Sasaguri Town, Fukuoka Prefecture Launches Reuse Initiative with 'Oikura'

Sasaguri Town, Fukuoka Prefecture (Mayor: Masashi Miura) and MarketEnterprise Co., Ltd. (Chuo Ward, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yasushi Kobayashi; Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market, Securities Code: 3135; hereinafter 'MarketEnterprise') have signed an agreement on a reuse initiative aimed at solving regional social issues, launching their collaboration on Monday, August 31, 2026. By utilizing 'Oikura,' a reuse platform operated by MarketEnterprise, the initiative aims to establish a system for reusing unwanted items instead of discarding them, thereby reducing waste and promoting a circular society in Sasaguri Town.

Background and Context

Sasaguri Town has identified increasing waste disposal costs and the fact that many discarded items still have reuse potential as key challenges. The town has been considering introducing measures to raise awareness and promote reuse activities among residents. Meanwhile, MarketEnterprise has been expanding its online-based businesses centered on reuse, actively engaging in SDG initiatives beyond public-private boundaries. The company has participated in the 'Regional Revitalization SDGs Public-Private Collaboration Platform' and served on the 'Musical Instrument Donation Furusato Tax' Executive Committee, all under its vision of becoming a 'sustainable society-optimized trading company.' Through MarketEnterprise's outreach to Sasaguri Town, the mutual desire to 'promote a circular society through reuse activities' aligned, leading to the realization of this initiative using 'Oikura※1'.

※1 What is 'Oikura'?

'Oikura' is a reuse platform operated by MarketEnterprise. When users wish to sell unwanted items, they can request an appraisal through 'Oikura,' which simultaneously sends the request to affiliated reuse shops nationwide. Users can compare offers based on buyback price, date, method, and reviews. The convenience of comparing multiple appraisal results and selling items in one request has been well received, with approximately 1.68 million users (as of February 2026) having used the service.

Website: https://oikura.jp/

Sasaguri Town's Challenges and 'Oikura' Solutions

Currently, Sasaguri Town collects bulky waste through door-to-door collection by prior appointment or self-delivery to disposal facilities, requiring residents to move large or heavy items outside their homes. 'Oikura' offers home visit buyback services, where staff can enter homes and handle removal, making it easier to sell large or heavy items. Additionally, appliances covered by Japan's Home Appliance Recycling Law, such as refrigerators and washing machines, may be eligible for buyback if still functional. By requesting a buyback through 'Oikura,' residents can sell and transfer unwanted items as early as the same day. Importantly, there is no cost to residents for using the service, nor any financial burden on the town.

Future Outlook

At 3:30 PM on Monday, August 31 (subject to slight timing adjustments), information about 'Oikura' will be posted on the Sasaguri Town website (https://www.town.sasaguri.fukuoka.jp/soshiki/toshi_seibi/1/1_1/2/1221.html), enabling direct applications for bulk appraisal of unwanted items. The collaboration between Sasaguri Town and 'Oikura' is expected to further activate secondary distribution, reduce waste across society, and decrease municipal waste processing volume and costs. Furthermore, if residents become aware of selling as an easy reuse option, the choice to 'reuse instead of discard' will expand, meeting diverse needs for unwanted item disposal. This will also promote changes in residents' attitudes toward reuse and accelerate the formation of a circular society. Through this public-private collaboration, the initiative aims to address both social and economic challenges in building a circular society.

Sasaguri Town, Kasuya District, Fukuoka Prefecture

Sasaguri Town is located in the northwestern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, approximately 12 kilometers east of Fukuoka City. The town features lush greenery, with about 70% of its area covered by forests and mountains, including Wakisugi Mountain in the east. The Tataragawa River flows westward through the town center, preserving rich natural environments such as the 'Sasaguri Kyudai no Mori' forest, jointly managed with Kyushu University, and certified forest therapy bases. Developed as a pilgrimage site since the opening of the 'Sasaguri Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage' in 1835 at the end of the Edo period, it is widely recognized as one of Japan's three major new Shikoku pilgrimage routes, alongside Chita and Shodoshima. In terms of transportation, the JR Sasaguri Line (Fukuhaku Yutaka Line) crosses the town, offering high accessibility with major stations within a 15-minute reach of Hakata Station. Additionally, National Route 201 and the Yagiyama Bypass are well-developed, making Sasaguri a key transportation hub connecting the Fukuoka metropolitan area and the Chikuhō region. Today, the town attracts numerous pilgrims and tourists year-round, notably visiting the world's largest bronze Buddha Nirvana statue at Nanzoin Temple, the head temple. While maintaining its appeal as a bedroom community with excellent access to urban centers, Sasaguri is promoting the development of a livable town where historic pilgrimage culture and natural environment coexist harmoniously.

Population: 31,147 (15,132 males, 16,015 females) (as of July 31, 2026)

Households: 14,455 (as of July 31, 2026)

Area: 38.93 square kilometers (as of July 31, 2026)

Website: https://www.town.sasaguri.fukuoka.jp/

About MarketEnterprise Co., Ltd.

Company Name: MarketEnterprise Co., Ltd.

Headquarters: 2nd and 3rd Floors, Ginza First Building, 1-10-6 Ginza, Chuo Ward, Tokyo

Representative: President and CEO Yasushi Kobayashi

Founded: July 7, 2006

Listed Market: Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market (Securities Code: 3135)

Business Activities: Online reuse business, mobile telecommunications business, and other ventures

Municipalities using 'Oikura': 345

'Oikura' Municipal Website: https://oikura.jp/lg/

MarketEnterprise Website: https://www.marketenterprise.co.jp/