More than 25% of the Japanese population is age 65 or over as a result of low birth rate and long life expectancy. The low birth rate means smaller families and fewer children to care for their parents. Hence, around 20% of older persons in Japan, live alone. This raises even more issues in city centers such as Tokyo. Housing and services at these city centers are already strained because of the overcrowded populations. Building the needed retirement living communities is therefore nearly impossible. Share Kanazawa is an intergenerational living community in Kanazawa. It addresses these problems by creating a space for older persons, youth with special needs and university students to live together in community.
Older Person
Most of us would aspire to living with joy and purpose in elder years. At Share Kanazawa, the older person has the plenty of opportunities to do so. They can volunteer, mentor youths with special needs or learn the latest from the university students and small business operators.
During my visit, a kind elderly lady showed me around with great pride. When we were at the cafe, I saw a wall with small wooden plates hanging neatly row by row. Some were engraved with names. Others had a symbol on them that looked like a simmering pot of water. She told me the name plates were names of people registered to use the onsen, a Japanese hot spring bath. The simmering water symbol was the reverse side of the name plate. When the simmering water was displayed, it meant that person was soaking in the onsen. In a land with frequent earthquakes, it’s very important to know where people are at all times. Residents of Kanazawa city are also welcome to use the onsen. What a community minded set up!
Friends and Family
At any time, around 40 older persons, 32 youths with special needs and 8 university students live here. Even alpacas live here! Similar to the older persons, youths with special needs often are socially isolated in Japan. So it is natural for the two groups to form bonds with one another. The residents can volunteer or work in one of the eight onsite small businesses, play in the sports gymnasium, grow vegetables or go for a walk on the 3.6 hectare property. Those who live, work, and play on the land of Share Kanazawa are the older person’s family and friends.
Service Partners
Small business owners at the village believe in the concept of community. They offer youth with special needs the opportunity to learn skills. They also welcome the older persons to volunteer. Residents can work or volunteer at the nature school, cooking school, coffee shop, laundromat, sports institute, planning and design firm or as ukulele performers. These opportunities help the older persons develop their sense of purpose. They also help youths with special needs learn social, life and job skills. Having small business operators as part of the village also means people from around the area is coming to the village. This helps everyone stay connected to the world outside. The Share Kanazawa experience has been so positive that it has become a continuing care retirement community learning lab for the Japanese government.
Infrastructure Partners
The government is a key infrastructure partner, providing the land and funding for projects like this one. While housing and access to services are important, a diverse and caring community is what makes life interesting and meaningful.
Community development is taken care of by the non-profit organization, BUSSI-EN. Established in 1960, BUSSI-EN started with group homes for children with special needs. Then designed living communities for adults with special needs. Using these experiences, BUSSI-EN moved into community development. They converted a closed temple into a community center with day service for older persons and job opportunities for the disabled. Share Kanazawa was the first community development project where BUSSI-EN played a role the behind the scenes. They brought together government and small business operators to co-create a diverse intergenerational living community. BUSSIN-EN continues to manage the operations of Share Kanawaza today.
New Value Proposition
Share Kanazawa is built around the concept of ikigai, a sense of belonging, purpose and a home. Residents at Share Kanazawa belong to a diverse intergenerational community where they are able to give and receive support. Their extended family and friends are right at their door steps. Share Kanazawa is also an experiment in adapting the continuing care retirement community (CCRC) model to the country’s cultural, social and economic needs. It has been a win in many ways. Older persons get to live in quieter communities with the needed medical facility and community support. The depopulating town is revitalized through the influx of new people and the supporting commerce that comes with it. Want to learn more about this unique intergenerational living value proposition? Check out the Share Kanazawa website and this BUSSI-EN introductory video!
