[New Stopover Spot Opens in Minamisoma/Odaka] A New Hub for Craft Culture with Regional Information Functions

OWB Corporation (Headquarters: Odaka-ku, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, Representative Director: Tomoyuki Wada) will open 'iriser gallery & shop' on April 22, 2026, a new store aiming to convey the charm of glass and handmade crafts, and to serve as a new cultural hub with regional information functions. The workshop is located in Odaka-ku, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, an area that experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear accident. With the mission to create attractive jobs and increase the number of young people returning to their hometowns, this workshop was born. They have been providing glass accessories as souvenirs and gifts from a corner of the workshop. The new 'iriser gallery & shop' aims to be a place where people can easily drop in, learn about lampwork, and experience the charm of crafts in this town where 'crafts' thrive. The concept is 'Touch the time of craftsmanship and take home a small light.' The shop will feature iriser's accessories and crafts connected to the land. They aim to create a small regional hub that grows gradually, eventually incorporating glass workshop functions to allow visitors to experience the background of craftsmanship. They also plan events and various activities. For the pre-opening commemoration, a fair will be held from April 22nd to May 20th, offering a 'rainbow-colored keychain or rainbow-colored hair tie' as a gift with purchase (one per person, while supplies last). Additionally, for purchases over 20,000 yen from April 22nd to April 30th, customers will receive a shop-limited 'Horse keychain' rainbow version. A shop-limited item, the 'Horse keychain,' featuring a motif of horses rooted in the Minamisoma/Odaka area, will be released. Price: ¥3,300 (tax included). Miwako Sagawa, a craftsman supporting the workshop since its inception, shares her journey from an inexperienced beginner to a craftsman over 11 years, driven by the desire to create attractive jobs for young women. Representative Director Tomoyuki Wada states that the workshop started in August 2015 in a small 4.5-tatami room, aiming to create new jobs and ways of working for women in Odaka-ku, which was under evacuation orders due to the nuclear accident. The opening of this flagship store is a long-held dream. The store details are: Address: Fukushima Prefecture, Minamisoma City, Odaka-ku, Honcho 1-chome 24-1, Odaka Community Center, South Building Tenant. Business hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10:00-17:00. Regular holidays: Sundays and Mondays. 'iriser' was established in August 2015 with the goal of creating attractive jobs for young people in Odaka-ku, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, which was designated as an evacuation zone due to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. It is one of the production bases for 'HARIO Lampwork Factory,' a glass accessory brand established by HARIO, Inc., a heat-resistant glass manufacturer founded in 1921, to pass on craftsmanship. Local female artisans learned techniques as beginners. 'iriser' was launched in March 2019 as a brand to directly convey the aspirations of these female artisans. OWB Corporation's mission is to 'create 100 businesses from 100 regional challenges.' They aim to realize a sustainable, self-reliant regional society where 100 businesses employing 10 people each thrive, rather than relying on one business employing 1,000 people. The Odaka Community Center is a facility designed to foster revitalization and community by promoting interaction among multiple generations and connections inside and outside the region.