Seventh Satoyama Practitioners Networking Event in Uchiko, Ehime

TOKYO – The Japan Times Cube Inc. will co-host the seventh Satoyama Practitioners Networking Event with the Ehime town of Uchiko on Nov. 14 and 15.

Under the theme “Satoyama × Inheritance: Discovering the Value in Everyday Life,” the event will bring together community leaders, satoyama practitioners, researchers and local high school students to share initiatives that preserve local heritage, make use of regional resources and create new value for the future.

The program will feature a keynote address by Kosuke Motani, the senior chief economist at the Japan Research Institute, as well as panel discussions on creating new value through inheritance and passing on systems that support sustainable communities. Local practitioners and students from Ehime Prefectural Uchiko High School will also present their work.

Uchiko was selected as The Japan Times’ Destination Region 2026 in recognition of its efforts to preserve its historic townscape and traditional industries while maintaining a community-led approach to local development. Its cultural heritage includes the historic theater Uchiko-za as well as the production of traditional washi paper and mokurō wax.

Sustainable regional development depends not only on making effective use of natural and local resources, but also on passing down the knowledge, skills, culture and relationships built over generations. The event will explore how communities can preserve these values while adapting them to changing times and creating new opportunities for the future.

Since its launch in 2018 in Jinsekikogen, Hiroshima Prefecture, the Satoyama Practitioners Networking Event has brought together people working to build sustainable communities through local resources. Previous events have been held in Ise, Mie Prefecture; Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture; Tottori, Tottori Prefecture; Yoichi, Hokkaido; and Yamagata, Yamagata Prefecture. The 2026 gathering in Uchiko will continue this effort to connect practitioners and share lessons from across Japan.

Overview

Event: Seventh Satoyama Practitioners Networking Event

Theme: Satoyama × Inheritance: Discovering the Value in Everyday Life

Dates:

• Nov. 14 (Sat.): networking event, 1 to 6 p.m. (tentative)

• Nov. 15 (Sun.): Uchiko study tour, 8:50 a.m. to 2:25 p.m. (tentative)

Venue: Uchiko Kyoseikan Hall, 185-1 Hiraoka-ko, Uchiko, Kita-gun, Ehime Prefecture

Organizers: The Japan Times’ Sustainable Japan Network and the town of Uchiko 

Supported by: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications; Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Ministry of the Environment; National Governors’ Association; Japan Association of City Mayors; and National Association of Towns and Villages, Shikoku Railway Company 

Destination Region sponsor: Japan Post Co. Ltd.

Program — Nov. 14

• Opening remarks: Minako Suematsu, representative of the Sustainable Japan Network and chairperson of the board of The Japan Times; Masahisa Onoue, mayor of Uchiko

• Award ceremony: The Japan Times’ Destination Region 2026

• Keynote address: Kosuke Motani, senior chief economist at the Japan Research Institute

• Local practitioner presentation: Shoko Kameoka, president of Tenjinmura Distillery Co. Ltd.

• Student presentations: Ehime Prefectural Uchiko High School

• Panel discussion 1: “Inheriting and Creating: Challenges in Generating New Value”

• Panel discussion 2: “Passing on Systems That Shape the Future”

A networking reception will follow the program.

Study tour — Nov. 15

Participants will visit the historic Yokaichi-Gokoku District, the Ishidatami area and the soba shop Soba-dokoro Ishidatami-mura, the Tenjinmura Distillery and the Uchiko Fresh Park KaRaRi roadside station to learn about local efforts to preserve heritage and build sustainable businesses.

Registration and details:

https://sustainable.japantimes.com/satoyama-jissensha2026

The main event is free of charge. The study tour and networking reception require separate fees and advance registration, with a deadline of Oct. 28; registration will close when capacity is reached. 

About the Sustainable Japan Network

The Sustainable Japan Network promotes dialogue and action on sustainability, connecting people and organizations working to create a more sustainable future for Japan and its communities.

About The Japan Times

Founded in 1897, The Japan Times is Japan’s oldest English-language newspaper. It launched its website in 1996 and today delivers news and perspectives on Japan’s present and future through its print edition, website and social media platforms to audiences in Japan and around the world.

The Japan Times is widely used as a trusted source of information about Japan by foreign residents in Japan, as well as government officials, think tanks, research institutions and media organizations around the world.

Its extensive archive, accumulated through nearly 130 years of reporting, is also held by universities and public libraries overseas, where it serves as a valuable resource for research into the history and societies of Japan and Asia.