Zenbird Editorial TeamIn the final session, we talk about a trend in Japan: decentralization. Even though nationwide, there are matsuri (rituals and events often held for worship and show gratitude towards nature) that are centuries old, their significance is declining. But revitalization efforts have been ongoing around Japan to preserve matsuri and their communities. Speakers Ryo Kato, Director of Sustainable Business Hub and Miyata Nobuya, Representative Director of Ashitasuki Institute share their views on the transition trends from a metropolitan city to a decentralized society, and how important culture and community becomes a part of that new society.
Japan’s workstyle transformation and the departure from city centers
Kato: “We are witnessing a workstyle transformation. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, remote working and workations are becoming more common. We also see many taking up parallel careers. Now, people are beginning to develop hybrid careers that are not defined solely by place, time or occupation.
“An outcome of that is a growing interest in rural living. It used to be where work opportunities gathered in cities, consequently bringing the population towards the cities. Now, the workstyle transformation allows people to choose their work region, accommodation location and number of careers. There is also a rise in the number of people interested in rural living.”
Kato also shared how interactions with local residents raised these people’s positive impression of the region. Rural living offered the opportunity to interact with nature, too, and many of them even took up hobbies such as fishing and farming.
Kato: “Even for companies, they may set up offices in rural regions, attracting both local talent and staff relocation, allowing interactions and networking with people from all over. Setting up satellite offices in shared offices is also popular. Furthermore, some companies find ways to contribute to the region’s revitalization. It includes promoting sustainability and social innovation.”
Fighting against culture decline and a pandemic
We see a different trend breathing life into the declining rural regions. Miyata has been organizing matsuri since the pre-coronavirus days to revitalize the Yokohama region. His personal love for his hometown’s matsuri became his drive to restore it.
Miyata: “Because of the COVID-19, it has been difficult for people to participate in the matsuri. We also faced the question of how to raise the value of a matsuri. That was when I started the Shrine Cleanup activity, growing from only two persons to 20, 30 participants today. Subsequently, there were suggestions like learning taiko drums and art projects. That was the first time I felt the manifestation of a regional community.
“Of course, we made many friends, but personally, I felt a richness in my lifestyle. Especially since Yokohama is where I was raised, knowing there is a lot of history here. Even people who have moved here recently do not have to worry about how to connect with its people since they can join the Shrine Cleanup or taiko practices. We are creating a place where children can grow up, watched over by adults with the same richness.
“I think we’ve created an environment where life satisfaction builds up from day to day. My initial motivation was to promote matsuri. But with COVID, it shifted towards reevaluating the value of shrines. What contribution can be made with shrines as the core? We strongly felt that it can be an opportunity for people to get interested in the local region. The matsuri has a life-changing impact, so much so it can change the personalities of the participants. The culture of shrines and matsuri brings colors to people’s lives, making regular days more fulfilling. Then it becomes a foundation for creating a community where people feel a belonging and life improvement. That is how a local community centered around a shrine can contribute to Japanese society.”
How a community builds up around a shrine
Miyata: “I had the experience of canceling a matsuri in autumn 2019 because the weather was bad. I suppose there were more people who weren’t motivated enough to continue with the proceedings. It became the drive for me to create something that could dispel the negativity. That was how I started the Shrine Cleanup.
“The following spring came, and I was thanked by visitors to the shrine for the cleanup work. And even though I didn’t start out to build a community, I discovered that Shrine Cleanup had the makings of a community. Making it an annual activity allowed residents to create memories with the Shrine.
Kato: “It might be that the participants are interested in finding more celebratory days. Especially for city dwellers whose normal routine is work, they search for something fun to experience, including local activities. Even for people who have relocated to this region, they find a new daily routine and more experiences out of the norm.”
Kato also shared his realization that it is possible that if there is no reason or connection for one to be in the region, these people may find it hard to join and become part of the community. Miyata agrees with the sentiment.
Miyata: “I am often asked, ‘What should I feel when I visit the shrine?’ Historically, the residents have been protecting and caring for the Shrine, so it’s a sacred place for them. Therefore, a visitation is a sort of greeting to the region, not in a religious sense, but to learn what and why the ancestors treasured and created the place.
“There are tens of thousands of shrines in Japan, created by ancestors throughout the ages. Therefore shrines are welcoming places where anyone can visit and participate and find a place within the growing community. In fact, we should reactivate the purposes of these shrines to help the Japanese rediscover their origin.
“Many think that shrines are a ‘power spot’ that relaxes the spirit. But it is not so. It is because of the efforts put in to clean the shrines. Seeing the cleanliness creates gratitude, which converts the energy (put into cleaning) into a feeling of happiness. So there is an invisible relationship. We clean the shrines so that we can show the visitors that may or may not see tomorrow. It is a retrospective contribution. We can say the same for matsuri, be it local participants or visitors from other areas.”
Goen: Relationships treasured by the Japanese
Toshikazu Numano from Sustainable Business Hub was also with us, who pointed out how important the Japanese have treated such discoveries.
Numano: “I also think our purpose is something that is discovered, not given. The reason why so many moved to cities from rural areas was to get jobs. However, they began to realize the role [of the jobs] given to them is not their purpose, and are rediscovering that their identities lie in their hometowns.”
There is a word in Japanese, goen, which means “chance meeting.” “Go” is an honorific prefix, which raises its importance.
Numano: “For the Japanese, a community can be expressed in the word goen. It’s more than just a relationship, but also expresses the importance of the place. Experiences like shrine cleaning builds important connections, and the returned appreciation gives a sense of purpose. And we even gave an honorific prefix, realizing how it should be treasured and appreciated. Therefore, the desired result of shrine cleaning is not about cleanliness, but about circulating appreciation.”
Finding the purpose in your life
Kato: “I have been thinking about how people can find their role in a community. Perhaps having something that the locals have long treasured can make that connection. A person’s role can become as important as one’s life purpose. Some will change jobs to find their purpose or a place to return to. Coming in contact with treasured things through participation and interaction can be rewarding, and thus impactful on the individual.
Miyata: “One’s role is something that is discovered, not something that is given through serendipity. We can create positive memories of “I had fun today” or “Today was meaningful” for the participants. Then anyone who participates in the Shrine Cleanup can find their roles because they begin to find value in it. The more one searches, the more one depends on others, the more sensitive one becomes in knowing what needs doing. And the activity is appreciated by shrine visitors. It’s rare to find a place that offers all these together.”
Kato: “Because there is shared understanding, appreciation becomes part of that structure. Appreciated participants feel happy, and it becomes easy for them to figure out how they can contribute to the region. On the other hand, if one doesn’t feel the same importance of what is being treasured, it becomes challenging for them to feel motivated or find a role. We want to create a cycle of appreciation where participants’ hard work are appreciated, which turns into energy for the next spurt of work.”
