Continuous effort of a community to promote village tourism and environment education – a case of Kikuchi Water-source Village

Introduction
Suigen village of Kikuchi city, Kumamoto prefecture, is located at western foot of Aso mountain in Kyushu island (western part of Japan). Suigen literally means “water (river) source” in Japanese, and the area is surrounded by beautiful mountains with full of forest, and it is really a place where rivers originate.
In 1947, only two years after the World War II finished, “Suigen junior high school” was established at a hill top of the village. The students, teachers, youth group members, and even the village office staff altogether participated in construction work of the school. They collected stones from Kikuchi river, brought them to the ground and made it hard, and cut down the trees from community forest. All the villagers contributed as much as possible from their own resources. It may be because most of them realized the importance of education. “After the war, a lot of people from the continent (once colonized by Japan) came back and they entered into mountain areas to cultivate. Suigen was one of those areas, and it was really hard to survive. We tried to eat everything that can be eaten, and we lacked of everything such as food, clothes, etc. However, at that time, we realized importance of helping each other, working hard, and taking care of the things in a proper way. It was because we wanted to educate children to be good human beings that we tried to construct junior high school by ourselves.” One of the old villagers recalled that time.
However, as time passed, the total population of the area drastically decreases, and the number of school going children also dropped off. At their busiest days, there were more than 400 students in the school, but in 2000, the number of the students was only sixty-seven. After a series of bitter discussion, the local government decided to close the school in march 2000.

Five years effort to open “Furusato Koryu-kan”
Immediately after the close of the school, the residents of Suigen area submitted a request letter to the city government asking for the utilization of the closed school stating the following possibilities;
1) It can be utilized for camping and outdoor activities
2) It can also be used as exchanging facility for the aged and children
3) It can become a base for nature observation activities
4) It can be a facility to promote forestry and agriculture
5) It can become a nature park where children can play with the nature
6) It can be a multipurpose facility utilizing old traditional school building
The villagers still kept strong feeling of attachment to the school. They established “Council for promotion of effective utilization of the closed Suigen school”, and had been conducting study tours, workshops, and meetings to see the possibilities of effective utilization. For four and half years (2000 – 2004), the council was actively searching for the possibility, and in 2003, the city government concluded to utilize the school for training facility to promote exchange between rural and city residents (“Green Tourism”). The school was given new name, “Kikuchi Homeland Suigen Exchange Facility” (Suigen Koryu-kan).
In the first two years after the establishment of Suigen Koryu-kan, the development of green tourism activities was entrusted to a NPO (Non Profit Organization) based in Kyushu, and it started monthly agriculture experiencing class “Tasty village creation”, and “Children’s village” at the summer holiday season. The activities involved the community people to be participants and teachers, and it created good opportunity to have exchange among the villagers and the city young families with small children.
Based on those experience, the leaders of the council continued to study about “green tourism” and “NPO”, and discussed with the villagers of eleven communities, and finally in January 2004, NPO “Kirari Suigen-Mura” (Kirari shiny village) was established among more than one thousand villagers around the area.

The NPO and its Green Tourism Activities
The web-site of NPO Kirari Suigen Mura introduce themselves as follows;
We are NPO established by ordinary people in the village. The people who have been living for long in the village, together with some people came from outside and started to live by a fortunate chance, initiated various activities in the NPO. It is not easy for any people to start developing the area where you live, partly due to its complicated social structure or costumes. However, those who realized that we had to do something took the first action and, accordingly, achieved some results, which consequently involved people around as well as the local government, slowly but surely making changes in the area. In addition, since its inception, we have been carrying out activities that involves children who will lead the next generation. And led by the children activities, we now see more young people in their 20s to 30s who had not been engaged in community development participating in the activities.
It is high time that we need a place to start activities, in which we can feel something real, genuine, and serious. In such a place, local community should play the leading role. The characteristics of our activities are:
1) All the villagers are taking part in the activities;
2) The activities are rooted in our communities;
3) The activities are developed in the communities;
4) We promote communication and interaction in a positive way;
5) Our activities are combined with those for profits and those for public interests; and
6) We aim at sustainable community management.
Based on those principles, the NPO has been actively implementing various programs that are categorized into the six kinds;
A) Local revitalization activities (=regional development)
B) Urban / rural exchange activities (=green tourism)
C) Nature-based experience support activities (=slow life)
D) Natural environment conservation activities
E) Entrusted activities
F) Sales activities
In the year 2007, it implemented the following activities;

“Kagura” (traditional sacred music and dancing) class / Suigen children’s square / Homeland food school / Puppet show / Training for food processing / Furusato school

One-year exchange and study program (Tasty village creation) / Traditional local food and talk events and festivals / Food tourism to Korea / Green tourism coordination (from Korea) / “Gazoo Mura” (exchanging experience through weblog supported by Toyota) / participate in ap bank festival / Work camp (agriculture volunteer) / Support for newly settled farmers

Children’s village / Tasty village creation / Leadership training / Suigen play village / Coordinating nature and agriculture experiencing activities

Suigen volunteer holiday / maintenance of bamboo forest and charcoal kiln / Youth forest cooperation volunteers / Homeland forest school

Entrusted management of Kikuchi Homeland Suigen Exchange Facility
(1850 persons lodged, and 27263 persons visited)

Various food products (pickles and jam made from vegetables) developed and sold
Meals also provided in the restaurant

Mr. Kobayashi, an outsider facilitating the process
Mr. Kazuhiko Kobayashi was born in Saitama (a prefecture next to Tokyo) in 1974. During his study in a university, he experienced a forestry volunteer and a leader of a nature camp. From 1996, worked as secretary general of NICE (Never-ending International work Camps Exchange), a Japanese leading NGO that facilitate international exchange through work camps and other volunteer activities. He had busy days as a NGO activist, but started to feel that he needs something different. Then, he decided to go wandering about the world, and visited more than 40 countries. During the wandering, he happened to visit Suigen area, and fell in love with the old school building of the junior high school. He realized that something he looked for is a “power”; power to think about tomorrow with excitement, power to talk straightly to others with own words, power to trust the ones near to you, power to contribute to others, and power to live to be oneself. And here, in Suigen, he found such power. So, he decided to start living in the village. Now, he works as secretary general of the NPO Kirari Suigen Mura, and facilitate various activities involving local communities and outside people.
Mr. Kobayashi regards himself in Suigen community as a “person of wind”. In Jimotogaku practice, outsiders who participated in are called “wind”, and it is considered that the outsiders’ perspective is important for the community people (insiders) to review the area and find out what the community has. Of course, there are many things that the remote rural community does not have, such as convenience store, shopping mall, leisure spots, etc. However, if the outsiders look into the life of rural community people, there are plenty of traditional wisdom and skills that the ordinary grandmothers and grandfathers have been inherited and maintained. Mr. Kobayashi highly appreciates such local wisdom and skills, and he think it is his responsibility to learn from them and to transfer to the next generation.

Community members actively involved
The various activities of NPO Kirari Suigen Mura are implemented by the community members. When the NPO was established in the community, some of the residents did not agree with the idea of forming NPO. They were suspicious and doubted that NPO would make profit only for some of the villagers, and the school might be took over by outsiders. As the NPO started activities such as work camp, green tourism, and environmental education, the village received various visitors from outside, and the villagers felt proud of their own life and culture. They became active to clean the facilities, to watch the security, to prepare various dishes, to serve them, and to teach agriculture and forestry activities. At first, the elderly villagers were mainly involved in those activities, but then, younger generation in Kikuchi city and surrounding areas started joining to the activities.
“I came to participate in “playing village” program implemented by the NPO, and after that I often come here to work as a volunteer. I coordinate “Suigen Children Square” where the local children learn various living skills. I myself can learn many things from the program”, stated one young volunteer living in the city center area of Kikuchi. Another volunteer said “at first, I felt suspicious to the NPO, but after participating a program, I could meet many people and learn many things. I am enjoying exchanging with the other participants coming from various part of the world.”
As a result of such active participation from both inside and outside the village, the elderly residents feel that their village has restored liveliness and activeness. Green tourism activities of the NPO have successfully attracted various visitors to join the program. Based on the profit from those activities, NPO Kirari Suigen Mura hopes to expand further activities for community development such as marketing food products, providing day-care services for the aged, and promoting community participation in the village planning and management.
The NPO Kirari Suigen Mura is a good example of community initiative to utilize “what they have in the community”, and its successful implementation of various activities shows real power of the local community to manage local resources. It also teach us how the outsiders can work as a “person of wind” who find out the existing local resources in a community and facilitate community initiatives to utilize them.

