From a sales floor to an experiential space: The next-generation dealership model proposed by "EV GARDEN"
Fukushima Nissan Motor opened “EV GARDEN Fukushima” in Nov 2025, a next-gen dealer space blending relaxation and community. CCC led book direction. President Yoshiyuki Kaneko and CCC’s Makoto Ninose discuss its vision and future. (Updated Mar 19, 2026)
(Titles and honorifics omitted below)
Dealer update: From "sales floor" to "experiential space"
Ninose:
First, could you tell us about the challenges that Fukushima Nissan, which operates 40 stores in Fukushima Prefecture, perceives as a regional dealer?
Kaneko:
Fukushima Nissan has been a Nissan Motor dealership for over 80 years, and we are grateful for the patronage of the local community. Within that context, we have placed great importance on "how we, as an automobile company, address regional challenges."In Fukushima Prefecture, challenges surrounding mobility are becoming increasingly severe, including the reduction of public transportation and the fragmentation of living areas due to population decline and the aging of the population. Furthermore, there is a need to strengthen its function as a regional disaster prevention hub, including the use of EVs as emergency power sources. Furthermore, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, customers were able to actively gather information themselves, leading to an increased need for dealerships not just as a place to obtain information about cars, but also as a place to have unique experiences and spend quality time. In response to these social challenges and changes in customer behavior, we began to think that the role of dealerships also needed to be updated from the traditional "sales floor" to an "experiential space" that people can visit even without a specific purpose, a place where companies and residents can think about future lifestyles and the future, and where EVs are an infrastructure for daily life.
Ninose:
It seems that dealerships are undergoing a major transformation, shifting from being "places to sell cars" to "places to interact with customers."In that context, "EV GARDEN Fukushima" seems like a very symbolic presence that shows the direction for the next generation of dealerships, but when did the initial concept for it begin?
Kaneko:
The strong desire to "create a local disaster prevention base" stemmed from the 3.11 earthquake and tsunami. Since becoming president in 2022, I have explained this concept to local stakeholders, but I have received many questions such as, "How will you maintain it?"As the role of dealers has also changed, we have continued to explore how we can create a space that is not just a "box," but a place where people can gather and continue to be a part of everyday life. This led to the opening of "EV GARDEN Fukushima" in November 2025. In developing that concept, we drew significant inspiration from CCC's "SHARE LOUNGE."
Ninose:
Having visited again since its reopening, I was able to personally experience how it functions as a place where not only customers but also local businesses gather and communication takes place. I believe that creating this kind of environment is only possible because of the long-standing trust that the dealer has built in the community. Furthermore, in recent years, "co-creation" has become a key theme in the mobility industry, and this facility holds great potential as a hub to support its realization.
Kaneko:
In fact, local dealers, as well as representatives from other manufacturers, have come to "EV GARDEN Fukushima" from all over the country and shown great interest. In order to realize a co-creative society in the mobility industry, we want to expand the creation of spaces where manufacturers can transcend their boundaries and collaborate as partners while sharing each other's aspirations and concepts.
A space design that allows you to immerse yourself in intellectual curiosity, woven together by books.
Ninose:
This time, CCC was in charge of book direction for "EV GARDEN Fukushima". What was the initial reason for wanting to place books inside the facility?
Kaneko:
The first is my own experience during my student days. I was born and raised in Fukushima, but there weren't many places that stimulated my curiosity when I was in middle and high school. When I moved to Tokyo to attend university, I discovered the joy that books offer, and that's when I started thinking about creating a place in Fukushima where people can encounter intellectual curiosity through books. With that in mind, we have set up two study spaces within the facility, stocked with related books and books that reflect current trends. I hope that students in the prefecture will make full use of this as a place where they can refresh themselves and broaden their curiosity.
The second point is that books are used to tell a story in each of the multi-functional spaces. The book direction was done in a way that naturally conveyed the purpose of each area, such as food, learning, a work lounge, and tenant spaces. CCC's sophisticated zoning and traffic flow design have created a creative and focused environment, resulting in an ideal space that blends multifunctionality with storytelling.
Ninose:
The immersive experience of a space through a book is further enhanced by actually visiting it. At CCC, we not only bring our partner companies' visions to life, but we also value creating plans that reflect our customers' needs. I am pleased that, in this book direction project, we were able to incorporate elements that reflect Fukushima Nissan's vision and the needs of the local community, contributing to the creation of an immersive experience.
