Satoyama Consortium

At a recent symposium organized by the Japan Times Satoyama Consortium, three panelists shared their experiences and thoughts on the theme of succeeding businesses in rural communities. The session on June 4 in Tokyo was moderated by Tadashi Matsushima, the owner of Setouchi Jam's Garden ...

Although lesser known than other varieties of Japanese beef, Tottori Wagyu is of the highest quality and Tottori Prefecture aims to boost its exposure at a new restaurant in Osaka amid an increasing number of inbound tourists. Opened on July 14 by a subsidiary of ...

As a company involved in the torch relay for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, NTT Corp. hopes to involve a wide variety of people who contribute to their regional communities as torchbearers. The organization also seeks to showcase its latest technology to help provide convenience ...

At a recent forum in Tokyo, several municipal leaders stressed the importance of nurturing a pool of nonresident supporters who have a certain level of interaction with a municipality to rejuvenate regions, rather than just sticking to trying to increase the number of residents ...

Satoyama refers to mountains and forests near rural villages that are maintained by residents for the sake of the sustainable use of existing natural resources. This model has been used and maintained for hundreds of years across Japan and is the concept behind "satoyama ...

The city of Imabari in Ehime Prefecture has for over 120 years been one of Japan's major towel manufacturing hubs. Kayo Tango and her husband jumped into the world of towel production three years ago to save a towel manufacturer in the process of ...

The tradition of urushi (lacquer) production that almost disappeared from Japan is enjoying new life thanks to recent demand, but is also facing simultaneous hardship. Takuo Matsuzawa, president of Joboji Urushi Workshop Co. in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, spoke about the present and future of ...

At the seventh Satoyama Cafe in Tokyo, Naoto Akagi, president of the Ashitaka incorporated association in Maniwa, Okayama Prefecture, spoke about how the association effectively uses the resources of the city's northeastern rural district of Chuka. The talk on Jan. 15 was co-hosted by the ...

The city of Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, enjoys mild climate and an appropriate amount of rainfall, comparable to the city of Kofu in Yamanashi Prefecture, the most famous grape-producing region in Japan. Mount Tsukuba's granite-rich soil has also been noted as being similar to that ...