ABSTRACT
Regional Japan is looking at the future and thinking hard about how it is going to pass down the best of its local culture to future generations. Before the Second World War, the Japanese way of life put great importance on finding common ground and existing in harmony with others. Toyooka has the large, languidly flowing Maruyama River, and agriculture thrives there. Kinosaki Onsen near the Sea of Japan is a bustling resort town. In a future with harsh environmental constraints, information technology, transportation, and so on will become more expensive. The natural environment and local resources which create local flavor will become powerful assets. And they will give rise to things that no other region will be able to imitate. Accordingly, each region must now work to create its own unique appeal, and that involves looking closely at the natural environment and local resources.
