Flooded twice, community candy shop in east Japan city keeps fighting to reopen
ICHIHARA, Chiba -- A traditional "dagashiya," or Japanese candy shop, here was recently flooded twice by heavy rains, but community supporters are det
Ichihara, a city in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, has been facing the challenge of a flooded candy shop, Jyugo-ya, twice in recent months. The community supported by local revitalization groups is determined to reopen the shop, preserving the local bonds formed there and providing a space for children to gather. Opened in November 2023 by a group translating to "Shito regional 15 neighborhood associations co-creation project," the shop was hit by heavy rains in August, flooding it up to 1.5 meters deep.
Despite the damage, members promptly organized a cleanup and have now scheduled a temporary reopening on September 27. The group, consisting of local neighborhood associations and volunteers, aimed to bring more visitors and new residents to the area and give it new energy. The shop, run by a 100-year-old building, has been a hub for residents to connect, with 200 to 300 groups of people visiting monthly, including families with kids and local children.
On September 6, the shop was flooded again, but damage was minor. The members plan to keep the shop open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m., with a limited selection of goods, while working on measures to protect the building against heavy rain for a full reopening.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
