MINAMISOMA, Fukushima -- JR Joban Line's Odaka Station in Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, has been remade into an unmanned station equipped with a sake brewery.
　Haccoba Craft Sake Brewery, which brews a new kind of drink called "craft sake" in the city's Odaka area, held a preopening event at the station on Feb. 9. According to East Japan Railway Co., this is the country's first sake brewery built within an unmanned station.
　Taisuke Sato, 31, the representative of haccoba, said: "This station is a symbol of the town. I'd like to keep the lights on in the unmanned station and make it a warm, welcoming place."

　ＪＲ常磐線小高駅が醸造所を兼ねる無人駅として生まれ変わった。駅のある南相馬市小高区などで新しいジャンルの酒「クラフトサケ」を製造しているｈａｃｃｏｂａ（ハッコウバ）が2月９日、駅内に醸造所をプレオープンした。ＪＲ東日本によると、無人駅に醸造所ができるのは国内初。ハッコウバ代表の佐藤太亮さん（３１）は「駅はまちの顔。無人駅に明かりをともし続け、温かい場所にしたい」と意気込んだ。

　The station brewery is called the "haccoba Odaka Station Building Sake Brewery & Public Market" and was set up at a space that was previously used as a night duty room and station office. The brewery will produce craft sake made by adding hops and herbs to conventional sake ingredients during the brewing process. It will also produce non-alcoholic drinks so that high school students, who are the main users of the station, can feel comfortable in the new facility. The station's sake brewery will fully open in April.

　醸造所名は「ハッコウバ小高駅舎醸造所＆パブリックマーケット」。かつて宿直室と駅事務室だった場所に整備された。日本酒の製造過程にホップやハーブなどの副原料を加えた「クラフトサケ」のほか、主な駅利用者である高校生にも親しんでもらえうよう、ノンアルコール飲料なども製造する。本格稼働は４月になる見通しだ。

　"I hope the new brewery will serve as an introduction to the area for people from near and far. I'll be happy if high school students and other locals can enjoy this place," Sato said, expressing his enthusiasm for creating a place where people can relax and have fun.
　In addition to the sake brewery, haccoba also created a market area and a common space within the station. In the market, they sell the company's products, local souvenirs and stationery. In the common space, people can eat and drink, so they can relax and enjoy the products they bought in the market. The company is also considering using these spaces for events.

　佐藤さんは「外から来る人にとっても、地元の人にとっても起点になることを期待している。高校生など地元の人が楽しめる場所にもなれば」と語り、憩いの場をつくり上げる考えだ。
　醸造所のほかに、物販と交流エリアを設けた。物販エリアでは自社製品のほかに県内のお土産を取りそろえ、文房具も並ぶ。交流エリアは飲食が可能で、購入した商品をその場で楽しんだり、くつろいだりできる。両エリアについてはイベントでの活用も検討していく。

　Since the disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in 2011, the Odaka area has been facing population decline and is aging out. The area's population is now only about 30% of its pre-disaster level and people aged 65 and older account for about 49% of that number. Odaka Station has been unmanned since 2020 due to the decline in users, among other reasons. Under the current circumstances, the station brewery is hoped to be a boost to the local community.

　小高区は2011年の東京電力福島第１原発事故以降、居住人口が事故前の３割にとどまる一方、高齢化率は約４９％と人口減少と高齢化が進む。小高駅も利用客の減少などから、２０２０年から無人化しており、醸造所は地域活性化の起爆剤としての役割も期待される。

　Shigeru Ikezawa, an official at the Mito branch of JR East that helped haccoba open the facilities, said, "We were impressed by the company's enthusiasm for revitalizing the community. We would like to work together with them to transform the new facility into a place that is loved by the locals and visited by many people from outside the prefecture."
　"I'd be glad if the hustle and bustle returns to the town. I want to support the efforts led by young people," said Tomoko Kobayashi, 72, proprietor of the Futabaya ryokan inn in front of the station.

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　開業に協力したＪＲ東日本水戸支社の池沢茂氏は「（ハッコウバの）地域をよみがえらせたいという熱い思いに感動した。地元に愛され、県外からも多くの人が訪れる場所になるよう、一緒に頑張っていきたい」と語った。
　小高駅前の双葉屋旅館で、女将（おかみ）を務める小林友子さん（７２）は「またにぎわいが出てくればうれしい。若い人が頑張っているので、地元として応援していきたい」と笑顔を見せた。

　【　２０２４年２月１０日付・福島民友新聞掲載　】