Rural Revitalization in Mitarai, Osaki Shimojima Island, Japan, PRP 215

Throughout the Japanese Edo period (1603-1868) Mitarai, a coastal town in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, flourished as a fishing and mercantile port, with a secondary economy producing mandarins. The characteristic architecture in Mitarai has been well preserved and is protected by local officials and designated as a Japanese Heritage Site. As Japan’s population urbanized rapidly in the 19th and 20th centuries, settlements such as Mitarai experienced drastic population decline as working age people moved to the cities for greater opportunities unavailable in a rural port town.

Tourism could improve Mitarai because it builds on the town’s assets, such as its beauty and coastal location. Tourism could provide an incentive for residents to stay and for new families and entrepreneurs to repopulate the town. Domestic and international travelers could explore the historic streets of the town, engage in local festivities and customs, or enjoy eco-friendly outdoor recreation such as fishing, cycling, and hiking. Both in Japan and in the United States, towns and settlements have experienced rural decay related to a dwindling population and a crumbling economy. Case studies such as Naoshima Island and Tokushima City highlight innovative strategies that could be employed in Mitarai to counteract these challenges by proactively promoting tourism and entrepreneurship. Naoshima managed to halt further settlement decay by utilizing private capital investment to promote art tourism through collaboration with Benesse Holdings. Mitarai could emulate many of the lessons learned at Naoshima and Tokushima about how to promote tourism within a town.

This report assesses the local economy of Mitarai, Osaki Shimojima Island. The report acknowledges ongoing policies currently implemented to promote rural revitalization at the national, prefectural, and local level. It lists options that could promote tourism in Mitarai and revitalize the local economy based on Japan’s current national, prefectural, and local policies to promote rural revitalization. The report recommends measures to stimulate tourism within the local economy.