Interview with Goto Hiromu, Executive Officer
Enjaya LLC is dedicated to community development in Soja City in a variety of ways.
We interviewed its Executive Officer, Goto Hiromu.
This interview is based on the initial interview conducted in December 2023.
Founded the company with the motto “Small connections, big community development”
How did you come to start Enjaya?
Goto (surname only)
Enjaya was established in 2020.
The four of us who started it were me, working in regional revitalization; Sano of “Kokoro On,” who works in tourism; Adachi, who was involved in vacant-house projects; and Maeda, who works in farm-stay tourism.
Basically, we all have other jobs as well.
Enjaya works on community development in both the physical and non-physical realms, including making use of underutilized properties and planning events.
Our activity concept is “Small connections, big community development.”
We believe in starting small, without spending much, with local ideas such as “There’s a place like this—could we do something with it?” or “I’d like to do something like this,” and creating big community development by multiplying these efforts.
When we established the company, the second floor of a building in front of JR Soja Station had been vacant for a long time.
Compared with the past, there are fewer shops around Soja Station, and the area has lost its vitality.
So our first theme was to make use of the second floor and create an opportunity to bring life back to the area in front of JR Soja Station.
Our aim was to create a flow of people, bringing them together and encouraging interaction.
That is how Soja CROSS POINT, a railway gallery, came about.
Revitalizing the area around JR Soja Station and a connection with a railway photographer led to the creation of CROSS POINT
Why was CROSS POINT established in front of the station?
Goto
There was a renowned railway photographer named Fujiyama Kanji, who was from Okayama City.
He had also collected a large number of railway goods, but Fujiyama passed away.
Afterward, his family contacted Adachi at our company, saying they were unsure what to do with the railway goods.
That was because Adachi, who heads Enjaya, also ran an antique shop.
That led to the idea of making use of Fujiyama’s railway memorabilia and turning the vacant second floor of a building in front of JR Soja Station into a railway-themed space.
When we looked into it, we learned that the Okayama area is like a “mecca for JNR rolling stock,” with more trains from the former Japanese National Railways era still in service than in other areas.
It’s right in front of the station, Okayama is a mecca for JNR trains, and there was a wonderful collection of railway memorabilia left by Fujiyama.
It was the perfect place for a railway-themed space.
Also, young children love trains, and many adults are railway fans, too.
So I thought it would encourage exchange across generations.
We also expected visitors from outside the area, and thought it could promote exchange between people from within and outside the community.
And so, in July 2020, Soja CROSS POINT was established as a railway-themed exchange facility.
Soja CROSS POINT was renovated in February 2025 into a rental space with a railway diorama.
Involved in Soja’s community development projects, from infrastructure to programming
Tell us about your other activities.
Goto
At Enjaya, we work on community development not only in the physical realm but also through programming.
For example, we plan and run events.
Some of our signature events make use of Soja’s many ancient burial mounds: “Guruguru Kofun Club” and “Kofun Mystery Tour.”
Other events include markets and evening picnics held periodically at Sesshu Birthplace Park.
On the physical side, there is ADORIBA, a rental space that opened inside JR Soja Station in September 2022.
The Ibara Railway stationmaster’s office at JR Soja Station had been vacant for a long time.
Until the COVID-19 pandemic, JR West had rented and used it, but stopped using it because of the pandemic, and it became vacant again.
Around that time, Ibara Railway asked Enjaya if we could think of a good way to use the stationmaster’s office.
Enjaya’s core work has always been community development, such as making use of underutilized properties.
So we came up with the idea of using the stationmaster’s office as a rental space.
We thought that letting people use the space inside JR Soja Station for a variety of purposes could help bring activity to the area in front of the station.
When reusing the stationmaster’s office, we also collaborated with students from Okayama Prefectural University, asking them to design wooden benches and other items.
We wanted to create an atmosphere that was a little different from what JR Soja Station had had before.
In addition to retail sales, ADORIBA has Wi-Fi and power outlets, so it can also be used for small meetings, seminars, study groups, and discussions.
Cooking was not previously allowed, but we obtained a permit to operate a cafe, so coffee stands and similar businesses can now operate there.
In Soja, when you try to do something, people naturally come together and form partnerships
What challenges do you face, and what would you like to try in the future?
Goto
The main challenge in running the business is, of course, funding.
When we established CROSS POINT, we raised funds through crowdfunding.
Thanks to everyone’s support, we raised more than twice our target.
Soja City also runs a “Citizen-Proposed Projects” program, and we apply to it as well.
If a proposal is selected, we can receive a subsidy.
So we’re always thinking about how to make the best use of our funds.
We also have a staffing challenge.
But Soja has quite a lot of interesting people.
So when you try to do something, people naturally come together and form partnerships.
We’re very grateful for that.
We also have students from Okayama Prefectural University help out at events.
Another challenge is that, as I mentioned earlier, all the Enjaya members have other jobs, so although there are many things we want to do, we don’t have enough time.
So we’d like to make good use of our time, people, and funds, and build a structure that lets us keep doing the things we want to do.
Soja CROSS POINT, a railway gallery in a mecca for railway rolling stock, and Enjaya, a community development company in Soja
Soja CROSS POINT is located in front of JR Soja Station in Okayama, an area known as a mecca for JNR rolling stock.
It’s a place where everyone from young children to adults can have fun, as long as they have even a little interest in trains.
Be sure to visit.
Enjaya, which is dedicated to community development in Soja, also holds all kinds of fun events.
Why not visit one of Enjaya’s events?
Soja CROSS POINT was renovated in February 2025 into a rental space with a railway diorama.
Company data: Enjaya LLC (Soja CROSS POINT)
Prices include consumption tax
| Name | Enjaya LLC (Soja CROSS POINT) |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-1 Ekimae 1-chome, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture (2nd floor) |
| Contact | 090-6419-1402 |
| Parking | None Please use the coin-operated parking lot inside JR Soja Station or nearby facilities |
| Opening hours | 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. *Open irregularly, mainly on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays (reservations required) See the official website or official Instagram for opening days |
| Closed | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; irregular closures See the official website or official Instagram for opening days |
| Admission (tax included) | 【Private rental】 1 hour: ¥6,000 2 hours: ¥10,000 3 hours or more: ¥15,000 【Rental model railway layout】 1 hour: ¥800/lane *Reservations required |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Available Reservations required |
| Smoking | Entirely non-smoking |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Community Development Company Enjaya |
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