On March 26, the Nakadotemachi Shopping District Promotion Association (Dotemachi, Hirosaki City, TEL 0172-33-7001 ) began recruiting supporters for the clock tower preservation project of the former "Ichinohe Clock Shop".

The Ichidake Clock Shop is a two-story wooden building built in 1899 (Meiji 32), and features a clock tower motif with a conical roof with a weathercock. In 1920 (Taisho 9), the Ichido Clock Shop was relocated to the same property and opened, and was popular as the "clock tower" in Dotemachi, but in 2018 (Heisei 30), it was closed due to the death of the owner, Norio Ichido.

Koichi Hirayama, the chairman of the Nakadotemachi Shopping District Promotion Association and the owner of "Hirayama Mannendou" (Dotemachi), said, "After the business was closed, it was temporarily used as a simple office for the Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art, or as an event venue. However, it has deteriorated and is now a vacant property. "

According to Mr. Hirayama, relatives of the Ichido Clock Shop also want to keep the building, and have confirmed their intention to cooperate if the union uses it. Since the building was designated as a "historical scenic building" by Hirosaki City last year, two-thirds of the repair cost was covered by subsidies from Hirosaki City and the national government. Mr. Hirayama says, "We have launched a crowdfunding project to raise the remaining one-third of the repair costs."

"Especially for those in their 50s and older who know Hirosaki, I want to avoid destroying the clock tower, which has been loved as a" symbol of Dotemachi "by our generation. I wanted to keep it in the future. The maintenance fee will be paid as an office fee if the union acquires it. I want to make it open to the public. "

There are 6 types of cloud fund support courses from 3,000 yen to 100,000 yen. For return items, prepare a clear file based on a print depicting a single-family watch shop. The prints are made by the late Norio Ichinohe's younger brother, Yasuhiko, and are said to have been specially borrowed from relatives.

Currently, Shinichi Hikawa, president of Hirosaki's entertainment agency Ringo Music, and Jiro from the comedy duo "SISSONNE" are also commenting on the project. Mr. Hirayama says, "Thankfully, I am able to convey my thoughts to many people. I want to leave the clock tower so that I can feel the history and culture of Hirosaki."

The application deadline is May 15th.