'Collective house' in Tokyo helps foster community, connections across generations January 5, 2026 (Mainichi Japan) Japanese version Residents of the collective house Kankan Mori gather at the dining hall and eat together, as seen in Tokyo's Arakawa Ward on Oct. 26, 2025. (Mainichi/Mimi Niimiya) TOKYO -- The shape of families has changed over time -- from multiple generations living under one roof to nuclear families, single-member households and even "chosen" families -- and is also diversifying. The Mainichi Shimbun recently visited a "collective house" in Tokyo where single people of different ages and families live to create their own versions of "home." In a dining hall filled with the steam of simmering oden, a classic Japanese hot pot dish, people gather one by one. This is a "common meal" at Kankan Mori, a multigenerational collective house in Arakawa Ward, where residents occasionally prepare dinner together. In one corner, two parents chat while feeding their children baby food. "I don't like hard-boiled eggs. Would you like one?" an elderly man asked a child at the next table, to which the child responded by handing their plate to the man. After dinner, everyone sang a birthday song together for a child. With about 30 people gathered around the table, it felt like one large family. Kankan Mori was established in 2003, inspired by a Swedish movement led by working women. Architects and like-minded residents created this self-managed housing complex. It features independent living quarters ranging from single-bedroom studios to two-bedroom apartments, as well as shared spaces including a large dining hall and kitchen, allowing for shared child care and other activities. The building's management is divided among residents, who also form a company to screen prospective tenants. Currently
ブランドコピー最高N級 43 people live there, including 10 children up to junior high school age, with the oldest resident being 88. Yui Kumagai, 37, a company employee, was feeding her 1-year-old son baby food. She and her 35-year-old husband started living at Kankan Mori in September 2025. Kumagai had previously lived there for seven years, from her university days to her professional life. Residents of the collective house Kankan Mori gather at the dining hall and eat together, as seen in Tokyo's Arakawa Ward on Oct. 26, 2025. (Mainichi/Mimi Niimiya) During her previous stay, she would enjoy snacks with elderly residents and help care for other residents' children. "The kids who grow up here don't have barriers with people and are interested in adult conversations. I wanted to raise my child here, so I came back (with the family)." In the apartment where her family of three lived, she sometimes felt lonely even when with her child. Now, she chats with other residents while her child plays in the shared kids' space. "This place offers a third space, separate from home and work." For single residents, who make up the largest group of tenants in Kankan Mori, the connections among residents provide a sense of security. Keiichi Fujiwara, 59, a freelancer who has lived there for about 20 years, felt supported when fellow residents visited him in the hospital and worried about his meals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, residents supported each other by isolating patients in vacant rooms and hanging groceries on doorknobs. Mayumi Otsuki, a 62-year-old architect, said, "Having a role and somewhere to direct my affection filled the emptiness I felt when I was alone." She lost her husband to illness 12 years ago and spent about two years in apathy. She happened to watch a documentary featuring Kankan Mori
コピーブランドバッグ where residents decorated shared spaces with tapestries they designed themselves, and found herself drawn to the place. She enjoys a warm, neighborhoodlike life reminiscent of her childhood. Yosuke Suzuki, a 30-year-old freelancer
スーパーコピー信用できるサイト realized last year he was asexual and felt overwhelmed by loneliness. His friend introduced him to Kankan Mori, after Suzuki confided that he lacked confidence in living a life of "getting married and having children." While Suzuki understands that living freely means having choices
スーパーコピー靴 he doesn't envision choosing a life of marriage and children. At Kankan Mori, he can choose to spend time with fellow residents in shared spaces or enjoy solitude in his room. He said, "I'm looking forward to spending my first year-end and New Year holiday season with everyone here." (Japanese original by Tomoko Mimata, Lifestyle
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