Living with the Oriental White Stork (Konotori) – Toyooka city’s challenge for co-existence of economy and environment

Introduction
Toyooka City is located at the northeast part of Hyogo Prefecture, in the western part of Japan. It is about 100 km north from the prefectural capital city, Kobe, and the northern part of the city faces the Sea of Japan. The city has the gross area of 69,766 hectare, 80% of which covered by mountain forest (natural and planted), and the Maruyama river flows in the city from south to north, forming Toyooka basin where most of the agricultural field and some of the industrial facilities are located.
The population of the city is around 88,500 (in 2006) with 29,800 households, that is gradually decreasing year by year. Among the work force, only 7.8% is engaged in agriculture, forestry, or fishery, 29.8% is working in manufacturing and construction industry, and the rest is engaged in other sectors such as trade and commerce, finance, public services, transportation, or other services. The city receives a large number of tourists from all over Japan as it has famous hot spring resorts (Kinosaki hot spring), old ancient castle town (Izushi), beautiful beach (Takeno coast), and highland resort (Kannabe Kogen). More than 5 million tourists visit the city in a year.
In addition to those tourist spots, recently, the city started to attract the interest of the outsiders by its successful achievement of long-lasting effort, the revival of Oriental White Stork (Konotori).

What is Konotori (Oriental White Stork)?
The Oriental White Stork (Ciconia Boyciana in Scientific name, and Konotori in Japanese) is a kind of Storks that inhabits only in the far eastern part of Asia with the estimated total population of 2,000. It is a migratory bird that breeds in north-eastern China, and migrates for wintering south-eastern part of China. The color is mostly white with black flight feather and red legs, and the wingspan is approx. 200 cm. The storks are predatory, feeding on fish as well as small animals including frogs, earthworms, and grasshoppers. As the total number of the bird is rapidly decreasing, it is designated as endangered species by IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature).
In Japan, some of the birds stopped over during their migratory movement, and a part of them used to stay continuously and did not migrate back to the continent. They were commonly observed throughout Japan before 1950s. However, as the natural environment for the habitat of the bird drastically changed because of rapid economic development of the country, the total number of Konotori decreased into 20 only in 1956, and it was designated by the central government as species of animal for special protection in the same year.

History of Konotori in Toyooka
The Oriental White Stork (Koonotori) was a common animal to be seen in everyday life of Toyooka city. The city had large area of wetlands near the riverbed of Maruyama river, and also there were a lot of poorly drained paddy fields. Those swamp areas are suitable as habitats of small animals that became foods for Konotori. That might be a reason why Toyooka city became the last habitat of Konotori in Japan in 1950s and 1960s.
In 1962, Hyogo Prefecture was designated to be responsible for the conservation of Konotori, and in 1965, the first pair of the birds was captured and captive breeding activity began at the Breeding and Conservation Center in the city. Meanwhile, the number of wild Konotori continued to decrease, and finally in 1971, the last wild Konotori in Toyooka was captured but later on died, so, the bird vanished from the wild in Japan. Then, in 1986, the last native Konotori in Japan bred in captivity died.
In 1985, Six young Oriental White Storks were donated to Toyooka by Khabarovsk Territory of Soviet Union, and in 1989, captive breeding succeeded for the first time in Toyooka in one pair of Russian storks, and thereafter, the pair have reared chicks successfully every year. And in the year 2002, the number of captive Konotori surpassed 100 birds in the city. Consequently in 2003, the city government together with the prefectural government settled the Action Plan for the Reintroduction of Konotori into the wild.

Konotori Reintroduction Project
It was obviously difficult challenge for Toyooka city to implement reintroduction of Konotori into the wild, as the natural environment of the habitat of the birds totally changed from the previous days when the storks were still alive in nature. The muddy wet paddy fields were converted into well-drained “dry” fields in order to introduce mechanized farming for increasing the yields. For the same purpose, use of agricultural chemicals had become common among the farmers. In addition, in order to prevent river flooding frequently occurred in Toyooka basin, river improvement works along the Maruyama river had been implemented at many places, and the wet lands were converted into dry lands to be utilized for industrial or residential area. As a result of those changes, wild small animals, fish, and insects had lost their habitat, and consequently it was very hard for Konotori to survive in such an environment where they had difficulty to find out suitable place for nesting, breeding, and feeding.
Therefore, in order to implement reintroduction of the stork into the wild, it was urgent and extremely important to “re-create” natural environment that is suitable and friendly for Konotori. It was not an easy task, and requires cooperation and collaboration among various stakeholders, not only local governments (Hyogo prefecture and Toyooka city) to become main actors, but the farmers associations, private companies, academic and educational institutions, and the citizens’ voluntary organizations (NPOs) should be involved in the total process.
The Action Plan for the Reintroduction of the Oriental White Stork settled in 2003 pointed out as many as 75 measures to be implemented by various stakeholders. Those measures are classified into four categories; a) environmental improvement projects, b) release projects, c) education projects, and d) promotional organization. The followings are some of the projects planned and implemented.

1) Nature Restoration in Rural Areas
Promotion of biotope-like watering and constantly submerged rice cultivation / Maintenance of fish-ways linking paddy fields to drains / Creation of safe areas for aquatic life / Restoration of wetland / Establishing farming techniques of loaches
2) Management of Rural Forests
Maintenance of woodland trails and forests including pine trees / Nest tree recovery / plantation of broad-leaved trees / building of artificial nesting towers
3) Nature Restoration in Rivers
Regenerating the wetlands of Maruyama river / Releasing native fish into the river
4) Promotion of Safety Branding on Agricultural Products
Promotion of Hyogo Safety Brand system / Promotion of farming method with less chemicals and weeding technique / Promotion of conservation oriented agriculture / Promotion of the production and sale of rice in Stork conservation oriented farming
5) Promotion of Rural-Urban Exchange
Promotion of tourism with the storks as symbol / Management of allotment gardens

1) Participation
Promotion of Stork Fan Club / Promotion of the Stork Museum
2) Events
Participation in the 2005 World Exposition at Aichi / Forum for creating a region to co-exist with the storks / Gratitude Festival for the storks / International Conference
3) Merchandising of Local Products
Issuing the Stork Coupons
4) Environmental Education
Development of environment education programs / Project of scientific study support for the stork reintroduction / School in rice field / Implementation of environmental education at primary schools / Participatory environmental education at Mie area / Citizens’ movement for securing safe food / Promotion of eco-friendly consumption lifestyle
5) Information Dissemination
Documentation and Publication of the stork reintroduction plans / Audio-visual materials / Publication of maps of wildlife in Toyooka basin / Introduction of Maruyama River system
The whole plan described above was prepared and coordinated by Liaison Committee for the Reintroduction of the Oriental White Stork constituted by prefectural and city governments, central government, and various citizens’ organizations (altogether 16 bodies). The plan has been implemented by the governments, farmers cooperatives and associations, forestry organizations, fishermen cooperatives, schools, chamber of commerce, culture associations, consumer associations, and NPOs.
Three years later, on September 24 in 2005, the white storks raised in captivity were released and fled freely in the skies of Toyooka. Thirty-four years passed since their extinction in the wild. The release activity continued in 2006 and 2007. And in 2007, released storks made a pair of laid eggs, and hatched a chick to be the first one hatched in the wild in Japan in 43 years. Now, in 2008, around 20 storks are living in nature and flying in the skies of Toyooka.

