In response to the spread of COVID-19, the Sapporo guesthouse "UNTAPPED HOSTEL" began operating as a shelter for people living in poverty. This place, which was once a place of comfort for travelers, is now transforming into a facility with a more public nature than ever before. Currently, they are exploring ways to develop a "new public space" in a sustainable way by continuing to operate as a shelter while turning part of it into a bookstore. They are conducting a crowdfunding campaign until the end of September to raise funds for this. Now more than ever, there is hope to be found in books. Why not support them too?

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned guesthouses on a new path

UNTAPPED HOSTEL is a guesthouse that opened in Kita-ku, Sapporo in 2014. It is a place like a lodging house where travelers from all over the country, both inside and outside of Hokkaido, come and fly off to their next destination.

The host, Teruya Kamishi, renovated a five-story building that was once an eel restaurant with his friends, and in 2016 added an old house on the premises to the annex. In addition to providing a place to stay, the hostel also hosts joint events with restaurants, mini concerts, exhibitions and sales, wedding parties and more, and has been a place where many people have come together and made new connections. "When I was in high school, I think there were a lot of small, independently-run shops, like clothing stores and record stores, probably all over the country. And I had the impression that these people were the ones who energized the towns. I thought they were cool, they were wonderful, and I wanted to be like them. In addition to the simple feeling that I wanted to have my own place, I also wanted to start a guesthouse where people could gather."

Kami-san was gradually making his dream a reality, but the situation changed dramatically with the onslaught of COVID-19 in 2020. After the Sapporo Snow Festival in February, people were less likely to come and go than usual, and in March the first state of emergency was declared in Tokyo, causing sales from the inn to fall by 90%. With no clear future, Kami-san was racking his brains over how to keep the guesthouse afloat. At that time, a friend shared the news on social media that "the number of internet cafe refugees in Tokyo is rapidly increasing." There were increasing cases of people with no home to return to being evicted from internet cafes that could no longer operate 24 hours a day. Kami felt a sense of crisis and thought, "This is not something that only affects Sapporo," and he began to think, "Can we open a place called UNTAPPED HOSTEL to people who are struggling to make ends meet?"

"I had a feeling that this situation wasn't going to drag on for long. So I didn't want to do anything out of the blue. I also felt like this predicament was calling into question my way of life."

Sudden donations lead support to new level

Until now, thanks to inbound demand, Hokkaido's tourism industry has been on the rise. Whenever a vacant lot became available, a hotel was immediately built. However, Kami-san says he always had a feeling of unease, wondering, "Even if things are good now, I'm sure they will go bankrupt at some point. Was this what I wanted to do when I started the inn?"

"So supporting those in financial difficulty felt right to me. If someone falls, I want to lend a hand. There is no one on this planet who doesn't need care from someone other than themselves, so I think it would be better if you could say 'help me' when you fall. For that reason, I wanted to do what I can now." However, welfare was an unknown field. Although he had no idea what to do, he contacted the Hokkaido Association for the Study of Labor and Welfare, which supports the homeless, and through that he was also able to connect with the Sapporo Homeless Support Center JOIN. He received various types of support and was able to use the system to open the annex as a shelter with three meals a day from May 2020.

This activity was featured in the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper and spread on social media, becoming known to many people. Then, one day, a turning point came. When Kami-san was not around, a staff member received a bottle of gum filled to the brim with 500 yen coins from someone. "Someone who saw our activities at the shelter on social media donated 500 yen in savings, saying, 'I hope it will be put to good use.' We were very surprised, and discussed with the staff how we could put this money to good use. I think that person was entrusting us with something intangible...at least a little bit of hope."

What we learned from the soup kitchen "Big Table"

With that donation as a starting point, Kami-san planned a soup kitchen called "The Big Table." When he called out on social media about the need for support, he received a lot of donations and supplies from those who supported him.

On the day, they were able to provide supplies and lunches to a total of 150 people, including university students and international students who had lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and were struggling to make ends meet. Not only that, they also provided haircuts at the venue and allowed people to listen to piano recitals, creating a space where many people could relax.

"The artist Hitsujiya Shirotama was especially helpful. He reached out to various colleagues, provided detailed ideas, and was busy on site on the day. It was also thanks to Shirotama that the haircuts and piano performances were made possible. It feels like he gave us some creative space in addition to a regular soup kitchen." Kami says that this experience gave her a renewed sense of the importance of creativity in the field of welfare. In fact, it is essential that there be some creativity.

Books connect people and light the light of hope

UNTAPPED HOSTEL has taken on a more public role, first accepting travelers, then providing shelter and soup kitchen services. Now, Kami-san is trying to create a "new public space" that fuses culture and welfare in a sustainable way. He has decided to change part of the first floor of the annex, which is currently used as a hostel, from accommodation to a bookstore that mainly sells new books, and to operate it as a "bookstore + shelter." The shelter will continue to use the second floor.

"I used to work in sales at a publishing company, so it was easier than starting from scratch. Books can connect with all kinds of places, things, and people. By selecting the books ourselves, I think over time we will become a bookstore that is unique to UNTAPPED HOSTEL. I would also like to play a role in sending out proactive messages such as, 'It would be great if the world became like this,' or 'Aren't the current politics strange?'" Crowdfunding is currently underway until the end of September. Many people who support this initiative have already supported the project, and the amount raised has far exceeded the goal. Rewards include an UNTAPPED HOSTEL accommodation plan, meal tickets for Gohan-ya Haruya on the first floor of the main building, tickets to be used at bookstores, and a unique "shelf owner system" (currently sold out). The shelves are planned to be filled with not only the owner's personal recommended books, but also books that the owner has created himself. Naturally, the owner's personality will come out, creating a diverse space. It may bring visitors unexpected encounters. Kami-san wants to make the bookstore especially appealing to young people. Kita 18-jo, where UNTAPPED HOSTEL is located, is a student town centered around Hokkaido University. With the COVID-19 pandemic putting restrictions on what students can do, Kami-san is concerned that students are being deprived of the opportunity to experience diverse ways of life.

"When you buy a book online, there is a system that infers and recommends books to you based on that information. It's very convenient, but I wonder if there are any chance encounters there. If you go to a bookstore, the physical experience of finding something interesting for yourself can lead you down a path you've never known before. In the process, you might find something you like. What I want to convey most is, 'Be passionate about what you love.' I hope that this place, including the bookstore, can be an opportunity for that to happen." A light born out of the harsh circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. Why not light a small ray of hope for those who visit UNTAPPED HOSTEL through books?