With your support, we can open our dream store!

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That's Rice Second Edition｜We will definitely complete our flagship store that will deliver Hiroshima to the world, despite the 40% headwind of soaring material costs.

Thank you for the first round, and an honest update

To everyone who supported us with a generous ¥7.5 million in the first round, thank you so much. I cannot express how much your support, exceeding our ¥7 million goal, encouraged me. Thanks to that encouragement, we were finally able to start construction on the store. However, I now have something I must be honest about. We are facing a situation that far exceeds our initial expectations.

Why more than ¥40 million is now needed
Our original plan was to open a small onigiri shop for about ¥11 million. This changed due to finding a wonderful property and the reality that so many people, with our appearance videos racking up over 28 million views, have high expectations for us. I resolved that "if we're going to do this, let's make it a flagship store that can share Japanese food culture with the world." Adding to this was a 40% rise in material costs due to global circumstances. Interior costs ballooned from an initial ¥22 million to ¥30.8 million, and even after reluctantly giving up on building a dedicated rice storage facility, our total project cost reached ¥40.8 million.

Current financial situation
The funds secured and invested so far are as follows: ¥16 million in loans and ¥4 million in personal funds, totaling ¥20 million. Adding the ¥7.5 million from the first crowdfunding round brings the total to ¥27.5 million. Compared to the total project cost of ¥40.8 million, we are short approximately ¥13.3 million.

There's no turning back now
Some might think, "If you're that short, just give up." But for me, that's not an option. The property contract is finalized, and construction has already begun. Staff have been hired, and the ship has already set sail. Since the loan has been executed, there's also the responsibility of repayment. The support received in the first round has already been allocated to property acquisition, procurement, and initial construction costs. Furthermore, concrete plans for collaborative product development and wholesale business with several major local companies and distribution chains are in place, and we have promises to fulfill with those waiting for our opening. There is no retreat. All that's left is to move forward and complete the best store possible.

Can I ask for one last push?
To bridge this gap, we will launch a second crowdfunding campaign aiming for ¥10 million. We will proceed with an All-In method. Even if we don't reach the goal, I promise to humbly work hard and negotiate further with banks to definitely open the store. That is my absolute promise. I absolutely want to meet the expectations of everyone who said "I want to try it" after 28 million views. Please, lend us your strength.

Updated: 2026/4/20

My Dream Future Developments

I am currently working as an entrepreneur, so opening a rice ball shop is my immediate goal.
It's not a dream.

My dream is for Hiroshima to become an even more lively and fun place, and an even easier place to live in. It would be fantastic if this could eventually lead to job creation, but there's only so much I can do alone to make that dream come true.

In the future, I would like to share the know-how I have gained with many people, and I hope that it will become the norm for people younger than me to take on new challenges without fear. To achieve this, I believe that I need to continue to take on new challenges and keep moving forward.

Please support Higashi Kaho both as a rice ball shop owner and as an entrepreneur!

Thank you all for your support.

[Use of funds]

・Property acquisition cost: Approximately 2 million yen

・Interior construction costs: approximately 4 million yen

・Kitchen equipment costs: approximately 3 million yen

・Initial working capital: Approximately 2 million yen

* Regardless of the amount collected, we will fulfill each return.
It may take 2 to 3 months.
More details are listed for each product.

*Update: We have now decided on the location of our store in Naka-ku, Hiroshima City, and are currently working with university students from the Department of Architecture to design the interior of the store.
 For more details, please click this link
Although we are considerably behind schedule, we are making steady progress little by little, so we hope you will continue to support us.

Updated: 2025/03/07

[Announcement of changes to plans and renewed thoughts]

Thank you very much for viewing this project.
I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported and encouraged me so far.

Initially, the plan for this onigiri shop was to start with "a small shop of about 10-15 tsubo" (approximately 33-50 square meters). However, as I searched for properties, the one I had initially envisioned was taken by someone else while I was on a nationwide tour selling my goods.
To be honest, I was disappointed.
But at the same time, because I had traveled the country, met people everywhere, shared my vision, and continued to challenge myself—
An unexpected connection remained in Hiroshima.
The property I am currently considering came about because the owner of the current building said,
"If you haven't decided on a property, why don't you try it here?"
What was supposed to be a small beginning has grown into a larger-than-expected scale, which I feel is not a coincidence but an "inevitability" that lies in the continuation of my previous challenges.


As a result, the plan has significantly changed from the initial concept.
The total business scale is approximately 25 million yen for the shop itself, including property acquisition, interior design, equipment costs, and operating funds. Furthermore, including the rice storage warehouse, which is essential for an onigiri shop, the total comes to approximately 40 million yen.

The minimum target amount of 7 million yen for this crowdfunding campaign is not "an amount to cover everything" for this big challenge, but rather a foundation to ensure that this shop takes shape.

For the remaining funds, I plan to proceed with the business with the resolve to secure a full loan.
By achieving the minimum target amount, I will increase credibility with financial institutions and the feasibility of the business plan, making this challenge a reality.

Although the total cost has increased due to this change in plan, the minimum target amount of 7,000,000 yen remains unchanged, as I have not altered my original aspirations.

This is because the purpose of this project is not
"to build a large shop," but rather
"to make Hiroshima a more interesting, livable city where challenging oneself is the norm."

There are limits to what I can do alone.
That is why I want to continue challenging myself and pass on the process and know-how to the next generation.

As an onigiri shop owner and as an entrepreneur,
I will continue to move forward.

Thank you for your continued warm support and encouragement.

Kaho Azuma
Updated: 2025/10/01

*****

*Update
The location for our store has been decided in Komachi, Naka Ward, Hiroshima City.
We are currently working with architecture students on the store's interior design, and construction is underway for the opening.
Click here for more details.
Although we are considerably behind schedule,
we are making steady progress,
and we appreciate your continued warm support.
Watch our latest update video here.

Minimum Target Amount: ¥17,000,000 (After Revision)

4/26　 12:34
7,538,695円　/　17,000,000円