New farming method; how to motivate the farmers
Among various measures planned above, the introduction of new farming method that is environmentally friendly for the storks is one of the vital activities because it is supposed to create feeding space for the birds. “White Stork Friendly Farming Method” has been developed and promoted by the Toyooka Agricultural Extension Center at Tajima District Administration Office of Hyogo Prefectural government. The center formulated “the White Stork Project Team” in 2002, and started development of the new farming method and planning of its promotion.
The team firstly asked some of the farmers interested in low chemical / organic fertilizer based cultivation to form an agricultural cooperative, and “White Stork Homeland Agricultural Cooperative” was established in 2002. The center together with the cooperative started experimental cultivation, and also held study meetings and wildlife surveys in order to know appropriate method to restore natural environment in the rice field. And finally in 2005, “White Stork Friendly Farming Method” was formally concluded and the guidelines for the method was publicized.
The requirements for the method are as follows;

a) Reduction of agricultural chemicals
b) Ordinary substance fish toxicity class A type is used in the case chemicals are used
c) Reduction of chemical fertilizers, no use during the cultivation period
d) Hot water disinfection method
e) Weed management in paddy ridges

a) Deepwater management
b) Postponement of the midsummer drainage
c) Pooling of water in rice fields in early spring

a) Use of compost and local organic materials

a) License acquisition for brand names
In 2008, the total area of paddy field where the new method is introduced has expanded into nearly 200 hectare, and around 20 farmers associations and cooperatives have participated to practice the White Stork Friendly Farming Method. The rice produced through the method is given brand name “Konotori no sato” (homeland of white stork), and now sold with nearly twice as much as the price of ordinary rice. And you can witness the impact of this method to the stork when you see the released birds flying down to the paddy field cultivated by the method to take food there.
The effort to promote “white stork friendly farming method” was driven forward by the agriculture extension workers belong to the center who tried to facilitate the farmers to take initiative for introducing the new method. Ms. Itsuki Nishimura, the leader of the project team who was an agriculture extension worker, reflected how the team worked out.
“When the project team was formed, the schedule of releasing the stork to the wild had already been fixed, so we had really limited time to promote the new farming method. Firstly, we calculated scientifically how much area of paddy field is necessary for a stork to be fed, and found out that four hectare paddy field is required for one stork. Then, we examined what kind of non-chemical and organic farming is suitable for the storks. It was also important to motivate the farmers to apply low-chemical organic farming. It requires much more care, and the yield is less compared with the modern chemical farming method. When we visited farmers, they often responded “why do we have to sacrifice our work for a bird?” In fact, for the farmers in Toyooka, the storks were considered as harmful birds because they flied down the paddy field and gave damage to the crops. So, we tried to prove that the storks do not damage any crops, and at the same time, we also tried to show that the rice produced by low-chemical organic farming is really tasty, and thus it is sold with higher price. By showing examples, we could convince some of the farmers to start the new method. The method itself was also developed through trial and error among the participating farmers and the extension workers. We studied together, examined in the field, check the result, and improved again. Once in the early days, the testing plot of the new method was fully covered by weed, and the farmers got angry for that. I myself, the other extension workers, and my family members participated in pulling out the weed. I think it was after this incident that the farmers started cooperate with us from their heart. In addition, we tried to promote the rice produced by the new method to be sold widely. We implemented consumer education activities and appealed the good taste and safety of our rice. We also conducted environmental education in schools, and the school kids now start to participate in farming practice with the new method. I think that all of those efforts made the farmers convinced to apply the stork friendly farming method. It is also important that we create clear vision of environmentally friendly and economically profitable that can appeal to both the producers and the consumers.”

Branding of the farm products
“Environmentally friendly and economically profitable” become major concern of the Toyooka city government, and it started a project to create new brand “Flying Stork” to be given to farm products with high environmental concern. The objectives of the project are a) highly added value of the local farm products, b) reducing environmental load by less chemical agriculture, and c) securing bio-diversity of the rice field. The city government acknowledges farm products cultivated according to the standard of utilization of chemicals and organic fertilizer fixed by the city. The acknowledged products are given logo mark and sticker to show the brand “Flying Stork”. So far now, rice and 20 kinds of vegetables are produced by 16 farmer groups or organizations that are given the brand. The planted acreage is around 368 hectare in 2007.

Citizens’ participation
It is not only the farmers who participated in the Action Plan for Reintroduction of the White Storks. The other residents who are interested in the bird itself, or conservation of the nature in general, also actively took part in the activities for restoring the natural environment for the stork to survive. Among them, “Konotori Shimin Kenkyujo (KSK)” (Citizens’ research institute for the storks) was established in 1998 and has been implementing various activities to restore and preserve the natural environment. They have been developing and maintaining biotopes and also restoring forest near the residential areas. The NPO (Non Profit Organization) also conducts many kinds of scientific nature surveys, and implements environmental education at the field to the children as well.
“Konotori Fan Club” is an voluntary organization that supports the government’s activities of reintroduction of the storks, as well as implementing several surveys and environmental education activities. It also collects information on the storks released in the wild from the citizens who witnessed the birds. “Konotori Shicchi (wetland) Network” was established recently aiming at supporting the government’s re-development works to restore wetland. It also monitors life of the storks released in the skies of Toyooka, and show various photos of the birds living in the wild through its internet weblog.
All the citizens’ groups or NPOs mentioned above maintain good relations with the local governments and cooperate with each other.

Sustainable strategy for environment and economy
From the experience of “Konotori Reintroduction Project” described above, the Toyooka city government derives a model of community development, “Toyooka Model” that aims at promoting regional development by utilizing existing resources in Toyooka and linking various local activities. The city concludes the experience of Konotori reintroduction as; “The Oriental White Stork Reintroduction Program is a process to create a sustainable Toyooka by re-evaluating our culture and tradition and linking people, goods, and wisdom of the area. Integrating preservation, restoration, and creation of the natural and cultural environment into the history of our 100 years of prodigious efforts to protect storks will make the city more attractive, leading to create a new Toyooka city.”
Based on the Toyooka Model, the city formulated a development strategy for sustainable environment and economy. The strategy has three major objectives to be achieved in order to create a city where economy and environment resonates; 1) Sustainability (making environmental conservation efforts economically sustainable, 2) Economic Independence (utilizing own rich resources to economic development), and 3) Pride (being proud of oneself to be a citizens of Toyooka).
According to the concept above, the city implements various activities categorized into the following five major pillars;
1) Encouraging local production for local consumption
The city supports to create a cycle of local production for local consumption where the locally produced goods (either agricultural or manufactured) can be consumed in the city.
2) Promoting organic agriculture
The city continues to promote “agriculture with environmental concern” not depending on pesticide and chemical fertilizer, observing the condition of the field carefully, and nurturing various creatures through agriculture.
3) Developing tourism
The city promotes tourism that utilizes local indigenous resources such as natural resources, landscape, tradition, culture, and foods. Konotori will be a symbol of the uniqueness of Toyooka city to attract the outsiders.
4) Attracting companies with environmental concern
The city provides various support for the activities of private companies that make profit by conserving nature, improving environment, or reducing energy or discharge.
5) Increasing utilization of nature energy
The city facilitates utilization of local natural resources (woody biomass, energy crops, sunlight, etc.) to produce energy in order to activate local economy and to contribute to prevention of global warming.

The challenge of Toyooka city to reintroduce White Storks is still on its halfway, but it brought the city valuable learning how environment and economy can co-exist and “resonate” each other. It also shows good examples of collaboration among various stakeholders, and also it teaches us the importance of the local government efforts to facilitate community-based initiatives.

