College of Education, Psychology and Human Studies
Senior high school development―key to regional revitalization
Professor HIDA Daijirou
In Japan, amid mounting concerns over the ongoing depopulation trend and the resultant decline of community functions, regional revitalization issues are becoming the subject of vigorous public discussions. Among others, recent attention has been focused on efforts aimed at building a “decentralized autonomous society” (where each region pursues self-directed development initiatives utilizing local resources and promoting local strengths). This column discusses the potential of education services as a strong instrument of regional revitalization. In particular, it aims to highlight how local senior high school education services can play a key role in facilitating regional revitalization, introducing a project promoted in Shimane Prefecture to revamp senior high school services in remote island/rural areas in order to be able to create more attractive schools for the purpose.
(This column is as of 2017.)
Let Us Explore Urban Environment through Soundscapes!
Professor TORIGOE Keiko
“Soundscape” is a word coined by combining “sound” and “(land)scape.” The soundscape concept is an approach that involves combining landscapes with surrounding sounds in order to regard the environment composed of aural cultures. Moreover, the concept values the memories that people have about a place, its history, other intangible and non-visual elements, and atmosphere or ambience as the essential elements of the place. In this column, I will offer explanations about the concept and show its significance by introducing examples of new-type community development projects that lead to the protection of the local environment including its culture and history.
(This column is as of 2016.)
Regional commerce in Japan has undergone three turbulent decades. Why have local shopping areas been in decline? How is machinaka saisei or the revitalization of local city centers beginning to show positive signs? This column traces the causes of decline and the factors that are adding momentum to the revitalization of local shopping areas.
(This column is as of 2012.)
