[Report] CO-AKINAI Market

On March 8, 2026, the very first CO-AKINAI Market was held at Kusatsu Onsen Coworking!

Vendors who love Kusatsu gathered from both within the town and beyond to take part in the event.

Locals and visitors alike came together, connected with one another, and filled the space with laughter throughout the day.
Here’s a look back at this joyful and lively market ^^

What is “CO-AKINAI”?

Kusatsu Onsen Coworking is usually used as a shared workspace by a wide range of people.
While everyone works on different things, they share the same space, sometimes chat, and spend small moments of their lives together.

In this coworking space where different lives intersect, we wanted to create a market together with wonderful people.

We also wanted to create a place where visitors could experience what we, as staff, feel is the true charm of Kusatsu — its people.

We hope this coworking space can serve as a place where those looking to connect with Kusatsu, or those wanting to try something new here, can take their first step.
And from this day, we hope it becomes a place where people can expand their lives and connections in Kusatsu.

“With a spirit of doing business together”
“Bringing together small sparks of excitement”

With these ideas in mind, we launched this market project called “CO-AKINAI.”

On the day, eight groups joined as vendors.

They included two vendors from outside Kusatsu, five from within the town, and members of the Kusatsu Onsen Women’s Association who supported and helped make this event possible.

After careful preparation and communication leading up to the event, we were finally able to gather everyone together for a greeting for the first time.

“Let’s make this a day where vendors can enjoy themselves the most, and where we can share our stories and get to know each other deeply!”

With that shared intention, the market began.

Nokisaki Coffee:
A lovely couple who live between Kusatsu and Chiba and open a café in Kusatsu once a month.
They embody the idea of “creating a place where people connect through coffee.”
As it was International Women’s Day, they prepared drip bags decorated with mimosa flowers and Nepali coffee.

The Essential Market:
A shop in Kusatsu that sells seasonings and ingredients from across Asia.
It was opened to support the lives of foreign residents who live and work in Kusatsu and help sustain the town.
On this day, they offered Nepali chai and noodles, along with snacks and seasonings from Vietnam, Indonesia, and more.

The Joy of Sharing “Delicious” and “Fun”

At 11:00 AM, when the market began, light snow was falling outside despite the forecast.

We had worked hard to spread the word with the help of many people, but we still felt uncertain.

Since the venue is a bit away from the town center,
we wondered how many people would actually come.

Especially in the snow—
would anyone walk all the way here?

There were many unknowns, and we felt a mix of excitement and anxiety as the day began.

However, those worries quickly disappeared.
People started arriving one after another, and before we knew it, the space was filled with lively voices.

On the first floor, the gentle, toasty aroma of coffee and chai filled the air,
while laughter echoed from people enjoying takeaway gyudon from the outdoor vendors.

The delicious smells and joyful atmosphere drew in even more people.

“I want some too!”
“I’ll go get one as well!”

People couldn’t resist joining in.

Simple words like “This is so good” and “This is fun” sparked new connections,
while others happily caught up with friends they hadn’t seen in a while.

Like flowers swaying in the breeze, everyone’s smiles shimmered throughout the space.

Shirogitsune Shoten:
A local Kusatsu spot where you can enjoy both food and a unique shooting activity experience.
Located next to the coworking space, they are our friendly neighbors.
They prepared plenty of their signature gyudon made with Joshu beef for the event.

Sharing the Stories Behind the Makers

Three vendors set up booths on the second floor.

Visitors who initially stopped out of curiosity soon found themselves deeply engaged in conversation with the vendors.
Some chats grew longer, with people sitting down and continuing their conversations.

Through tastings, visitors became even more interested, asking many questions.
Some even returned after eating to say, “That was delicious!”

People and conversations flowed freely,
moving from place to place.

In the midst of this lively yet gentle atmosphere,
connections went beyond the products themselves to the stories of the people behind them.

Oimotatsuki Kusatsu Onsen:
A shop specializing in sweet potatoes and mandarins that opened in Kusatsu last year.
They also supply products to the coworking space, where their jellies and snacks are very popular.
They brought a wide variety of items, including baked sweet potatoes, puddings, cheesecakes, and fresh mandarins.

Kurabuchi Gohan Farm:
A family-run farm from Kurabuchi in Takasaki, Gunma.
They aim to share the charm of their region and the joy that “food” brings through environmentally conscious farming.
They offered items such as glutinous rice and beeswax cream.

PORTA ROSSA:
A couple who moved to Kusatsu and started a shop without a physical storefront.
They offer plant-based baked goods (free from dairy and eggs) and decaf coffee jelly.
They brought sweets that anyone can enjoy, along with secondhand picture books that connect parents and children.

Connecting and Expanding

From 11 AM to 5 PM, the day flew by.

There were so many encounters and reunions.

Locals who came to visit specific vendors,
people who stopped by during work breaks,
friends reuniting after years and marveling at how much children had grown,
tourists who happened to visit,
and those curious about the coworking space.

Some even expanded their circle of friends by meeting new people at the market.

We also heard comments like:

“I realized there are so many people in this small town I’ve never met before.
It reminded me how important events like this are for connecting the community.”

“I haven’t had this much fun running a stall in a long time.”

“I was so happy to meet both familiar faces and new people.”

“People connect with one another, and from there, new challenges and exciting encounters grow.”

This CO-AKINAI Market was our attempt to embody the future we envision for the coworking space.

In that sense, we believe it was a success as a place that fostered connections and new encounters.

Seeing everyone enjoy themselves throughout the day made us strongly feel that we want to continue creating spaces like this regularly.

Of course, there are many things to improve in our operations,
and we will take them as lessons for the next event and continue to evolve.

This event also reminded us of the warmth and strength of the Kusatsu community.

To the Women’s Association for their support,
to everyone who helped spread the word,
to everyone who came,
to all the vendors,
to the residents of Takishita who supported the event,
and to Secchan, who inspired this project—

thank you so much!

Kusatsu Onsen Coworking will continue to be a starting point for people to enjoy Kusatsu,
creating spaces that spark curiosity.

We look forward to seeing you at the next event!

Vista:
A tulip farm from Niigata.
They operate as a direct-from-farm florist connecting farms and towns, mainly in Gunma and Niigata.
This CO-AKINAI Market was made possible thanks to a connection between Vista and Secchan, a Kusatsu resident.