Mirai Convenience Store

Lifestyle

What We Like

  1. Architecture by world-renowned Shigeru Ban.
  2. Kid’s dome promotes creativity of children, also family-friendly.
  3. A self-Löyly Finnish-style sauna is available!
  • SOC★2

A sustianable convenience store for the future of children

Mirai Convenience Store, a project of Kito Design Holdings, opened its doors in April 2020. The store was conceived to enhance the convenience of people living in an area grappling with depopulation and aging.

The name “Mirai” translates to “future” in Japanese, reflecting the store’s commitment to the children who will shape the area’s future. The goal is to create a space where children naturally gather, experience hope and stimulation for the future, and cultivate their passions.

The store’s design is child-centric. The shelves are lower than those in a typical convenience store, making it easier for children to reach products. The store is filled with elements for children, such as a cafe serving Kito Yuzu soft serve ice cream, an eat-in space, and bookshelves stocked with hard-to-find magazines, comics, novels, and art books.

Mirai Convenience Store also supports the local community by offering essential daily necessities and local products, including items made with Kito’s specialty, “Kito Yuzu.” The store serves as a hub for both local life and visitor interaction.

The Kito district, home to Mirai Convenience Store, is a remote area where over half of the population of about 1,000 people is over 65 years old. The store is located in the far western end of this vast village, in a region with a population of only about 200 people. The store was named “Mirai” with the hope of improving the shopping environment for local people and providing a place where children can encounter diverse lifestyles and sensibilities, stimulating their future aspirations.

Building a convenience store in this remote area and transforming a mere passageway into a destination is a significant challenge for the Kito Project. The project aims to connect all visitors and the region, weaving the future of Kito.

The store’s architectural design reflects the concept of “the world’s most beautiful convenience store.” The design theme is “coexistence with nature” in Kito, a region known for its rich nature and yuzu production. The Y-shaped truss structure, painted bright yellow, was inspired by Kito’s yuzu fields. The wall facing the road is entirely made of glass, and wood chips made from domestically produced pine are packed outside the store, creating a sense of unity with Kito’s beautiful, rainy nature.

The back of the store is designed as a cafe space where visitors can experience the original menu of “Kito Yuzu” and an area where children can enjoy various picture books and beautiful images of Kito. It has become an iconic presence in Kito, loved by local residents and tourists as a place of interaction where people can gather casually.

Details

(updated 18 May 2023)

Brand name Mirai Convenience Store
Genre Regional Revitalization
Website Homepage (JA)
Address Tokushima, Naka District, Naka, Kitokitagawa, Imojiyashiki−11−1
Google Map https://goo.gl/maps/
Opening Hours

8 am ~ 7 pm

Closed on Wednesday

Contact Contact form
Instagram Account Instagram URL
Facebook Account Facebook URL
Twitter Account
YouTube Account YouTube Channel

More Lifestyle Brands

Bé-A

Bé-A

Japan’s innovative period shorts that can completely replace pads Imagine if women and girls could wear special underwear during their periods without the need for pads, tampons or cups. This would save money, reduce waste and alleviate the stress of feeling...

Helsinki-no-ko

Helsinki-no-ko

Helsinki-no-ko, a unique cultivation kit developed by the Finnish startup Helsieni, is looking to introduce Japanese consumers to the wonders of homegrown mushrooms. Made for anyone wanting to enjoy mushroom cultivation at home, this kit offers the experience of...

IKEUCHI ORGANIC

IKEUCHI ORGANIC

IKEUCHI ORGANIC is a brand renowned for its commitment to producing organic textiles with an emphasis on safety and minimal environmental impact. Established in 1953 as Ikeuchi Towel Factory, the company initially focused on producing its own products rather than...

mymizu

mymizu

The free water refill app threatening the extinction of plastic bottles mymizu is a free water refill platform that started in Japan, aiming to create a world where refilling water and living sustainably is part of everyday life. It encourages people to refill their...

NIKKO COMPANY

NIKKO COMPANY

Nikko leading the support for restaurant sustainability Nikko Corporation is a long-established fine porcelain manufacturer founded in 1908 and based in Ishikawa Prefecture, and is serious in a transition towards a circular economy model for its tableware. Renowned...

Kikuya Zakka Ten

Kikuya Zakka Ten

Sometimes it is really nice to give those small shops a voice, especially one that aims to provide its customers with fair-trade and domestic products. Kikuya Zakkaten is a small shop in Kyoto that sells products made from fair-trade and domestic wood. These products...

THE ORIENTAL JOURNEY

THE ORIENTAL JOURNEY

Oriental Journey encourages clients to embark on a personal journey, even for the short time they spend at the salon. This philosophy inspired the salon's name. Oriental Journey believes that making oneself beautiful can lead to a more beautiful community, society,...

Yohaku.

Yohaku.

Yohaku. is a sustainable salon that embodies the motto "a person with margins is beautiful." This exceptional establishment provides a comfortable environment where clients can not only tend to their hair but also find a space for self-reflection and personal growth....

Lita-Lab

Lita-Lab

At Lita-lab, the goal is to create a salon that is gentle to both the environment and people while making clients beautiful from the inside out. This sustainable salon emphasizes providing an experience that goes beyond just appearances, focusing on enhancing inner...