Aging settlements nestled in mountain valleys or fishing villages are drawing more than just retirees who want to live in seclusion.
Nowadays, aspiring young people are feeling the charm of such locations, sensing the potential to start anew, leading in some cases to the rescue of marginal hamlets from the verge of extinction.
Kanako Sato, a 29-year-old mother, is just one example of the people who are opting for the benefits of "slow living" over the hustle and bustle of big city life.