[Shimane, Matsue] A 90-Year-Old Wooden School Building Becomes a Consultation Office Supporting Life Transitions – 'Fukuba Life Design Office' Fully Launches In-Person Consultations for 8050 Problem and Mental Health Issues with FP x Career x Welfare Perspectives

A view of the auditorium where lectures and workshops can be held – it was a filming location for the TBS Sunday drama "VIVANT".

Fukuba Life Design Office (Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, Representative: Shinsuke Fukuba) fully opened its office as a face-to-face consultation base on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in the "former school lunchroom" of the Old Otani Elementary School in Matsue City. We provide one-stop support for complex, prolonged, and socially problematic issues such as middle-aged and elderly hikikomori (the 8050 problem) and balancing work with mental health conditions.

We also accommodate consultations from outside the prefecture and city, which can be combined with a refreshing visit to Tamatsukuri Onsen, a 9-minute drive from the office and with a history dating back to the Nara period. Nationwide online consultations are also available.

## A "Secret Base" Where Nostalgia Melts the Heart

A courtyard surrounded by school buildings

Old Otani Elementary School, filled with the warmth of wood and exuding a somewhat nostalgic atmosphere. When you open the door to our office, you enter the "school lunchroom" that once filled children's stomachs and hearts. Immediately to its right is a library where anyone can spend time quietly for free. And if you look behind you, there's a courtyard where you can enjoy chatting or simply gaze at a fire, with bonfires possible.

When adults are tossed by the rough seas of society and suddenly come to a halt, we believe they need a place where they can return to that time, shed their burdens, and take a deep breath, rather than an impersonal meeting room or cafe. We want to be more than just a consultation service; we want to be a place where people can relax and catch their breath. With this in mind, we chose a corner of this nostalgic abandoned school as an "adult secret base."

Long corridors, once scrubbed on hands and knees

## The Need for a Hub Supporting Life Transitions

In modern society, middle-aged and elderly hikikomori (the 8050 problem) and balancing work with mental illness are extremely serious issues for individuals and their families.

- An estimated 1.46 million people (1 in 50) in the working-age population aged 15-64 are in a state of hikikomori, and among those aged 40-64 alone, an estimated 613,000 people exist.
Cabinet Office Survey (2023)

- The number of mentally disabled individuals working in general employment in private companies (eligible for statutory employment rate calculation and holding a disability certificate) is 677,461.5 (an increase of 35,283.5 from the previous year, a 5.5% increase year-on-year).
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Results of Employment Status of Persons with Disabilities in Reiwa 6"

- The percentage of businesses with workers who took continuous leave of one month or more or resigned due to mental health issues in the past year rose to 13.3% in 2022.
"Reiwa 6 White Paper on Health, Labour and Welfare"

It is clear that the situation cannot be overlooked, even including those with mental health issues who do not hold a disability certificate.

Many people who worked to their limit but burned out and were told, "You need medication," "Please take a leave of absence," or "Try using a welfare workshop," are deeply troubled about what to do next. However, public support agencies often specialize in their respective fields, making it difficult to access comprehensive support that integrates aspects of various systems, mental health, welfare, household finances, employment, and career development. Therefore, we recognized the need for a place that can address a wide range of issues concerning daily life's "present" and "future."

For individuals, we offer services at affordable prices, such as bonfires, as well as premium services for surviving this rapidly changing, diversifying modern age. For corporations, we provide on-site services and services such as case study meetings using our office.

For more details on services, please see our website.

## Future Developments

Moving forward, we plan to utilize the "auditorium" space in this Old Otani Elementary School to regularly hold workshop-style classes (learning and interaction spaces) where participants learn together through dialogue rather than one-sided lectures. For example,

- Disability and lifelong income/expenditure simulation when considering after parents' passing (pensions, wages, group home costs, etc.)
- Preparing for gifts, trusts, and inheritance for children while middle-aged hikikomori parents are still healthy
- Safety nets for survival: Social insurance / Self-support system for those facing economic hardship / Public assistance
- Career change happens suddenly ~ Tips for resignation and job change ~ Understanding and procedures for social insurance and unemployment insurance, effective job search methods
- Collaborative creation of life scripts for hikikomori individuals, disabled individuals, and their families to live happily

We also welcome suggestions for other such classes.

We will expand our function as a third place that connects with the community, becomes a valuable social resource for the area, and where people can always return with peace of mind.

Please feel free to inquire or visit us.

School building and pool

Free and relaxing library

There's also a fireplace

Our office (school lunchroom)

Entrance