Approximately 200 years ago, Katsushika Hokusai depicted the beautiful scenery of Asahibashi Bridge in his ukiyo-e print, "Eight Views of the Ryukyus." Asahibashi flourished as a key trading hub between China, Southeast Asia, and Japan, and has long been known as a place where people and information flowed and hearts connected. Now, a new type of exchange hub has emerged in this area. Located a two-minute walk from Asahibashi Station, it is called "Coworking Space Mangrove by Okinawa Cellular Forest Building," operated by Okinawa Cellular Telephone Co.

I want to create a place where people can meet.

The owner, Okinawa Cellular Telephone Company, envisioned the Okinawa Cellular Forest Building as the "office of the future." Inside the building is Mangrove.

Forest Building is located downstream of the Kumoji River, right where seawater and freshwater mix. Mangroves are a general term for the plants that grow along coastlines where seawater and freshwater mix. Mangroves, which can be found in Okinawa, grow not only in Japan but also in 110 countries around the world, mainly in Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. We hope that this coworking space will foster a variety of business exchanges and serve as a bridge between the prefecture, Japan, Asia, and beyond. The building's concept, location, and the land of Okinawa all came together with many thoughts, leading to the name "Mangrove."

In fact, Asahibashi Station, where Mangrove is located, is only about 12 minutes away from Naha Airport by monorail. As a result, the area is home to many hotels, as well as branches of domestic and international companies, making it a thriving tourist and business district.

Asahibashi is a veritable "crossroads" where people from all over Japan gather, close to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Shanghai in Asia. In this location, Mangrove gives shape to the "future way of working," providing a comfortable space where people working in Okinawa can deepen their connections and get to know each other.

Facility development and a wide range of operational services that lead to improved productivity

Mangrove offers a wide variety of seating options so that users can choose the seat that best suits their work that day. There are plenty of spaces to choose from, including solo work, group work, soundproof web booths, and conference rooms.

"Because of its convenient location and abundant facilities, people from both within and outside the prefecture, with a wide range of occupations and needs, including company employees, freelancers, and startup managers, come to the facility. It truly has become a place where people intersect."

Furthermore, Mangrove is not just a space for individuals to work, but is also operated as a place where people can mingle with each other, and many other events are held there, such as co-creation events, seminars, and lunch gatherings where people can enjoy conversation.

Furthermore, in cooperation with Okinawa CLIP Marche, an online shopping site that handles Okinawan specialties and souvenirs, the facility will be selling Okinawan specialty products that are available on the online shopping site, allowing visitors to actually touch and enjoy them.

It seems to be very popular with users from outside the prefecture, as they can enjoy Okinawan sweets as a change of pace while working, or purchase recommended Okinawa-only souvenirs without getting lost at the airport.

At the counter, a concierge with local knowledge will also be able to recommend some recommended shops.

"People visiting from outside the prefecture often say, 'I've been to all the restaurants listed in the guidebook, so I want to know about restaurants that only locals know about!' So we provide maps of nearby restaurants and introduce nearby hotels that have collaborated with Mangrove."

We want visitors to Okinawa to not only enjoy their time at the facility, but also to enjoy the work-life balance that comes with being in Okinawa. With this in mind, the concierge at Mangrove even makes recommendations on how to spend your day.

"If you have specific requests, such as 'I want to interact with these kinds of people' or 'I want to go to these kinds of places', please feel free to speak to our concierge! We may even suggest some recommended restaurants while chatting."

In this way, the presence of concierges who communicate in a friendly manner may be the deciding factor in attracting repeat customers both from within and outside the prefecture.

A space where conversations naturally arise

The facility also has a "communication shelf" where various information about the prefecture is shared, such as business cards, event flyers, pamphlets, etc. New projects are also underway to help users enjoy Okinawa even more and create a place where they can interact with others.

If the staff thinks, "This guest and that guest seem like they'd get along well!", they'll introduce them. From there, they say, connections often expand. They also hold regular lunch meetings and study sessions, which bring together people from various professions and backgrounds from both inside and outside the prefecture, deepening their connections.

The beautiful town that Hokusai once painted, a key trading hub, is still bustling with activity today, with many people coming and going. In this historic town, Mangrove continues to weave stories of new encounters and exchanges.

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Coworking Space mangrove by 沖縄セルラーフォレストビル
電話：098-954-5289
住所：〒900-0034　沖縄県那覇市東町4番1号 沖縄セルラーフォレストビル 2階
アクセス：旭橋駅より徒歩2分
HP：https://mangrove.oct-forest-building.com/
SNS：https://www.instagram.com/coworkingspace_mangrove.naha/
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