Community initiative for safe and welfare town

– case study of Heiancho, Yokohama city

Heian-cho in Yokohama
Heiancho is a residential area inside Yokohama city (one of the largest port cities in Japan) with total 3,500 households living near “Tsurumi-ichiba” station of Keikyu railway. This area was developed before the WWII by reclaiming canals near the sea, and during the era of rapid economic growth (1960s) many apartment houses were constructed for the employees who worked in large factories near the area. Now, it looks calm residential area similar to the other ones around Tokyo. The residents can reach Tokyo city center within 40 minutes if they take Keikyu line, and it takes only 16 minutes ride on a train to arrive at Yokohama station where you can find variety of shopping and amusement facilities. Recently, several high-rise apartment buildings were constructed, so the number of younger families and unmarried people increased in the area, whereas among the old residents there increased aged population as their sons and daughters had grown up and live separately outside the area. In short, Heian-cho is one of the ordinary residential towns around Tokyo with a mixture of new young comers and old residents of aged families.

Activities of Neighborhood Association
In Japan, at most of residential areas, neighborhood associations (chonai-kai or jichi-kai in Japanese words) are organized among the residents. The neighborhood associations in Japan are basically voluntary organizations spontaneously established by the residents to implement community activities such as disaster preparedness, crime prevention, welfare activities, and mutual friendship events. The neighborhood association usually covers several hundred to several thousand households depending upon the size of the area, and although it is considered as a voluntary association, most of the residents feel it obliged to become members and pay annual membership fee and other donation when requested. Throughout Japan, there said to be around three hundred thousand neighborhood associations. Some of them are active, but others are not so. Especially in the city area such as Yokohama or Tokyo, as most of the residents are so busy in their own business or family matters, and human relationship among the community members become much weakened as a result, many neighborhood associations can not attract most of their residents to the activities, and have become less active.

However, it is not the case of Heian-cho chokai (neighborhood association). The association is still much active to implement various social activities and many residents participate actively in those activities and events. It has 2,800 households as members, and it is divided into eight issue-wise divisions and 15 area-wise sections. The followings are the examples of activities or events taken by each divisions;

1) Welfare division: visiting the aged families, long life celebration events for the aged,
2) Environment division: green campaign, measure for abandoned bicycles, measure for illegal advertisement boards, beautification of parks and flower beds
3) Transportation division: traffic safety education and campaign, traffic control at the time of events
4) Fire and Crime Prevention division: patrolling at the time pupils getting out of school, emergency training exercises, management of equipments for disaster and emergency
5) Outdoor light division: maintenance of outdoor security lights
6) Youth division: management of sports day, bringing up boys and girls in a healthy way
7) Women division: management of own activities, supporting activities of other divisions
8) Administration division: management of meetings, public relations, overall management of various events or training

In addition to the above activities by the divisions, the association also implements several events such as Heian Shinto-shrine festival, garbage recycling, great sports festival, walking festival, ball-game festival, bus trip, celebrating the aged persons, and “Sawayaka campaign” (encouraging voluntary actions such as cleaning the area).

Welfare supporting association
The uniqueness and activeness of Heian-cho is symbolized not only by the various activities implemented, but also by the presence of “Heiancho Fukushi-Sanjokai (welfare supporting association)” organized by some of the active residents.

The Fukushi-Sanjokai was established in 1991 and consists of 40 members and 150 volunteers. The primary objective of the organization is to promote social welfare activities in the area. As the neighborhood association has a limitation to provide services only within the members themselves, it was necessary to establish another voluntary organization that can promote self-help activities among all the residents of the area and volunteers coming from outside as well.

At first, the Sanjokai started lunch delivery activity for the aged families in 1992. Once a week, the volunteer staff of Sanjokai prepare lunch box and deliver to the aged or the handicapped who have difficulty to cook. Around 20 to 30 residents are getting the service, and there are 22 volunteer staff. Besides the weekly delivery activity, “eating together” events are also held several times a year.

As the service for the aged residents, the Sanjokai also provides volunteers to the aged people who needs support of gardening, repairing electric appliances, shopping or other everyday necessities. Video-theater events that show old cinemas are also held.

The Sanjokai also implements several activities to support small children and their parents. Once a week, “Heian kids room” is held in a meeting room of “Heiancho community center” constructed by the Heiancho chokai. Puppet show, parent and child physical exercises, free style games, and consultation services for the parents are held for children under school age and their parents. Measuring height and weight of the children by a public health nurse, is also implemented occasionally. Moreover, twice a month on Saturdays, “Heian Video Theater” is held in the community center and sometimes more than hundred children gather.

Apart from safety activities of Heiancho chokai, the Sanjokai also implements crime prevention activities through organizing “Heiancho security network” among the residents and volunteers. They regularly patrol around the area by walk or bicycle, and also watch the street when the pupils finish school and return to their home every afternoon. Besides, they construct information network through telephone among the residents in order to prepare for emergency situation such as natural disaster or severe crimes.

The Sanjokai also coordinates volunteers not only from the area but from outside Heiancho who want to participate in volunteer activities such as helping “Lunch Heian”, “Heian kids room”, or cleaning and maintaining flower gardens in the parks nearby.

Leadership and involvement
Mr. Hidehiko Kasai, the chairperson of both Heiancho chokai and Heiancho Fukushi Sanjokai, explains key principles of their activities.

“In the past, all the community people helped each other for their everyday life. Then, the government (central and local) took the responsibility to provide all the services, and the community people started to misunderstand that they did not have to help the neighbors. However, as the economy of Japan suffers difficulties, the government can not afford to provide all the necessary services to the people. Now, it is necessary for us to take initiatives for protecting our life by ourselves. We can not wait for the government to do something for us. It is not difficult for us to start something new that has not been done by others. Our motto is running at the front. It is necessary to start actions timely. In order to implement various actions required in the community, it is important to find out leaders among the community members and entrust them to manage the activities.”

By Rie Yamada & M. Nagahata (i-i-Network)

Asameshi Syokudo
– A tasty community business for a healthy community -

Introduction
Asameshi Syokudo is a restaurant located in a town called Asamushi, a historical hot spring town along side the sea in Aomori prefecture, the Northern city of Japan. It was opened in 2003 and run by a NPO called Iki Iki Asamushi. ‘Iki Iki’ means lively, active, full of life, in English and the name shows its vision to support community’s well-being.

NPO Iki Iki Asamushi
When Dr. Ichiki returned to Asamushi town from Tokyo and inherited his father’s clinic in 2000, he was shocked with the changes of the town. Compare to his childhood, population and local activities were declined. He made a strategy to renew his father’s clinic in order to better serve the community health, as well as to start a NPO for community development activities.

Health problem in Asamushi
Like many other rural area in Japan, Asamushi has shrinking and aging population. The population is 1877 in 2005, with 783 men and 1094 women. Among them, 892 people are more than 60 years old. There are many elderly women who live alone, as they used to work for the tourism industry. Dr. Ichiki found that their health condition is heavily depending on their eating habit, and many single elderly person do not eat properly. Place to eat with other people with healthy and balanced diet is necessary for their health.

Menu of Asameshi Syokudo
The restaurant is open for lunch everyday except Sunday and serves healthy meals. It has three kinds of menu; 1) Daily special, 2) Weekly special, 3) Special dish called ‘Potato Suiton’. The picture on the left shows a sample of the Daily special, which has main dish, rice, miso-soup, vegetable, pickles and desert. It cost only 500 yen.

The restaurant has a special recipe from Mrs.Moriyama who won the prize from the local food competition. The local food competition was organized in 2003 by the NPO Iki Iki Asamushi. The quality and variety of dishes, which local people particularly grandmas, brought were amazing and shows rich local tradition and love to their own food culture. After the local food competition, the NPO decided to start the restaurant to revive and utilize this food culture for health promotion.

