we began offering new English lessons for junior high and high school students, bringing different generations together. Like other communities, Fukagawa has seen a decrease in opportunities for residents to interact with each other in recent years. We would like to continue our effort to be a place that is supported by the community and where locals can drop in casually."
