Once upon a time, sometime in 1992, there were two communities, Kijo-cho and Ishikawauchi, nestled high in the mountains of Miyazaki Prefecture. As in many such rural communities, the sound of children's voices was becoming a rarity as young families left to find their fortune in the city of Miyazaki, 40 minutes down the winding mountain road.
In Ishikawauchi, a village of 200 souls and the smaller of the two, only 14 children attended the local elementary school. Any further hemorrhage in the population and the school would be forced to close. The community would die. It was a situation faced by many other such rural settlements all over Japan.
The mayors of the two places, to revive their flagging economies, erected six wooden cottages with public funds at Ishikawauchi and waited for townsfolk to come and enjoy the unparalleled views and unspoiled nature that surrounded them. Townsfolk are a picky lot, though, who require more than views to keep them happy. Visitors were few and far between. Grumbles were heard about yet another waste of public money.