Management of Asameshi Syokudo
In normal days, about 40 people come to eat lunch at the restaurant. Patients and elderly people who visit the clinic, workers in nearby companies and families are customers. The restaurant provides balanced diet with affordable price while being a successful community business. Thus, the management made effort to economize operation, utilize funding opportunities, and improve services in order to attract many customers. At the beginning, the NPO got a funding support from the ‘venture project fund’ by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and it is equipped with second hand furniture and equipment.

It also cooperates with the Ichiki clinic for publicity and feed back among patients. At the clinic, restaurant news and photo of the Today’s special menu is presented everyday. It serves also as a community place, for elderly people to meet with others. When a regular customer does not show up, restaurant staff try to make sure that they are ok. The restaurant also has a lunch box delivery service for those who can not come. “The trust from the local people is essential for successful activities” Ms. Mikami, the general secretary of the NPO said.
The restaurant also creates employment opportunity for local women and men, which is important for community to be sustainable. The NPO employs 8 staff for the restaurant. The staff develop menu, improve kitchen, communicate with customers, and enjoy working.

The NPO Iki Iki Asamushi’s activities have been expanding. In 2005, the NPO started an agricultural farm to produce organic vegetables to be served at the restaurant. The publication of an original recipe book for local food promotion, cooking classes in community school and conservation program of firefly are all started by the NPO with local people’s participation. There are also several joint activities of NPO and the Ichiki clinic, such as ‘healthy tour’. The ‘healthy tour’ package includes health check up at the clinic, programs such as hiking in the local mountains, and balanced diet program at Asameshi Syokudo. In 2006, Dr. Ichiki and Ms. Mikami established a company in order to run the Healthy Inn Asamushi, which is a hotel with 15 rooms and hot spring.

New model for community business
As seen above, the NPO and the clinic work hand in hand for well being of the local community. Through the activities, they try to create a place, where local people can enjoy tasty food, have a fun and feel happy. The entry point was a restaurant which started from careful observation of elderly people’s life and health problems. But as seen above, the activity does not end there, and continues to grow according to local resources and needs. It shows a new model for NPO which try to support community through community business and action. Let us again look at our own community and see what is there and what we can do.

Report by Satoko Kono (i-i-Network)

Facilitating empowerment through SHG management
The case of VVK and SOMNEED at Vishakapathnam in Andhra Pradesh, India


Slum women played drama at a city theater
On July 3rd, 2007, at a theater named “Vishakha Music and Dance Academy”, ordinary women from at the slum areas of Vishakapathnam city, State of Andhra Pradesh, India, performed a drama on the stage in front of more than two hundred audience. They are the member of “Vishakha Vanitha Kranthi (VVK)”, a federation of slum women’s self-help groups (SHGs). VVK was established in 2005 with the facilitation of SOMNEED (a Japanese NGO) under a JICA assisted project called “Creation of new type of producer-consumer relationship and common property resources through the linkage of urban-rural women Self Help Groups” (PCUR-LINK project). The drama that the VVK members played described a brief history of VVK activities. The major topics of the play were; How the condition of SHGs changed after they participated in the project, how the VVK was formed, What they learned from SOMNEED about the management of SHGs and VVK, What were the initiatives took by VVK to acquire legal status, and what are the present banking activities implemented by VVK.
Obviously, it was their first time to perform such a drama in a big auditorium in front of such a large audience. But all the actress from the slum looked very excited and they really enjoyed performing drama to show what and how they achieved throughout the three years of the project period. Before the performance at the theater, the VVK members spent more than 100 hours to prepare the script, to practice the drama, to have rehearsal for getting advice from SOMNEED, and to even reserve the city theater by themselves. It was a part of “Final Evaluation” activities of the project, and in fact, it was a climax of the three year self-reliant actions of the slum women who have been “empowered” by participating the PCUR-LINK project.

Outline of the project
The PCUR-LINK project started in July 2004 as one of the Grass-Root Technical Cooperation Projects of JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). The project duration was three years (July 2004 to June 2007), and SOMNEED (a Japanese NGO based in Takayama city of Japan) is an implementing organization together with its Indian counterpart organization, SOMNEED Trust India. The project purpose is “creation of new type of producer-consumer relationship and common property resources through women SHG empowerment”, and the target groups are the women SHGs at urban and suburban slums in Vishakapathnam city.
Since its establishment in 1993, SOMNEED has been involved in community development activities in the rural mountainous areas of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa States in India. It implemented various activities such as tree plantation, literacy classes, mini-hydro project, and SHG promotion in rural communities. However, in recent years, it witnessed massive migration trend from rural area to urban slums due to the drought hit in rural areas. Most of the migrants start living in the city slum areas, and the slum dwellers have no common property resources that provide a margin to survive. Creating employment opportunities and preventing deterioration of their habitat are pressing agenda.
Having realized the issues described above, SOMNEED took initiative to be engaged in slum areas, and started building relationship with women’s SHGs through a local NGO while having comprehensive research on the condition of those SHGs and their members. The project PCUR-LINK was launched based on such preliminary actions. It aims at improving basic skills of slum women for management of SHGs, establishing new type of producer-consumer relationship, and mobilizing locally available resources.

The slum women changed from “object” to “subject”
Within the three years of the project period, it is a really exciting achievement that the slum women who participated in VVK (SHG federation) have become “subject” of their activities. Now, they can manage all the meetings, savings, and loan procedure according to the rules and regulations settled by themselves. The slum women have true sense of “ownership” in the SHGs and their federation (VVK).
However, it was not easy for SOMNEED to change the mind and attitude of both the slum women and staff of the local NGO who thought “SHGs are recipients of aids and NGOs are the service providers”. It also required much time to develop skills of managing SHGs by members themselves.
The process of evolution of SHGs and VVK can be categorized into four stages;

1) Awakening stage
This is the stage where the slum SHG member became aware of the true meaning of “Self-Help” actions, and start improving SHG activities by themselves. It is said that more than 2 million “Self Help Groups” formed by NGOs or government institutions throughout India. However, most of the SHGs are managed by outsiders – NGO staff or government field workers. They helped SHGs in book keeping, regular meetings, and loan provision from banks. There are very few “Self-Help” groups in its true sense.
In late 2004, SOMNEED took representatives from the slum SHGs in Vishakapathnam to Chennai (the capital city of Tamil Nadu State) where they visited Akshaya Bank. The bank was established 10 years ago by SHG members, and it has more than 1,200 members of poor women and more than fifty thousand US dollars fund accumulated by the members. The SHG members from Vishakapathnam were shocked to know that the slum women of the bank manages everything (savings and credit procedure) without help of outside NGO staff. After coming back from Chennai, the slum women tried to improve their SHG management such as having regular meetings, increasing attendance rate, and recovering bad debts.
SOMNEED did not give any instruction to the SHGs. It stimulates motivation of the SHGs by showing good example of internal fund rotation, encourages them to fix target indicators of SHG improvement, and facilitated them to do their best to achieve the target.

2) Trial and error stage
After establishment of the SHG federation (VVK) in March 2005, VVK members (joined from slum SHGs) started preparing rules and regulations of the federation. It was almost first time for them to discuss something and to reach conclusion thoroughly by themselves, therefore, it took much time to settle the agenda, record the discussion, and come into concensus. Finally, 11 months after the establishment, VVK finalized its rules and regulations consisting of 25 clauses. While discussing rules and regulations, VVK members also tried to start business as a collective action for economic improvement. They visited Hyderabad (state capital of Andhra Pradesh) to observe various markets and shops in order to think what and how to start own business. After that, they started Sari (traditional Indian women clothes) business investing 25,000 rupee ($600). Unfortunately, that business almost failed and they lost their money. The VVK members then realized the importance of having business skills such as cost-calculation and book keeping.
In the process of above trials and errors of VVK, SOMNEED did not give suggestions or advice to VVK unless it was asked to do so. It also provided training opportunities for those who really want to learn management of VVK. Training on basic accounting, and book keeping is arranged by SOMNEED.
When VVK established, there were 7 SHGs joined. However, one year later, it decreased into only 4 groups, as it was hard for some members to improve organizational management capacity.

