Kakuichi Donates Garages to Kashima City: A Nationwide First for Startup Support via Corporate Hometown Tax Donation and In-Kind Contributions
Key facts
- Kakuichi Donates Garages to Kashima City: A Nationwide First for Startup Support via Corporate Hometown Tax Donation and In-Kind Contributions
- Kakuichi Co., Ltd. has donated garage facilities to Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture, through the Corporate Hometown Tax Donation system. This initiative supports the city's 'Chance Block' project, which provides aspiring entrepreneurs with kitchen cars and workspace, marking the first time a local government has operated such a program using in-kind corporate tax donations.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: March 30, 2026
Direct answer
Kakuichi Co., Ltd. has donated garage facilities to Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture, through the Corporate Hometown Tax Donation system. This initiative supports the city's 'Chance Block' project, which provides aspiring entrepreneurs with kitchen cars and workspace, marking the first time a local government has operated such a program using in-kind corporate tax donations.
- Citation
- Kakuichi Donates Garages to Kashima City: A Nationwide First for Startup Support via Corporate Hometown Tax Donation and In-Kind Contributions (March 30, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- March 30, 2026
Kakuichi Co., Ltd. has donated garage facilities to Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture, through the Corporate Hometown Tax Donation system. This initiative supports the city's 'Chance Block' project, which provides aspiring entrepreneurs with kitchen cars and workspace, marking the first time a local government has operated such a program using in-kind corporate tax donations.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 21:00
- 🔍 Collected: March 30, 2026 at 22:56 (1h 56m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 2, 2026 at 13:02 (1526h 6m after Collected)
■ What is the 'Chance Block'?
This is a startup support project aimed at entrepreneurs who aspire to open physical stores around Kashima Jingu Shrine. It provides them with a kitchen car and an activity base (a garage) for up to two years, along with hands-on support for management and sales promotion. Compared to traditional startup shop programs, it is characterized by significantly lower initial investments and monthly costs for tenants.
This is the first initiative in Japan (according to Kashima City research) where a local government acts as the primary operator of a kitchen car-based startup shop program utilizing in-kind contributions through the Corporate Hometown Tax Donation system.
■ Kakuichi's Role
In this project, Kakuichi donated garage products to Kashima City as an in-kind contribution under the Corporate Hometown Tax Donation system. By effectively reducing the development costs of the garage facilities used by tenants as their activity bases to zero, the company is helping to lower the barriers to starting a business.
For Kakuichi, which boasts a 140-year history, a 'garage' is not merely a storage space, but a 'place' where people nurture their dreams. Kakuichi’s philosophy is not just to deliver products, but to remain involved in the resulting changes within the community.
■ Comment from Riu Tanaka, President of Kakuichi Co., Ltd.
Just like the 'miracle team' Kashima Antlers, which evolved from a local club into a perennial powerhouse, I want to create challengers who will fly from Kashima to the world.
This 'Chance Block' is the 'place' to make that happen. We are not just providing a container called a garage; we are building a stage for challenges. I believe that the first step taken here will eventually become a new legend for Kashima.
■ About Kakuichi Co., Ltd.
A comprehensive manufacturer founded in 1886 (Meiji 19) with a 140-year history. The company develops a wide range of businesses, including warehouse garages, hoses, nanobubbles, solar power, and MaaS, handling everything from manufacturing to sales and construction. It has a nationwide sales and construction network and extensive experience in collaborating with local governments and regional businesses.
Kakuichi values not just 'proposing and finishing' when addressing regional issues, but thinking and running alongside local governments across the country.
This Corporate Hometown Tax Donation initiative is one such example. This model, where products function directly as a 'place' to support local challengers, is a new form of engagement with the community as envisioned by Kakuichi.
Official Website: https://www.kaku-ichi.co.jp/
■ 'Chance Block' Overview
Location: 1-9-25 Miyunaka, Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture
Support Details: Loan of kitchen cars, hands-on management and sales promotion support, support for opening physical stores
Organizer: Commerce, Industry and Tourism Division, Economic Promotion Department, Kashima City
Operating Secretariat: KX Co., Ltd.
Official Website: https://kashima-chance.site/
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kashima.chance.site/
■ Inquiries regarding this matter
Kakuichi Co., Ltd.
CX Promotion Group
Public Relations: Nagasaki
TEL: 03-3262-3341
E-mail: keieikikaku@kaku-ichi.co.jp
FAQ
What company donated garage products to Kashima City as part of a startup support initiative in 2026?
Kakuichi Co., Ltd. donated garage products to Kashima City through an in-kind contribution under the Corporate Hometown Tax Donation system in 2026.
When and where was the handover ceremony for the donated garages held?
The handover ceremony for the donated garages was held on March 28, 2026, in Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.
What is the name of the startup support project in Kashima City that received the garage donation?
The startup support project that received the garage donation is called the 'Chance Block' project, based around Kashima Jingu Shrine.
How does the Chance Block project help reduce costs for aspiring entrepreneurs in Kashima City?
The Chance Block project reduces costs by providing kitchen cars and garage activity bases at significantly lower initial and monthly expenses for tenants over a two-year period.
What role does Kakuichi believe a garage plays beyond being a storage space?
Kakuichi believes a garage is not just a storage space but a 'place' where people nurture their dreams, reflecting the company's community-focused philosophy.