A guesthouse, café and hub for local artists, Cocoroom is run by a nonprofit headed by the poet Kanayo Ueda, whose charitable activities focus on supporting unhoused people by providing them with avenues to express themselves. The Kamagasaki neighbourhood where the facility is based is known as one of the roughest and poorest parts of Osaka, but one with strong community ties and a proud history. A base for day labourers and other people in low-paid occupations since the 1970s, Kamagasaki is now a visibly greying area, but also one subject to rapid redevelopment.
Cocoroom offers the opportunity to learn more about Kamagasaki and meet its people by taking part in a communal meal, served daily at the café. Locals and visitors alike are welcome to help out with cooking, dishwashing and cleaning, so if you’re stopping by, don’t hesitate to contribute. Staying at the guesthouse offers a peek at the neighbourhood’s creative side: each room is decorated with artworks such as paintings, installations and poems by Kamagasaki-based artists.