#Japan #Laundry Service #OKULAB #Yubetsu

OKULAB and Yubetsu Town: Pioneering a New Era of Community Development

In a bold step towards fostering sustainable community development, OKULAB Inc., led by CEO Jun Kubota, has recently signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Yubetsu Town, Hokkaido. This partnership aims to infuse new life into the region through innovative laundry services, addressing both everyday needs and emergencies such as natural disasters.

Located in the northeastern part of Hokkaido, Yubetsu Town offers breathtaking views of the Okhotsk Sea and Lake Saroma. The town is well-known for its seasonal beauty, featuring vibrant tulips in spring and captivating ice floes in winter, drawing many visitors. However, despite these natural attractions, Yubetsu is currently under transformation to enhance tourism satisfaction and community vibrancy, focusing on projects like revitalizing roadside stations and constructing hotels, student dormitories, RV parks, and community centers.

Amid these developments, it was noted that while many campers and tourists flock to sites like the Kamiyubetsu Onsen and Goshikiyama Campground, the absence of a coin laundry facility creates a significant gap in service. Local residents have expressed a strong desire for the establishment of a coin laundry, highlighting the need in the area.

Recognizing this gap, OKULAB is capitalizing on its previous successes which include opening a coin laundry facility at the multi-functional disaster prevention headquarters in Koshimizu Town, Hokkaido, and launching the “Sonaeru Laundry,” which can serve as a temporary evacuation center during emergencies. With this track record, they aspire to contribute to Yubetsu’s future development and further invigorate the local community through the signed agreement.

Agreement Details

The cooperation agreement lays the groundwork for a strategic partnership between OKULAB and Yubetsu Town with several key areas of focus:

1. Community and Economic Development: Collaborating to drive initiatives that enhance the area’s attractiveness and vitality.
2. Increasing Visitor Engagement: Efforts to expand the visitor base and improve the town’s image.
3. Disaster Response Cooperation: Facilitating mutual assistance during times of disaster.
4. Additional Collaborative Efforts: Any other areas deemed necessary for mutual cooperation.

About OKULAB

Since its inception in 2016, OKULAB has focused on creating a new culture of laundry services while enhancing lifestyles across the world. With nearly 300 coin laundry outlets under the brand Baluko Laundry Place and its partners, OKULAB has emerged as a key player in the laundry service sector. Despite Japan having a high household washing machine penetration rate of nearly 100%, there is a growing demand for professional-grade laundry services due to an increase in the need for cleaning larger items like duvets and reducing household chores time. The social importance of laundromats continues to gain attention as needs evolve.

OKULAB aims to study and refine the possibilities for laundry services further, ensuring that they can provide satisfying and valued services to communities nationwide. Their business ventures include the expansion of laundry service franchises, development of laundry solution services, and consulting on corporate alliances.

For more information, visit Baluko Laundry Place and Laundry OUT. You can also view OKULAB's press releases here.