Paper short abstract:

We propose an interdisciplinary mixed-method approach combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies to demonstrate the association of well-being and social capital against the backdrop of Japan's rural communities facing structural and demographic decline.

Paper long abstract:

Japan's rural areas are facing substantial demographic and structural change. While the negative impact of this development can be traced by objective social indicators (out-migration, aging, infrastructural and economic decline), subjective well-being does not show a clear trend in most rural communities. The Aso Region however demonstrates average values concerning structural indicators, while exhibiting comparatively high rates of subjective well-being. We propose an interdisciplinary mixed method research design to identify the potential causes of this unanticipated finding. As one of these factors we investigate the role of social capital and its prevalence in Aso.

In our presentation we introduce our new research project that pairs Japanese studies with sociology, political science and psychology. With our approach integrating qualitative (interviews, focus groups and participant observation) and quantitative insights (full census and intraregional comparison) we aim to discern the different dimensions of social capital and their respective effects on rural well-being. In the process we address a number of methodological issues affecting happiness and social capital research such as singular well-being indices and unidimensional levels of analysis, the dominance of Western happiness conceptions, limited sample resolution at the regional level as well as the limited consideration of external factors such as personality differences.

We argue that only by integrating a broad array of disciplinary perspectives and by making use of the particular strengths of both the quantitative and the qualitative approach an in-depth understanding of subjective well-being and its relation to social capital within rural communities is rendered possible.

Paper short abstract:

Fieldwork on 17 remote islands investigated the roles of the new rural creative class for community development. Findings illustrate motivations and approaches of urban-rural migration, and highlight the challenges of settling down, establishing new business types, and community integration.

Paper long abstract:

Japan is at the vanguard of a projected depopulation trend among developed nations across East Asia and beyond, with a national population already in decline and expected to contract by half or more this century.

In rural Japan, island communities are going through a crisis caused by decades of out-migration, lack of employment opportunities and cuts in essential public services. To counter these issues, several Japanese municipalities in the Seto Inland Sea area have been engaging in revitalization projects, many of which focus on the development of local products and tourism.

Our research focuses on urban to rural lifestyle in-migrants who moved to the Seto Inland Sea area to establish creative business as the possibility to do so often plays a key role in bringing young urbanites back to rural areas. Field research was conducted on 17 islands through 45 semi-structured interviews. We demonstrate that creative in-migrants play key roles for social, cultural and economic development. Findings illustrates the diversity of motivations and approaches behind their decision to relocate to small island communities, and highlight the various challenges they face when settling down, establishing new types of businesses and integrating into the community. The recent emergence of small-scale mixed-type creative businesses run by the new rural "creative class" is considered the main mechanism for developing a new tertiary industry in a shrinking society, while also bringing innovation, vitality and creative social capital to the community. Creative rurality theory is used to discuss the way in which in-migrants create their own creative network - for mutual support and cooperation across different islands. Findings further suggest that in the future disadvantaged island communities are likely to receive increasingly more dynamic populations characterized by outside connections and an ability to facilitate global-urban-regional complex resource exchange, thereby achieving greater resiliency and sustainability toward community capacity building. The research outcomes can be a useful instrument to inform local policies aimed at fostering the revitalization of rural communities, especially those policies focused on encouraging the settlement of in-migrants and supporting them through the development of their enterprises.

Paper short abstract:

We explore the formation of social networks and leadership roles in local communities by women in rural Japan. Employing semi-structured interviews and participant observation, we will demonstrate how these women make themselves heard and how they interpret their impact on their social environment.

Paper long abstract:

Japan's rural areas, due to the dwindling of their population, are presently facing the challenge of changing social structures and power shifts. Shortage of labour on the one hand and increasing efforts to further gender equality on the other, question 'traditional' gender relations in rural Japan. Against this background, women engage as leaders of local groups and organisations, establishing social networks both inside and outside their respective communities. Previous research has shown that these women's activities are vital for filling the labour gap and for revitalising rural communities. The way in which these women themselves, as well as their surroundings, perceive this engagement, remains unexplored.

Using preliminary results from a case study in the Aso region in central Kyushu, this paper focuses on social networks and leadership roles of rural women. Through semi-structured interviews and participant observation, we explored how these women have made and are still making their voices heard, and how they themselves interpret their influence within their communities. We show that female leaders in the Aso region have utilised networks both inside and outside the community to effectively challenge existing power relations. However, it also became clear that despite a certain degree of success, women still face opposition from different parts of the local community. While many participants of our study aim at improving or revitalising the region, these efforts are hampered by tensions between existing institutions and their own activities as well as by tensions between established and newcomer residents.

Paper short abstract:

This presentation examines the role of Shinto rituals of nature worship for the development of social network relations and economic opportunities transgressing the conceptional boundaries of the "village".

Paper long abstract:

This presentation is concerned with the role of nature worship and Shinto rituals for the establishment of social relations within and across rural communities. Folklore studies in the tradition of historical materialism considered the evolution of the "village" (mura) as a natural response to the introduction of rice cropping and ancestor worship in clan society. The mura therefore is a conceptional unity in the service of agricultural and religious purposes, epitomized by cooperative farming and the village shrine.

Shrine rituals were of particular significance to shield off the village society and economy from natural disasters, of which the Aso region in Kumamoto has been particularly prone: volcano eruptions, earthquakes, flooding, storms, frost and plague of insects. My research has focussed on the way how the "Shinto business" of paper charm (ofuda) trade helps villagers come to terms with the spiritual powers of nature. However, as my presentation demonstrates, the appeal of local shrine rituals often exceeds the borders of the community. I argue that the production and trade of charms essentially serves the establishment of social relations all across the Aso region. From these network relations, both the village economy and villagers' quality of life is largely benefitting.