[VILLAGE Report Inaugural Issue] The First Village Begins in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, a Strait Town

Starting today, Value Village begins a new journey.

Its name is “47 Prefectures + 1 VILLAGE”. This is a series that looks at each of Japan’s 47 prefectures as a single “village,” sharing stories of the region’s outstanding products, makers, techniques, and culture. And the final “+1” is an online village created together with you on the other side of this screen. That is Value Village.

Why we are beginning this journey

Day after day, we travel all across Japan. Wherever we go, the meals, the cooking, and the local specialties are all delicious. And they are affordable, too. Japan is full of outstanding products that can make the world proud. In fact, it is not only products. The services and techniques are exceptional as well.

And yet many of those makers say the same thing: “We don’t know how to sell it,” or “We don’t know how to spread the word.” We live in an age when something good does not reach people simply because it is good.

That is why Value Village will become that power to sell. We will share the treasures of each region here as stories, deliver them to our members and new customers, and accompany them all the way through to sales. And someday, we will send the very best of Japan out to the world. A place where makers and users connect directly—that is the role of “+1 VILLAGE.”

Our first village is Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, the hometown where it all began

There is a reason we chose Shimonoseki as the starting point of this journey. It is the hometown of Fumihiro Nagano and Yuki Nagano, who lead Value Village. Fumihiro was named with the wish that he would become a “doctor of letters,” while Yuki was named with the wish that he would “bring joy to friends.” Polishing knowledge and sharing joy—true to the wishes woven into their names, we begin this journey of village-building from this strait city, spinning the stories of the land and increasing the circle of companions who rejoice together.

President and Representative Director Fumihiro Nagano

Chairman and Representative Director Yuki Nagano

When people think of Shimonoseki, the first thing that comes to mind is “fuku.” In Shimonoseki, pufferfish is called “fuku,” a word associated with good fortune. Haedomari Market is known as one of Japan’s leading distribution centers for pufferfish, and Karato Market is lively from the morning with people seeking fresh seafood. The Kanmon Strait stretching before you is one of Japan’s most difficult sea passages, where the tidal flow changes many times a day. These swift currents are what raise firm, well-textured fish.

Ganryujima, where Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro fought their duel, and Akama Shrine, which enshrines Emperor Antoku, who sank into the sea as a child—turning points in history have taken place again and again along this strait. In every era, this strait city has been a stage for encounters and decisive contests.

Tell us what your village is proud of

From here, we will bring you the stories of 47 villages, along with what is happening now in global health, beauty, medicine, fashion, and trends. Please tell us, too, about the proud products of your region, hidden gems, and refined techniques. They will become the next stories of this village.

—The Value Village Editorial Team