Exploring the Social Divide Through an Investigation of Luxury Senior Home Sakurabia Seijo

Nonfiction writer Hironori Jinno’s “Reporto: Super Luxury Nursing Home for the Elderly” (Diamond Inc.), an in-depth report on “closed retirement homes,” is now on sale.

In the previous article , “Sacravia Seijo,” we reported on the unparalleled luxury inside the Sacravia Seijo, a super-luxury nursing home in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, including rooms with an initial deposit of over 400 million yen. What makes this facility “high-class” is not only the individual rooms.

We present an excerpt and re-edit of the content from the much-discussed book “Report: Ultra-Luxury Senior Homes.”

On the third floor, there is a hall with the spaciousness of a gymnasium. Of course, the ceiling features a chandelier. Since playing musical instruments is prohibited in the rooms due to noise issues, some residents enjoy playing the grand piano or bringing their own instruments to play in this hall. Mr. Koichi Ishizuka (pseudonym), who guided us through the facility, explains. (Unless otherwise noted, quotes are from Mr. Ishizuka)

“Currently, the grand pianos here include two of the world’s top three piano brands: Steinway and Bechstein.”

For reference, Steinway and Bechstein models can cost between 20 million and 40 million yen. The hall also has a stage, and concerts featuring pianists, violinists, and orchestral performances are occasionally held.

Passing by the mahjong room, I saw residents, both male and female, gathered around a table.

“We have two fully automatic mahjong tables here. We also offer a health mahjong class, where beginners are paired with instructors to learn and enjoy the game. Residents can invite friends from outside to play mahjong as well.”

It turns out that mahjong is surprisingly popular among female residents. I was curious if high-stakes gambling might be taking place secretly and tried to take a quick peek inside, but was promptly directed to another room. There are also rooms for go, shogi, and chess, but mahjong is overwhelmingly popular at Sakurabia Seijo.

“Across the courtyard from the mahjong room, there used to be a tea room, but it has seen little use in recent years. At the request of the residents, we have renovated it into a private training room. We also have a rehabilitation room where physical therapists from affiliated medical institutions are dispatched.”

In the pottery workshop, there is a dedicated kiln. Residents can create pottery starting from the clay preparation stage. Along the walls of the pottery workshop, unfinished works are displayed, resembling an art room at a school. After the interview, I looked into one of the nameplates attached to the works and found that it seemed to belong to a doctor who manages a medical corporation in the Kanto region.

The restaurant offers more than 30 grand menu items, along with daily specials. Every Thursday, a sushi chef from Midori Sushi, headquartered in Umegaoka, Setagaya, comes to prepare sushi.

“This sushi restaurant is famous for its long lines, but here you can enjoy sushi without waiting.”

Outside the window, a Japanese garden can be seen. The pond in the garden is home to koi fish, and in autumn, the foliage turns a vivid red. In winter, the area often becomes a beautiful snowy landscape. Koi fish have traditionally been considered auspicious and symbols of power and wealth. Former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka was known to be fond of them. When the koi fish lightly leaped from the water, it seemed to mirror the elegant lives of the residents in the meticulously designed facility.

At Sakuravia Seijo, outdoor events are frequently held.

“For example, we provide a bus for residents to visit nearby amusement parks to see the illuminations, or go on a walking tour of Kinuta Park. In the past, we’ve also visited Disneyland and Yokohama Chinatown.”

All of these outings are quite ordinary, resembling high school field trips.

 

Upon entering the main entrance on the first floor, you will find the lobby. To the right is the front desk, where landscape paintings by 19th-century French artist Camille Corot adorn the walls. Staff are always present at the front desk, allowing for 24-hour access.

Next to the front desk is a small table, and surprisingly, a partner bank visits twice a week. Banking transactions can be conducted here, though withdrawals are handled at a later date. From daily living and health to entertainment, the environment is well-equipped, as was evident from Mr. Ishizuka’s tour.

High-profile Business Figures Among Residents

So, who exactly resides in such a luxurious facility? It turns out that some residents include notable figures from the business world, who have even appeared in the famous “My Career” column of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

When asked specifically about who is currently living there, we were told that this information is confidential. However, a review of past newspaper obituaries revealed several individuals whose addresses were listed as Sakuravia Seijo.

For example, in the 1980s, there was a former president of an old Industrial Bank of Japan-affiliated chemical manufacturer. In the 1990s, there were a former Secom director, an honorary professor at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, and a former president of the Japan Poets Club. Since the current management company took over, obituaries have included a former director of Odakyu Electric Railway, a former president of Tokyo Institute of Technology, a former vice president of a major general contractor, and a vocalist, all of whom were listed with Sakuravia Seijo as their address. It truly seems like a luxurious cruise ship on a hill, home to the successful figures of life.

Kensuke Matsudaira (pseudonym), a director at the management company of Sakuravia Seijo, shares insights

“As I mentioned, many of our residents are owner-operators of companies. Some of them continue to come to work daily from here, saying, ‘As long as I am still alive and well.’ Residents here don’t feel like they are in a nursing home. It’s more like a high-end apartment with services, similar to the luxury serviced apartments operated by foreign-affiliated hotels. It feels like a high-end apartment that takes care of you until the end of your life.”

I couldn’t help but wonder how employees perceive company presidents who continue to work while living in a nursing home, but Satsukawa spoke matter-of-factly and continued:

“The women continue their lives as before, attending cultural salons at established department stores like Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi and using fitness centers at famous hotels. Some even go to their summer homes in Karuizawa or Tateshina. They can go out without worrying about their absence. We take care of tasks like watering the potted plants in their rooms until they return.”

While the level of service is extraordinary, I couldn’t help but wonder who used to take care of the watering back at their previous homes.

In the next article , “‘Dignity and Qualities’ are the Minimum Requirements: ‘Surprising Conditions for Moving In’ Required by ‘Sacravia Seijo,’ a Super Luxury Nursing Home for the Elderly,” we will discuss the surprising conditions required to move in to Sacravia Seijo.

The book “Report: Ultra-Luxury Senior Homes,” by former Weekly Bunshun star reporter Hiroshi Jino, delves into the realities of various ultra-luxury senior homes through undercover investigation. It is currently on sale and receiving praise from Diamond Inc.