“Taiyaki Shop ICHlGO” in the Bikan Historical Area.
The chewy taiyaki made with rice flour goes perfectly with coffee brewed from beans roasted in-house. I heard that the shop would be holding its first “art exhibition” on Sunday, May 4, 2025, so I went to find out more.
The information presented here was accurate when this article was published in May 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is “ICHIGOWORKS”?
“ICHIGOWORKS” is a welfare service facility where people with disabilities work. It is operated by the social welfare corporation Yotsubakai as a Type B continuous employment support facility.
ICHIGOWORKS users include people who have graduated from special-needs schools and those who have found it difficult to continue working due to illness, among others. However, they make use of their individual strengths in ways that can lead to future employment.
Facility director Yoshida says:
“Training people with disabilities for work should mean providing support that draws out their strengths. Rather than doing everything for them, it’s important for us to create a working environment that helps them become more independent. I always tell our staff, ‘Don’t focus on the disability; see and engage with each person as an individual.’ Otherwise, their strengths won’t be put to use, and their opportunities won’t expand.”
Work at ICHIGOWORKS includes mainly the following, with each person doing tasks suited to them while their wishes are respected.
- Work at the taiyaki and coffee shop
- Indoor work contracted by companies
- Farm work in fields making use of fallow rice paddies
Low wages for users, known as work allowances, are a nationwide issue at Type B facilities. However, ICHIGOWORKS pays allowances above the national average and reportedly aims to eventually reach 40,000 yen per month.
Furthermore, for six consecutive years, it has helped users move into regular employment each year. It is extremely rare for someone to move from a Type B facility into regular employment, and we were told that this record is unmatched elsewhere in Japan. They continue working after finding jobs, with regular follow-up support.
I also heard about a person who developed higher brain dysfunction after a stroke and, driven by a strong desire to return to their former workplace, continued training until they were able to do so.
About “Taiyaki Shop ICHlGO”
“Taiyaki Shop ICHlGO,” located in the Bikan Historical Area where the event will also be held, is a shop operated by ICHIGOWORKS that opened in November 2023. It serves gluten-free taiyaki made with rice flour, coffee roasted in-house, Japanese tea, and more.
The shop makes products without additives. It also uses rice oil on the griddle, making its taiyaki crisp on the outside and wonderfully chewy inside. Its coffee, made with carefully selected, freshly roasted beans, is also popular.
The shop also produces and sells goods and processed products made by ICHIGOWORKS users, as well as delicious, safe and reliable vegetables.
Vegetables are sold only when they have been harvested
By the way, why is the shop called “ICHIGO”?
The name comes from the fact that the shop’s address (1-11-11 Chuo, Kurashiki City) has five ones in it. It also reflects the importance of cherishing each once-in-a-lifetime encounter.
The first art exhibition
At “ICHIGOWORKS,” preparations are underway for its first exhibition, “Everyone’s Art Exhibition,” to be held on May 4, 2025.
Paintings and cut-paper art made by users are usually displayed in the shop. After a local resident saw them, it turned out that they also enjoyed sketching, so they decided to hold an exhibition together.
Plants sold at the shop were also introduced through connections with local residents. The upcoming art exhibition and other initiatives suggest that ICHIGOWORKS is making ideal progress in “collaborating” with the local community.
I could feel the staff’s strong desire to “make the street in front of the shop a place where users can put their strengths to work.”
In addition to users and local residents, some users’ family members are also expected to take part in this art exhibition.
On the day, there will be displays of paintings, cut-paper art, and other works, as well as a variety of works and products for sale.
Along with the paintings on display, items for sale will include T-shirts, stickers, and playlists featuring designs based on users’ work, as well as, of course, taiyaki and coffee.
The cut-paper art will be made on the spot by users as part of a workshop. It was planned with the hope of giving them “the experience of seeing something they’ve worked on turn into money.” They have also considered ways to accommodate users who are uncomfortable being in front of others, and I’d love to go myself.
No admission fee or reservation is required. Anyone can drop by.
What ICHGOWORKS aims to achieve
The motto of Yoshida Hideki (Yoshida Hideki), director of ICHIGOWORKS, is reportedly, “Don’t see users as people with disabilities. See them as individuals.”
“For them, this place is just a stop along life’s journey. How can we support them so they can live happily in the future? How can they earn money, and how can we communicate that to users? These are things we consider together with our staff. We want to draw out each person’s potential and connect it to their future,” he said passionately.
“The three key words we value at our facility are ‘share,’ ‘connect,’ and ‘earn.’ I think this art exhibition brings all three together in a tangible way. We look forward to welcoming many visitors.”
From the Writer
I had visited “Taiyaki Shop ICHlGO” several times before and knew how delicious its food was, but this was the first time I had heard about the work of ICHIGOWORKS as a whole.
ICHIGOWORKS reportedly gives its users a bonus every year.
When staff see users holding a large amount of money—more than they would normally see—they reportedly tear up, saying, “There are difficult times, but this is why we keep going.”
I think it is extremely rare for a Type B continuous employment support facility to pay bonuses. Even so, I was once again deeply moved by the sight of people with disabilities working happily by making use of what they are good at and enjoy, and by the staff’s steadfast support as they work toward users’ future independence.
All the works and products in the shop are wonderful, and even someone like me, who isn’t good at appreciating art, found many things that caught my eye.
I imagined visitors picking things up not because “someone with a disability worked hard to make this, so I should buy it,” but because “it’s delicious, so I want to buy it” or “I love it, so I want to have it.”
I hope many people visit the art exhibition on May 4, and that it helps broaden understanding of and collaboration with ICHIGOWORKS even further.
Sunday ICHIGOWORKS: Everyone’s Art Exhibition Information
| Name | Sunday ICHIGOWORKS: Everyone’s Art Exhibition |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, May 4, 2025 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. |
| Location | 1-11-11 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free admission |
| Website | Sunday ICHIGOWORKS |
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