3) Expansion stage
In April 2006, the first general assembly of VVK was held, and they started recruiting new member SHGs by visiting candidate groups, giving advice for better SHG management, and motivating them to join VVK. As a result, after 5 months, 20 SHGs became members of the federation. At the same time, VVK members tried to acquire formal registration as mutually aided cooperative. It was necessary if VVK wanted to start banking activities. The VVK members prepared necessary documents and submitted to the registration office. However, the officer there caviled for one thing or another at every time they visited, and implicitly requested bribe in order to process the documents. The VVK refused to give any bribe, continuously visited and asked for formal procedure. Finally, after 7 months, they got registration as mutually aided cooperative.
In this stage, SOMNEED did not initiate any activities. All the actions were taken by VVK themselves, and SOMNEED did not even accompany the VVK members who visit the registration office. It only gave advices when asked.

4) Take-off stage
The last thing that SOMNEED focused on for the capacity building of VVK was to train trainers for group management (fund rotation and book keeping). Through three months course, only 4 members passed the final exam and started visiting newly joined SHGs to teach book keeping and fund management. It is one of the indication that VVK will be able to sustain the quality of SHG management by themselves without help of SOMNEED.
VVK also started lending to its members in March 2007. Within one month, it provided loan amounting around 2,000 US dollars from its own fund. Rules and regulations for loan products are settled by VVK themselves. Again, SOMNEED gave only technical training and advice when VVK prepared loan criteria and regulations. Presently, after the PCUR-LINK project finished in June 2007, VVK operates its savings and credit program totally by themselves.

How SOMNEED facilitated empowerment?
It was not easy for the staff of SOMNEED India and its partner local NGO to facilitate initiatives of the slum women. In general, the field staff of local NGO were accustomed to “teach” and “lead” SHGs in their everyday activities. Book keeping, saving accumulation, loan provision, and even calling SHG members to attend meetings were major task of the NGO staff. When the PCUR-LINK project started, SOMNEED asked the NGO staff not to give any help or instruction to the groups unless they are requested by SHGs. Stimulated by exposure tour to Akshaya Bank in Chennai, the SHG members started to try everything by themselves. When the NGO staff visited any SHG meetings, they sat behind the group quietly, and raised hands for seeking permission to talk if they felt necessary to do so. “You should not teach them, and wait until you are asked.” It is one of the most important attitudes for NGO staff if it wants to construct equal partnership with the slum people.
In the process of final evaluation activities held in July 2007, SOMNEED staff reviewed their actions towards SHGs and VVK, and they summarized several key concepts for “facilitation of slum women’s initiative”. Those are;
a) Unless asked, no intervention.
b) Pose question, but do not teach.
c) Believe their capacity, but do not expect.
d) Let them do first, wait, and see.
e) Raise your hands, seek permission, then talk.
f) Set bottom line, and talk such a manner that even 10 year child can understand.

SOMNEED strategy for facilitation
There are some important points in the strategy of SOMNEED for facilitating initiatives of the slum women.

1) Stimulating curiosity
It had a great impact on the women’s motivation that SOMNEED took them to the successful example of SHG federation bank (Akshaya Bank) in Chennai. Showing visible successful cases is a good way to stimulate the curiosity of the people who then take initiative for own action.

2) Setting achievable targets, and praise if achieved
SOMNEED encouraged the SHG or VVK members to settle concrete targets such as improvement of SHG management, criteria for joining VVK, criteria for passing exam of trainers. If anyone can achieve the targets and is praised by others, he or she increases own motivation to do something.

3) Encouraging feedback and sharing information
It was always emphasized by SOMNEED that every and each information should be shared among all the members. Result of exposure tours or any conclusion of VVK meetings were shared and given feedback. It is a minimum condition for sustainable independent management for any organization to share information and have open discussion. Through such practice, SOMNEED tried to produce a new type of sustainable management and leadership of community-based organizations.

Report by M. Nagahata (i-i-network)

Uncovering local resources and attracting city people in a remote village: Case Study at Kuwatori village, Joetsu-city, Niigata, Japan

Typical Japanese village in the mountains

Kuwatori village is located at “Kuwatori valley” in Joetsu-shi, Niigata prefecture. It takes around two and half hours from Tokyo by train to reach the nearby station, and then it needs around 45 minutes by local bus to come into the village. The Kuwatori valley lies along the 15 km long river “Kuwatori” that flows from the mountains of 1,000 meter high towards the Japan Sea. Although the location of the village is not so far from the sea shore, it is a typical Japanese mountain village surrounded with deep forests and most of the villagers have been cultivating terraced fields and producing rice and vegetables mostly for own consumptions. Administratively, the village has been a part of Joetsu city of Niigata prefecture after it merged in 1955 (when it merged, the name of the city was “Naoetsu”, and it again merged to become “Joetsu” city in 1971). However, the villagers still regard themselves as the villagers of Kuwatori, and have strong identity with the Kuwatori valley.

The village consists of 9 hamlets, and the total population is around 360. The number decreases from around 1,300 in 1955. Most of the younger generation has already migrated out to live in more convenient towns or cities because they felt it was hard to earn much money in such a remote small mountain village. There is no industry in the village other than small scale agriculture and forestry. Now, most of the villagers have aged (more than 40% of the total population is over 65 years old), and they live quiet and isolated especially in the winter season when snow falls to a depth of more than 2 meters. It is a typical Japanese mountain village with de-population and aging, except for the existence of an active NPO (Non Profit Organization) “Kamiechigo Yamazato (mountain village) Fun Club (KYFC)” that brings energy and positive future for the village.

NPO KYFC

KYFC was established in 2001 by the people who were concerned about the problem of rapidly decreasing and aging population in the Kuwatori area. It aims at preserving the local culture and traditional lifestyle, maintaining agriculture land, and creating sustainable industry based on the existing resources in the area. It implements various community activities in Kuwatori village as follows;

1) “Joetsu Earth Environment School” (JEE School)

The JEE school has its base at an old school building closed in 1999 due to drastic decrease of the children in the area Once this “Nakanomata elementary school” had had more than 100 students for 90 years, but there was only 1 child remained in late 1990s. After close of the school, the community people expected to continue using the school building for welfare and productive activities, and the Joetsu city government decided to open “Joetsu Earth Environment School” to provide opportunities of environment education with the city people.

The NPO KYFC is entrusted with the management of the JEE school, and it receives around 5 thousand visitors annually. The main concept of the JEE school is “experiencing lively life of mountain village”. It aims at providing opportunities for the visitors to experience how the villagers have constructed harmonious relations with the nature around the village. The nature does not exist isolated from the human beings, but it has been preserved by the community people who has utilized its resources sustainably. Through various activities of the JEE school such as playing in the small stream, experiencing planting and harvesting rice in the terraced rice field, helping forest-thinning in the village forest, making handicrafts from the forest products, cooking wild plants taken from the field, and burning charcoal by traditional kiln, the children who participated in the school can learn how the villagers have been living with the existing natural resources and what kinds of traditional wisdom the villagers have inherited in order to preserve and utilize the nature.

2) Kuwatori Citizens’ Forest (KCF)

The Kuwatori Citizens’ Forest (KCF) is a nature park located at the most interior part of the Kuwatori valley with 272 ha of forest. A part of the forest is designated as protected area for the source of drinking water of the Joetsu city. Another part of the forest is “Satoyama (nearby forest)” that has been utilized by the villagers for their everyday life. The purpose of establishment of “Kuwatori Citizens’ Forest (KCF)” is to preserve natural resources in the forest through the participation of interested citizens from outside towns and cities. It is also NPO KYFC that the Joetsu city government entrusted with the management of the KCF.

