Paper short abstract:

This research investigates the relationships between residents, out-migrants, lifestyle migrants in rural depopulated villages by focusing on a traditional festival. The research case is the festival called Kanmai in Iwaishima Island, Kaminoseki town, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Paper long abstract:

This research investigates the relationships between residents, out-migrants, lifestyle migrants in rural depopulated villages by focusing on a traditional festival and discusses how out-migrants and lifestyle migrants can support depopulated villages. Moreover, it aims to show the possibility of local festivals to empower communities because they play the role of mediation among residents, out-migrants, lifestyle migrants.

The research case is the festival called Kanmai in Iwaishima Island, Kaminoseki town, Yamaguchi Prefecture. In this island, most of the inhabitants have opposed to the construction of nuclear power plants on the other side of the island since 1982. After the Great East Japan Earthquake and the accident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, the island attracted attention of people in Japan as an island opposed to nuclear power plants, and some people migrated to the island. They sympathize with residents of the island opposed to nuclear power and trying to continue living mainly on fishery and agriculture. About 10% of the population in Iwaishima are lifestyle migrants in 2019.

The researcher participated in various preparation of Kanmai in 2012 and 2016 and will do in 2020. In this research, through interview with residents, out-migrants, and lifestyle migrants on the island and participation observation of preparations for the festivals, he analyzes how their relationships and collaborations have changed from 2012 to the present. The role of out-migrants and lifestyle migrants has become more important in the festival.

In particular, it focuses on how residents have shared local knowledges and techniques with out-migrants and lifestyle migrants, how migrants have been familiar with the culture and lifestyle of the island through preparation of the festival. The traditional festival is an opportunity for out-migrants to revive their childhood memory participate in the reciprocal relationship in the village again, and to keep the network with other out-migrants. And for lifestyle migrants it is a chance to make affective bonds with residents, and to show all residents their skills and motivation to contribute to the village community.