The Ginowan Bayside Information Center (Gwave), located in Ujidomari, Ginowan City on the west coast of Okinawa, is a complex facility managed by the city of Ginowan and operated under designated management by Interactive, Inc.
The origin of the name is derived from the idea of “creating a “wave” from “Ginowan”, delivering information to every place regardless of region, and resonating with the “wave” of information from all places.”
It was opened in 2003 to develop the dispatch of information about Okinawa from Ginowan City. The location is ideal for Workation and nomadic workers, as there are many shopping malls and restaurants nearby.
It houses a stylish designer cafe, start-up support facilities, and offices for IT companies with conference rooms, etc. It is a place where various people, from sole proprietors to general companies involved in the information industry, work and interact.
Emiko Iwamoto of Interactive, Inc., who operates the entire facility as the designated manager, says, “Since this is an industrial facility that can be used by a variety of people, we hope that it would become a place of innovation that attracts people who wish to start businesses and people from companies who want to support and develop their ideas.”
Gwave’s functions are divided into three main categories for each floor. We’ll introduce them one by one.
Designer cafe that makes
location-independent work progress
“Gwave Cafe”, located on the first floor, is a designer cafe with an open and stylish atmosphere.
The cafe is equipped with an electrical outlet and free Wi-Fi, and visitors can work or read while enjoying delicious coffee and light meals.
Based on specialty coffee, which is served by baristas, the cafe also offers seasonal menus of lattes, cheesecakes, chocolate cakes, sandwiches, and other light meals.
Many enjoy working on their computers or reading books inside the cafe, where light pours through the large windows. It was such an open atmosphere conducive to working.
Once you avail of free membership registration, you can use Wi-Fi and IT equipment, as well as rent a computer. Tables, counter seats, sofa seats, and terrace seats are available, so you can use them according to your mood and purpose of the day.
On the left side, there is a working space for further concentration. You have access to newspapers and Juden GO! as well.
The first floor features a cafe where anyone can comfortably do their work or tasks. Private plans are also available, and events related to IT&Tech and human resource development are held there.
Furthermore, the first floor houses an office staffed by Mr. Iwamoto and others, so consultations on registration and starting a business are also available.
Incubation center that can also be a registry
On the second floor, you will find “Gwave Incubate”, an incubation center available to members. It can also be used as a registry or a satellite office.
The facility is brightly lit, with a lawn-like green carpet. Hexagonal desks, a free-address system that allows people to move desks freely, a barefoot work style to stimulate the brain, and a standing meeting room were all designed by architect Jun Kanna to create an ideal environment for entrepreneurs to work creatively.
The coworking space has no partitions. I would say you can work with the people around you while motivating each other.
In addition, two meeting spaces are available for meetings with people inside and outside the company, and a color multifunction printer is available for use.
The following three plans are available at Gwave Incubate
(1) Regular Member Plan: 12,000 yen/month (tax included)
Registration is available for those who aim to start a business in the information industry
(2) Drop-in: 1,200 yen/day (tax included)
Out-of-prefecture guests can also feel free to visit for business use
(3) Corporate Member Plan: 36,000 yen/month (tax included)
Plan available for IT companies in and out of the prefecture
Plan details can be found here.
Office space that can be contracted
by companies in the information industry
From the 3rd to 5th floors are “Gwave Office”, an office space that can be contracted by information industry companies in Ginowan City.
The space consists of 10 offices, and meeting rooms, with three small offices of 30 to 40 square meters, four medium-sized offices of 70 to 100 square meters, and three large office spaces ranging from 150 to 230 square meters respectively.
The space is occupied by companies engaged in various Internet service businesses such as systems development, machine learning, and data analysis, as well as companies that have stepped up from using Gwave Incubate on the second floor.
Currently, an office space of 228.77 square meters on the 5th floor, and space of 157.57 square meters on the 4th floor are both available. (as of February 2024) The details of the public application will be available on Ginowan City’s website and Gwave’s official website as soon as they are ready.
On the second floor, there is a rental conference room/training facility that can accommodate large-scale meetings. They are available for use by non-residents, companies, and organizations. Events and seminars can also be held.
As a base for Ginowan City’s information industry, Ginowan Bayside Information Center (Gwave) has various functions including coworking and rental offices.
In particular, the designer cafe on the first floor can be used as a regular cafe, so those who wish to get a feel for the atmosphere are encouraged to stop by for a quick visit.