In the forest, the NPO KYFC implements several activities that invite the outside people to participate. Forest maintenance works such as cutting weeds and thinning trees are open to the interested outside people to experience. The outside people are also invited to experience charcoal burning activity in the forest. In addition, the NPO arrange various types of nature observation tours to explore inside the deep forest. It also provides nature education programs to the children of the local areas.

3) “Learning through experence” progarams

Apart from the above mentioned entrusted programs contracted with the local government, NPO KYFC has also implemented some activities as own independent programs mainly focusing on providing opportunities of learning experience to the outside people about various traditional activities of the villagers. Those “learning through experience” programs are called “schools”, and the NPO has so far implemented three kinds of “school”.

a) “House repairing school”

There are old traditional houses with thatched roof in the village. For the maintenance of those houses, the villagers had utilized various plants such as grasses, bamboo, and woods taken from the field or forest of the village. All the villagers had to repair and maintain their houses by their own skills and resources. However, as the villagers are getting aged, such skills and local wisdoms are being lost. The “House repairing school” aims at providing opportunity for the people to learn such local skills and wisdoms of maintenance of the old traditional houses. Major themes of the school are carpentry, plastering, roof thatching, gardening, and constructing water course.

b) “Vegetable garden school”

The women in Kuwatori village cultivate vegetable garden near their housing plots, and produce various kinds of vegetables. They also have good skills of processing the vegetables into various types of foodstuff such as pickles, Miso, Tofu, and Natto that are highly nutritious and preserve for long. In order to inherit the wisdom for living of those rural women, the participants of “Vegetable garden school” learn ways of cultivating vegetable garden and processing or cooking produces of the garden.

c) “Rice terrace school”

As the Kuwatori village is located in mountainous area, the villagers have been cultivating rice and vegetables in the terraced field. For the maintenance of the rice terrace, it requires special skill to control water and soil in a sustainable manner. In the “Rice terrace school”, the participants learn various skills of how to grow rice, how to maintain terraced field, and in general, how to cope with the power of nature. Through experiencing the various activities of rice cultivation at the terrace, the participants obtain not only delicious rice harvested in the terrace where they work, but also they can acquire precious insights about the real sense of living on the earth that lays at the background of rice production.

d) “School of living skills for four seasons”

Based on the experience of implementing the above mentioned schools, the NPO KYFC has newly starts an integrated type of “learning through experience” school. At the early stage of the NPO in 2001, it conducted a research on traditional skills of the local people at Kuwatori area, and prepared a list of “Red data book on traditional life skills” that indicates possibility of extinction of various traditional life skills that only the aged villagers keep. Skills of masonry, bamboo crafting, taking care of grass field, sericulture, firewood gathering, snowshoes making, charcoal burning, and building charcoal kiln are the examples of “endangered life skills” that can be vanished within 10 years.

Although such life skills are considered in modern society to be meaningless or useless, they are crystallization of local wisdom that have been accumulated and inherited for generations in the village to utilize the existing natural resources in sustainable way to live in harmony with the nature. The NPO regards such life skills are surely important for all the people to learn if they want to change their life styles to be more environmental friendly and sustainable.

From this perspective, the NPO has started “School of living skills for four seasons” where the participants will learn the traditional life skills directly from the village people who have inherited and utilized them. The school aims at providing opportunities for the participants to acquire the life skills while staying in the village and appreciating traditional life style and culture of the local people. Apart from direct learning from the field experience, it also provides lectures that analyze and synthesize such life skills in scientific way from broader perspectives. The examples of direct learning classes and lectures are shown in the box 1.

Spring	(Experience)Collecting, cooking and preserving wild plants, Timber logging, plowing rice field, grinding sickle, spring festival, etc.
	(Lecture) Agriculture in Kuwatori, Characteristics of Joetsu area, Culture of Yui (mutual helping), Eco-system of the forest, etc.
Summer	(Experience) Producing salt, ascent along a mountain stream, traditional Bon festival, sawing, harvesting summer vegetables, mowing in rice field, sea fishing and cooking, etc.
	(Lecture) Eco-system in the sea, Water circulation and utilization, food security and present condition of food distribution, food and health, etc.
Autumn	(Experience) Paddy harvesting, grinding rice and buckwheat flour, Soba-making, Charcoal burning, Autumn festival, wild duck cooking, etc.
	(Lecture) Energy issues in Japan and the world, Folk customs and events in Kuwatori, etc.
Winter	(Experience) straw works, walking by snow-shoes, catching wild rabbits and cooking, riding sledge, new year events, graduation ceremony, etc.
	(Lecture) fungus and fermentation, tools and instruments for snow season, 12 months in the valley, etc.

Uncovering local resources that attract outside people

One of the uniqueness of Kamiechigo Yamasato Fun Club (KYFC) is that it considered the existing ways of life, skills, customs, and wisdoms of the local people as precious and important resources for community development. In fact, the traditional life styles and life skills, such as how to utilize natural resources in sustainable way and how to help each other among the villagers, had once existed everywhere throughout Japan before modernization came in. Local people in the villages of Japan now think those life skills and customs are too old-fashioned and have no value. However, as the “dark side” of modernization and capitalism, such as destruction of natural environment, rural de-population and urban over-population, decrease of human relationship and increase of social in-security, has become known more and more broadly, people in Japan have started to search for alternative ways of life styles and human relations.

It is in this background that KYFC tries to preserve and revive local life skills and customs in Kuwatori village, and it also utilizes them as resources for community business. As already explained above, KYFC arrange various “school classes” where outside people can learn various life skills and customs of Kuwatori village through field exposure and experiencing activities. Outside people who participated in the “school” activities got interested in the life of Kuwatori, started to have continuous relations with the villagers, and some of them repeatedly visit the village.

As a result of such “experience school” activities and the exchange with the outside people, the Kuwatori villagers themselves also become stimulated to take further initiatives for reviving traditional skills and customs. In Nakanomata hamlet, there is a local group called “Takibi-kai” (bon-fire group) that works for revitalization of the village. It tries to revive traditional way of cultivating rice, old-fashioned bon dance, and an event to pulling out big trees from the mountain by using traditional sledge. The villagers themselves now become active in utilizing existing resources for constructing future livelihood.

How the outsiders come in and received by the community

It may be surprising fact that such various activities of KYFC are mostly planned and implemented by a group of young people who recently came into the Kuwatori village. There are nine active members of KYFC, and all of them are under mid-thirties of age, and migrated into the village from towns and cities outside. Mr. Mikita Nakagawa, who is the leader of KYFC, explains how they entered the village and started the activities.

Firstly when I started living in Kuwatori village in 2001, I tried to participate in various events and meetings of the village as much as possible. In those events such as mowing grasses, cleaning roads and canals, traditional folk events, sports festival, youth association, and fire-fighting team, etc., I could gradually construct relationship with the villagers. At such events or meetings, I often tried to help the villagers behind the scenes rather than being treated as “guest” from outside. It is most important that you should be received by the villagers as “equal partner” or even “the person who come to learn from them”. You should not be a teacher or instructor of the villagers. If you want to teach them and directly oppose to what you are told by the villagers, they will never accept you.

While participating in various events and meetings, we also tried to uncover what the villagers had been maintaining as traditional life styles. When we found something interesting, we asked the villagers to revive them. “Cultivating rice field by cow” was one of such activities revived, and it became epoch-making event for the village as it was introduced in mass media and the villagers started to realize the value of what they had had as traditional life style for long time. In this process, various types of traditional life skills and customs are “discovered” and become revived to be parts of classes for “learning through experience” schools of the NPO.

It is important to listen to the villagers carefully and to show interest in their stories. The villagers feel comfortable if the young people from outside show interest in their everyday life and old stories. You should be humble and follow the local traditional manner of human relations. If you listen carefully to the villagers story, you will be able to find out many hints for starting various activities with the villagers.

