Article Inc., operator of the circular economy specialist media platform “Circular Economy Hub,” will open “Sta.R (Station R),” a circular culture creation hub, on August 24. The hub is being established through “Creative Circular City Collective,” a collaborative body formed with Route Design LLC (Fujimi-machi, Nagano Prefecture), which operates “PILE,” a co-working space for creatives. It is being launched in partnership with the City of Yokohama, Sagami Railway Co., Ltd., Sotetsu Urban Creates Co., Ltd., and Sotetsu Building Management Co., Ltd.
What Is Sta.R?
Sta.R is a hub located inside the Sotetsu Main Line’s “Hoshikawa” station in Hodogaya Ward, Yokohama City, built around the concepts of Creativity, Circularity, and Culture. It is designated as one of the creative district hubs (a network of bases developed by the City of Yokohama as part of its Creative City policy) and is the first such hub to be established outside the central waterfront area.
The name “Sta.R” embodies the aspiration to redefine the station’s value—from a convenient transit point to a vibrant destination—through the “R” that symbolises circularity (Respect, Repair, Remake, Recycle, and more), and to create a place that shines a light on the creativity of every individual citizen, like the “star” (星, hoshi) in Hoshikawa.
Three Functions Centred on Circularity
Material Library
A library of materials bringing together salvaged materials from the local community alongside bio-based and recycled circular materials. It curates unique materials that can be used for upcycling, crafting, and independent research projects, blurring the boundary between waste and resource and creating new encounters with materials within the community.
Я Gallery
A gallery where visitors can view and present artworks themed around circularity. The reversed “R” carries the meaning of re-examining existing values, social structures, and our relationship with materials in order to discover new possibilities. The gallery will develop programmes that critically engage with established concepts through art, design, and research, generating fresh perspectives and dialogue in society.
Re:store
A shop stocking circular goods, upcycled products, and artworks produced in various communities, primarily within Yokohama City. It offers creative items that make a circular lifestyle easy to incorporate into everyday life.
Events That Make Experiencing Circularity Fun
As opening commemoration events, a workshop on building furniture from salvaged materials will be held on August 29, followed by a talk event on September 1. On September 19, “Sta.R Fes” will take place alongside the Я Gallery’s inaugural exhibition, “circle to circle” (artist: Mikiko Kamada). Going forward, the hub plans to host talk events, school programmes, workshops on upcycling and repairing salvaged materials, and arts festivals, all centred on themes of circularity, sustainability, culture and the arts, design, and creativity.
A Space for Reflecting on Everyday Life and Circularity
Using things for a long time and finding new value in items that have served their purpose are forms of circularity that anyone can practise in daily life. Sta.R offers exhibitions and experiences—through salvaged materials, art, and human connection—that prompt visitors to see things differently. As a space for reconsidering how we relate to the objects in our everyday lives, it promises to bring new discoveries to all who visit.
Hub Overview
Name: Sta.R (Station R)
Opening date: Monday, August 24, 2026
Opening hours: Weekdays: 11:00–20:00; Weekends: 10:00–19:00
Regular closing days: Public holidays, every Tuesday, and year-end/New Year period
Address: 1-1-1 Hoshikawa, Hodogaya Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture; Hoshiten qlay Zone B, 2F, opposite qlaytion gallery
Access: Directly connected to “Hoshikawa Station” on the Sotetsu Main Line (approx. 1 minute on foot from the ticket gates)
Official website: Sta.R Official Website
