From 'No Place to Live' to 'Waitlist': Young People Flock to a Shrinking Town

In the town of Funagata, Yamagata Prefecture, with a population of about 5,000, an unusual phenomenon is occurring where student housing 'Uniterrace' has a waiting list. Create Lemon Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture; CEO: Tomokazu Oba) will hold a groundbreaking ceremony on June 15, 2026, for the 5th phase of the 'Uniterrace' series, a housing project for students and faculty of the Tohoku University of Professional Agriculture and Forestry, in collaboration with Funagata Town. Rather than focusing on 'creating jobs' or 'attracting tourism,' this project starts regional revitalization by 'creating homes.' As a 'Funagata Model' that simultaneously realizes youth influx and local community formation starting from housing infrastructure, it is now attracting attention from all over the country. Although Funagata is a small town facing serious population decline, the 'Uniterrace' series operated by Create Lemon is fully booked during the first open campus event every year. A key feature is its SNS-based recognition model, where most students discover the property through Instagram. Through a public-private partnership that began in 2023, the project provides high-quality living environments equipped with furniture, appliances, Wi-Fi, and carports, while students and residents interact daily at the adjacent community facility 'Funapon.' This initiative is expected to expand further as an answer to the national issue of housing shortages around regional universities.