“Taiyaki Shop ICHlGO” located in the Bikan Historical Area.
The chewy taiyaki made with rice flour pairs well with coffee made from self-roasted coffee beans. I heard that the shop will hold its first “Art Exhibition” on May 4, 2025 (Sunday), so I went to hear more about it.
What is “ICHIGOWORKS”?
“ICHIGOWORKS” is a disability welfare service facility where individuals with disabilities work. It is operated by the social welfare corporation Yotsubakai as a Type B continuous employment support facility.
The users of ICHIGOWORKS include various individuals, such as those who have graduated from special support schools and those who have difficulty continuing employment due to illness. However, they are working in ways that utilize their individual strengths and lead to future employment.
The facility director, Yoshida Hideki, speaks as follows.
“Training for people with disabilities should be support that brings out their strengths. It is important for us to create a working environment that enhances their independence rather than doing everything for them. I always tell the staff, ‘Do not see the disability, but see them as a person and engage with them.’ If we don’t do that, their strengths will not be utilized, and their potential will not expand.”
The work at ICHIGOWORKS mainly includes the following, and they are doing tasks suited to each individual while valuing the users' own intentions.
- Work at the taiyaki and coffee shop
- Indoor work contracted from companies
- Agricultural work in fields utilizing fallow rice paddies
Type B facilities face a nationwide issue of low wages for users, but at ICHIGOWORKS, wages paid exceed the national average, and they aim to reach 40,000 yen per month in the future.
Moreover, they have been sending users to general employment every year for six years. It is very rare for users to transition from Type B facilities to general employment, and this achievement is said to have no other examples nationwide. Even after employment, they continue to monitor and provide follow-up support regularly, allowing users to continue working.
I heard of a case where an individual who developed higher brain dysfunction after a stroke continued training with a strong desire to return to their original workplace and successfully returned to that job.
About “Taiyaki Shop ICHlGO”
“Taiyaki Shop ICHlGO,” located in the Bikan Historical Area, is a shop operated by ICHIGOWORKS that opened in November 2023. It offers gluten-free taiyaki made with rice flour, self-roasted coffee, and Japanese tea.
Here, they create products without additives. The oil used on the griddle is rice oil, resulting in taiyaki that is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, which is popular. Additionally, the coffee made from freshly roasted coffee beans is also well-regarded.
In the shop, users of ICHIGOWORKS produce and sell miscellaneous goods, processed products, and delicious, safe, and secure vegetables.
Vegetables are sold only when harvested.
By the way, why is the shop named “ICHIGO”?
The origin of the name is that there are five “1s” lined up in the shop's address (Kurashiki City, Chuo 1-11-11), which is “ICHIGO.” It also includes the meaning of valuing the spirit of “ichigo ichie” (one time, one meeting).
The First Art Exhibition
At “ICHIGOWORKS,” preparations are underway for the first exhibition of works, “Everyone's Art Exhibition,” to be held on May 4, 2025.
In the shop, paintings and cut paper works created by users are usually displayed. It seems that among the local people who saw these, there was someone who draws their own sketches, leading to the decision to hold the exhibition together.
The plants sold in the shop were also incorporated through connections with local people, and it appears that ICHIGOWORKS is ideally progressing in “collaboration” with the community, starting with this art exhibition.
I felt a strong desire from the staff to “make the street in front of the shop a place where the users' strengths can shine.”
In this art exhibition, in addition to users and local people, some family members of the users will also participate.
On the day, not only will there be exhibitions of paintings and cut paper works, but various products and items will also be sold.
In addition to the displayed paintings, T-shirts, stickers, and playlists designed with the users' works will be sold, along with taiyaki and coffee.
Among them, the cut paper works will be in a workshop format where users will create them on the spot, which was planned with the desire to “give them the experience of turning what they are involved in into money.” There are also considerations for users who are not good at being in front of people, and I thought I would definitely like to go.
No participation fee or reservation is required. Anyone can drop by easily.
What ICHGOWORKS Aims For
The motto of Yoshida Hideki, the director of ICHIGOWORKS, is “Do not see users as people with disabilities. See them as individuals.”
“For them, this place is just a passing point in life. We think together with the staff about how to support them to live happily in the future, how to earn money, and how to communicate that to the users. I want to bring out each person's potential and connect it to their future,” he spoke passionately.
“The three keywords that are important at the facility are ‘communicate,’ ‘connect,’ and ‘earn.’ I believe this art exhibition embodies all three of those. We look forward to many people coming.”
Conclusion
I have visited “Taiyaki Shop ICHlGO” several times before and was well aware of its deliciousness, but this time I heard about the overall efforts of ICHIGOWORKS for the first time.
At ICHIGOWORKS, users receive bonuses every year.
Seeing the users with a lot of money that they usually do not see, the staff also tear up, saying, “There are tough times, but we continue to do this for this day.”
It is very rare for bonuses to be given at Type B continuous employment support facilities. Nevertheless, I was once again moved by the sight of individuals with disabilities working vibrantly while utilizing their strengths and the perseverance of the staff who support their future independence.
The works and products in the shop are all wonderful, and even for someone like me who is not good at art, there are many things that catch my heart.
I imagined the scene where visitors to this place think, “I want to buy this because it’s delicious” or “I want to have this because it’s beautiful and I like it,” rather than “I’ll buy this because a person with a disability worked hard to make it.”
I hope many people visit the art exhibition on May 4, and that this will further expand understanding and collaboration with ICHIGOWORKS.
Data on Sunday’s ICHIGOWORKS Everyone’s Art Exhibition
| Name | Sunday’s ICHIGOWORKS Everyone’s Art Exhibition |
|---|---|
| Date | May 4, 2025 (Sunday) 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
| Location | 1-11-11 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Participation Fee (including tax) | Free |
| Website | Sunday’s ICHIGOWORKS |