Future challenge of KYFC

After 6 years since its establishment, KYFC has constructed partnership with the village people and started various activities that utilize existing local resources especially local life skills and customs. A quiet tiny village now receives many outside people to participate in various “school” activities, and the villagers themselves now feel proud of their own culture and life styles, and they become more and more active in preserving and reviving traditional life skills and customs.

When it started in Kuwatori, the NPO KYFC did not have much concrete ideas about what can be done by themselves. Although it had a clear mission of “activating mountain village”, the NPO did not have plans on concrete actions except for some activities entrusted by the local government. It started partnership building with the villagers, and while they were accepted as “partner” by the village people, the NPO started uncovering existing local resources especially life skills and customs. And based on what were discovered in the village, it developed various activities that attract the outside people to come in.

One of the present challenges for the NPO KYFC is “sustainability” and “independency”. Most of its staff salary is paid from the income that the NPO receives from the local government as the fee for the entrusted projects. If the Joetsu city government changes its policy to entrust the projects with KYFC, the NPO may lose its financial basis for implementing own activities initiated by themselves. Mr. Nakagawa, the leader of KYFC, has strong will to make the NPO financially sustainable and independent, thus, he tries to up-grade the on-going “school” activities to be more attractive and continuous ones. The “School of living skills for four seasons” is one of such trials, and the NPO expects to have much more visitors to come and to make them “repeaters” who regularly come to the village.

It is not only the NPO’s challenge to activate the Kuwatori village, but also it is the future dream for the villagers themselves. How the villagers can utilize the existing local resources and develop new “products” that attract city people? How can a village of remote mountain area remain populated while maintaining rich natural environment and traditional culture? Those are the common challenges for not only Kuwatori villagers, but for all the village people living in rural areas in Japan. The trials of KYFC can give us interesting and stimulating example of the roles of outsiders and the cases of collaboration among NPO/NGO, local communities, and local government.

Rie Yamada & M.Nagahata (i-i-network)

Protecting Forest while Promoting People’s Welfare: Experience of Iriai Forest Management in Nakatsugawa

Forest and Communities in Japan

Over 66% of the Japanese land mass is forest. For centuries, the life of Japanese has been deeply connected with and dependent upon forests. Therefore, many communities in Japan have nurtured spiritual beliefs, cultures, and a diverse range of local customs, which assured the forests to be utilized in a sustainable way. Iriai is one of such indigenous practices of community-based resource management, which is generally defined as “a system or organization where the local residents of a community (or several communities) jointly utilize and manage forests, rivers, and land of the area.” In spite of the government efforts to modernize iriai system, as it is considered incompatible with the modern property system, the iriai practices have somehow survived in Japan.

The case of Nakatsugawa is one of such examples. In Nakatsugawa, majority of the forest is still maintained and managed by the residents on “Property Ward System”, which established by the government to accommodate the iriai practices under a government structure. By creating a unique scheme of forest management, people have secured and improved their welfare as well as protecting the forest.

Nakatsugawa in Brief

Nakatsugawa is located at the foot of the Mount Iide, in northeastern Japan. The total area is 19,109 ha, 96% of which is occupied by forests. Of those forests, approximately 60 % are iriai forests that have been jointly managed by the residents for centuries.

Before 1889, there were 14 communities in Nakatsugawa area. Each of them was more or less autonomous, managing its own iriai forest. As a result of the nationwide introduction of modern municipality system in 1889, these 14 communities were merged into one municipality called “Nakatsugawa Village”, and the communities have become its sub-unit. In 1958, Nakatsugawa Village was merged again with the neighboring villages into one municipality called “Iide Town”. At present, Nakatsugawa is one of the 4 wards of Iide Town, Yamagata Prefecture, and the iriai forests are managed by the Nakatsugawa Property Ward Management Committee, which consists of the elected residents of Nakatsugawa.

The population of Nakatsugawa is 439 (151 households) in 2005. It has experienced drastic depopulation, dropping from 3450 in 1960 to 439 in 2005. The population is seriously aging as well. In 2005, the ratio of population of over 65 years old exceeds 46 %. Communities are losing their function as a basic social unit of mutual help. Some of them are even on the verge of extinction.

Facing serious depopulation, people have made great efforts to revitalize communities and local economy through various measures, including formulation of the Nakatsugawa Community Development Committee, construction and management of various facilities for eco-tourism, provision of interest-free loans to the residents for their welfare improvement, etc. Almost all these efforts are either directly or indirectly benefited from the existence of iriai forests, which have been managed by the people based on the principle of “protecting forests while promoting people’s welfare.” The basis of their sustainable iriai forest management was made in the 1920’s, by formulation of the Nakatsugawa Village Forest Management Plan.

Formulation of the Nakatsugawa Village Forest Management Plan

In Nakatsugawa, the issue of incorporation of iriai forests into the municipality forest has first emerged in 1920, with the initiative of the then Village Head, Mr. Ito. At that time, iriai forests in Nakatsugawa were seriously devastated because of haphazard deforestation, especially to meet the demand of the rapidly growing charcoal industry. With the increasing demands for wood, few communities had clear plans for sustainable iriai forest management. There were even some communities that sold their forest.

Recognizing the severity of the situation, the Village Head proposed to the villagers that iriai forests should be incorporated into the municipality forest, and should be managed with a clear and overall forest management plan, in order to achieve both forest conservation and promotion of the people’s welfare. His idea was agreed by consensus at the Village Assembly in 1920.

However, the implementation of his idea was not an easy task, as each villager and community had different interests and rights to the forests. After 5 years of discussion and negotiation, the Nakatsugawa Village Forest Management Plan, which covers 6,800 ha of the village forest, was made in 1925.

What is unique and significant in this management plan is the formulation of a concrete scheme to achieve both human welfare and forest conservation, based on precise calculations and projection of the residents’ basic needs. This Village Forest Management Plan built the very basis of the forest management in Nakatsugawa. The philosophy as well as the major schemes for achieving both people’s welfare and forest conservation has basically come down to the present.

Resent Challenge and “Common Dream” for the Future

Facing the recent challenges of depopulation and forest degradation due to the lack of appropriate forest use and care, leaders in Nakatsugawa are now looking at a possible solution in a move towards the promotion of local production and consumption of wooden pellets. The woody biomass pellet is an alternative fuel source utilizing wood (usually the sawdust of timber production). In spite of its promising role in promoting forest utilization and local energy production, the production has not yet been increased because the production still costs too much. Leaders try to overcome this difficulty by creating an integrated system of forest utilization by combining wooden pellet production with mushroom cultivation which utilizes sawdust and timber production.

According to the leaders, the system will work more efficiently if people make the most use of the “rented forest scheme” established in 1925. They calculate that 5 ha of forest is sufficient for one household to obtain enough raw pellet material to cover the costs of securing its annual pellet needs, as well as to facilitate forest regeneration without causing deforestation. It is expected that the production of wooden pellets will facilitate the rented forest scheme to function again as what was originally intended in the 1920’s; protecting forest while promoting people’s welfare.

What is more important, according to one of the leaders, is that the introduction of wooden pellets is expected to make the residents conscious again of the benefits that they receive from the surrounding forests, which has been the core of their culture and identity for long. Without such a shared consciousness or identity as residents of Nakatsugawa, it is difficult to have a “common dream” that will engine the revitalization and development of Nakatsugawa. Although many challenges are yet to be overcome, people are now trying to find a possible solution for the better future.

Report by M. Shimagami (i-i-network)

Notes: Property Ward System

Property Ward System was established at the time of the nationwide municipality merger implemented in 1889 and in the 1950’s. When the government facilitated the merger, it also facilitated the incorporation of iriai forests into the asset of a new municipality. Yet, this policy was unacceptable to most of the communities or the former municipalities. In order to facilitate the process, the government established a “Property Ward System”, by designating a community or a former municipality as a “Proper Ward”, that had a right and authority to utilize, manage, and control its iriai forest.