Goldwin Play Earth Fund PORTFOLIO INTRODUCTION

Where are the SANU homes located?

Gen Fukushima：We currently have 50 units in 7 locations, all in natural settings and within 1.5 to 3 hours from the center of Tokyo. Four locations are in Nagano Prefecture, with two at the southern foot of Mt. Yatsugatake and two at Lake Shirakaba, and we have one location each at Lake Kawaguchi and Lake Yamanaka in Yamanashi Prefecture as well as in Kita-Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture.

I’ve heard there’s a huge number of people on your waitlist.

Gen Fukushima：Thankfully, we already had 1,600 people waiting before our grand opening in November 2021. The number is still gradually increasing.

How do most people spend time in their second homes?

Gen Fukushima：First of all, we are not building hotels but creating second homes in natural environments. So for our members, staying at our properties becomes an extension of their daily lives — they go to the local farmer’s market or supermarket to shop, cook at their cabins, and some work remotely. Or they read books or just relax with their family. The idea is that they can enjoy time in nature as an extension of their daily life in the city.

We often hear from members that they have had more relaxed conversations with their significant other and family, and that their bonds have deepened. In our busy city lives, we don't always have the time to talk at leisure with those really closest to us. At SANU 2nd Home, surrounded by nature, you can talk with loved ones while gazing at a bonfire. That’s one of the unique scenes that SANU can produce.

Tell us why you started this service.

Gen Fukushima：Simply put, we wanted more people to fall in love with nature. For that to happen, we needed places that serve as a starting point for them, where people had more chances to interact with nature repeatedly, not as a one-off event. Instead of feeling you’re done with the place by just viewing some spectacular scenery before going back to the city, we wanted people to feel like living as a part of nature. These ideas are what led to our service.

Gen Fukushima：I’m originally from Hokkaido, so I grew up in an environment where nature was the norm. I moved to Tokyo and worked a busy job in the city, but as I reached my mid-30s, I began to realize that I was getting fewer opportunities to be in nature, and even when I did get out into natural surroundings, there was no place where I could truly relax. So one of the big reasons we established SANU was to create a service that we ourselves would want to use.

Will the user experience differ between the sea and the mountains?

Gen Fukushima：I think it will. To borrow Homma's words, “When you go into the mountains, it’s to make decisions; when you go to the sea, it’s to open your heart.” So, for example, at our base in Mt. Yatsugatake, you can hear the sounds of the trees and the birds singing, and that’s a setting that inspires you to look inward or spend a relaxing time with your family. In contrast, we designed our seaside base to be a place where various people naturally gather, spontaneously begin talking to each other, and unwind their minds. By the way, I'm totally a mountain person (laughs).

I look forward to your expanding of variety! I hear that, in addition to Ichinomiya, you will also open in Karuizawa and Nasu. Do you have any specific plan for growing your network?

Gen Fukushima：Our short-term goal is to open 20 locations and 200 buildings by 2024.

That sounds fantastic! In practical terms, you wouldn't have to worry about accommodation costs when travelling abroad.

Gen Fukushima：That's right. Thanks to the investment we received from the Goldwin Play Earth Fund, we can now imagine more future possibilities.

And after a long time had passed, you received investment from the Goldwin Play Earth Fund.

Gen Fukushima：Yes. I was really happy when I learned we would be funded by them.

There are other investment firms. Why did you choose the Goldwin Play Earth Fund?

Gen Fukushima：SANU’s brand concept is "Live with nature.” In developing this concept, we were inspired by the words of photographer Naoki Ishikawa. In his book, he writes, “New Zealand's old-growth forests remain beautiful not because they are isolated from humans. They have maintained their current state because the Maori, who have a good understanding of the forest environment, had interacted with the forests with a sense of awe. Living in harmony with nature is not about protecting nature, but rather about forming an equal partnership between humans and nature.” We wove the phrase “Live with nature” out of it.

We believe that to protect the global environment, it is essential to first go out into nature, play in nature, and know the wonders of nature. That’s why we feel nothing but empathy with the ideas behind the Goldwin Play Earth Fund, believing that the company is guided by the same North Star as ours. So we asked them to invest.

I sure feel there’s an affinity between SANU and the Goldwin Play Earth Fund. What synergies do you expect in the future?

Gen Fukushima：While it may be a little too arrogant for us to say we "expect” something, as many of Goldwin's customers love to play in nature, we would like to hear their feedback and reflect it in SANU.

Also, as we continue to build SANU 2nd Home sites in various rural areas, if the communities themselves are not vibrant, our members will not have an enjoyable experience when they visit. We hope to work hand in hand with those communities to revitalize the places where we base our operations.

Another idea is to create opportunities for children. The reason I now have a company centered on nature is because of my childhood experiences in Shiretoko in Hokkaido. So, in the future, I’d like to use SANU 2nd Home as a base for events like Nature Kids Camps. Of course, we’re conscious of the possibility of mutual customer referrals this could generate.

But first, the two companies need to get to know each other in full to solidify a foundation. Then, we wish to move forward to the future.