Kaneko:
The book direction was only a short two weeks long, but I was incredibly surprised and overwhelmed by the power of books, realizing just how much the atmosphere could change simply by how the books were arranged. We plan to continue updating our book direction in collaboration with CCC. By continuously finding the intersection between customer needs and what we want to express, in line with the seasons and trends, we want to evolve "EV GARDEN Fukushima" into a place that elevates expectations and leads to even greater感動 (deep emotional impact).
A central hub for industry-government-academia exchange through "food"
Ninose:
What kind of reactions have you received from customers who have actually visited "EV GARDEN Fukushima"?
Kaneko:
Many visitors come to enjoy the food, and the restaurant "Tuttino Kitchen" within the facility is proving popular, serving authentic Italian cuisine using ingredients from Fukushima Prefecture, prepared by the three chefs hired for the opening. It is particularly valued as a place for inter-industry networking among local businesses and business owners, and its convenient location midway between the prefectural and city offices means that many government officials also use it. In addition, events are held where elementary school students can experience making pizza using apples harvested in the prefecture, creating experiences and interactions through food among industry, government, and academia. Going forward, we hope that "EV GARDEN Fukushima" will be used for a variety of purposes, not only as a place to charge electric vehicles, but also as a "garden" where everyone (EVeryone) can recharge their hearts and stomachs, through events that leverage our strengths in "food," such as markets and public viewings of sports.
Ninose:
EV GARDEN Fukushima is located right in the heart of the city, making it the perfect place for "everyone" to gather. I particularly liked the street along the prefectural office, with its charming old-fashioned cobblestone streets.
Kaneko:
Many alleys and narrow streets from the pre-war era still exist, creating a charming and picturesque streetscape. In recent years, there has been an increase in people, mainly in their 30s and 40s, who are renovating old houses and opening restaurants, and the town as a whole is brimming with the energy of people who are taking on new challenges. I hope this can also become a place for interaction among young people who possess such a strong sense of active citizenship.
The future of next-generation stores: "Mobility x Community" spreading from Fukushima
Ninose:
While the general perception is that "car dealerships are intimidating," "EV GARDEN Fukushima" has a unique and unparalleled characteristic: an exciting feeling that makes you want to go inside, and a thrilling sense of anticipation about "what lies beyond."As a regional dealer, how will "EV GARDEN" develop in the future?
Kaneko:
Going forward, we want to create spaces where people can gather, leveraging the dealer's strengths in "mobility x community," much like the collaborations with other industries that CCC is already practicing. While retaining the essence of "EV GARDEN Fukushima," our flagship store specializing in community-based services, we aim to create a store that attracts a wider range of customers by developing mobility solutions centered around the community.
Furthermore, Fukushima Prefecture has many cities with populations of less than 500,000, such as Fukushima City, Koriyama City, Iwaki City, and Aizu City, and its strong regional character and the fact that each area offers different ways to enjoy the region are major attractions. In developing new stores following "EV GARDEN Fukushima," we want to collaborate with local mobility companies to create and realize plans that will bring out the unique characteristics and appeal of each region.
Ninose:
If you focus too much on functionality, you'll alienate customers who aren't interested in that specific purpose. That's why I felt that the broad reach provided by the community, and the thorough localization that creates it, would be a major strength of Fukushima Nissan's next-generation stores.
Kaneko:
Most recently, we plan to open "EV GARDEN Namie" in Namie Town in November 2026. Namie Town's population has decreased to one-tenth of what it was before the earthquake, making "town revitalization" a crucial survival strategy for the local government. However, it's important not to just view the current situation pessimistically, but also to focus on its entertainment value. How can we express the charm and enjoyment of the local area through store design? It's not difficult at all; I believe that concrete plans and ideas will take shape through interactions with local people. We create value for local communities through our engagement with them. Many of those clues are also contained within "EV GARDEN Fukushima".
Developing a future dealer strategy with diverse stakeholders
Ninose:
Finally, based on the initiatives at "EV GARDEN Fukushima," how do you think the relationship between local communities and dealerships will change in the future?
Kaneko:
I believe that dealers across the country share a common concern regarding the declining population. While consolidating or closing stores is one option, I believe that transforming the way we engage with the community while maintaining ties with the local area, as exemplified by "EV GARDEN Fukushima" which is centered around community, could also be a solution. It's important to start with a simple idea like "Let's put a bookshelf in the store" and explore the possibilities of next-generation stores that only dealerships can create. As one of the "tools" for such store opening strategies, we would love for you to come to "EV GARDEN Fukushima" and talk about the new role and future of dealers, regardless of manufacturer, sharing our concerns and ideas.
Ninose:
"EV GARDEN Fukushima" has a charm that makes visitors want to tell others about it. CCC looks forward to working with Fukushima Nissan and many other stakeholders to realize a collaborative society in the region.
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