Participants gather at Asahi Town's Tokyo event with the town's mascot Momoiro Usahi. (©JAPAN Forward by Mika Sugiura)
Asahi Town, near the centre of Yamagata Prefecture, is about 70% forest and is known for its apples and wine. In February, the town held an exchange event in Tokyo titled "An Evening to Connect with Asahi Town, Yamagata," marking the start of a full-scale effort to raise its national profile and build a network of long-term supporters and fans.
A Warm Welcome in Happi Coats
On the evening of February 21, the first day of a three-day holiday weekend, Mayor Hiroyuki Suzuki and former Vice Mayor Yukio Kawaguchi stood in a quiet corner of Tokyo's Otemachi business district, welcoming guests in bright red happi coats.
With a population of around 5,700, Asahi Town is grappling with a declining birthrate and an ageing population. By travelling roughly 360 kilometres (224 miles) to host its first exchange event in Tokyo, the town hoped to showcase its agricultural products, food, and culture to a wider audience. It also aimed to encourage "ongoing involvement" that does not necessitate relocating.
At the event's opening, Mayor Suzuki spoke about one of the town's proudest symbols, the Air Shrine.
"Because of climate change, disasters such as heavy rain, flooding and tsunamis are occurring around the world," he said. "The Air Shrine was created at the initiative of local citizens who wanted to protect and cherish the environment."
The unusual shrine has since helped forge new connections with companies including Daikin Industries, Panasonic's Heating & Ventilation A/C Company, and Kawakami Sangyo, known for its bubble wrap packaging material.
50 Varieties of Apples
Apples are Asahi Town's core industry. Kawaguchi, the town's former vice mayor, now serves as president of Asahi Town General Industrial Development Co, Ltd, a company created through the merger of the town's three tourism facilities. He said the town grows around 50 varieties of apples and has been exporting them to Taiwan since 2004.
Among them is the Kotoku variety, prized for its high sugar content and richly honeyed core, a result of the area's sharp temperature swings. Known as the "phantom apple," it is so sought after that when it reaches shop shelves, queues of more than 200 people can form.
Wine has also become a source of pride. Asahi Town's wines have won gold awards in competitions and were served at the official banquet of the 2016 Ise-Shima G7 Summit.
A Treasure Trove of Content
The Tokyo event also featured a panel discussion with three speakers. Toshiyuki Sugai, a financial adviser originally from Asahi Town, Taketoshi Sato, a director of the Japan Tourism Facilities Association who researches tourism exchanges, and Kohei Sato, who has worked on regional revitalisation through the local mascot character Momoiro Usahi.
Sugai highlighted the town's charm by recalling how he once took a friend, who often visits high-end restaurants in Tokyo, to Asahi Town. There, they tried imoni, Yamagata's local taro stew.
"He was deeply moved. People's tastes ultimately return to simple things," Sugai said. "The town is full of content and stories to share."
He stressed that a region's true value grows not when people simply buy its products as consumers, but when they visit in person, experience it for themselves, and engage with its stories.
Taketoshi Sato spoke about the idea of splitting time between two homes. "There is delicious air, spring water and hot springs," he said. "Living between Tokyo and Asahi Town allows you to discover the town's history, culture and good food." He presented a lifestyle that moves between city and countryside as one way of building deeper ties.
Meanwhile, Kohei Sato described what prompted his relocation to the town. "They supported my idea of using a mascot costume for regional revitalization," he said. "It's a town that gives you the chance to take on challenges." He emphasized that Asahi Town has a culture of welcoming newcomers and encouraging them to try new things.
Neither Tourism Nor Migration
A newly built cottage designed by students from Tohoku University of Art and Design is scheduled to reopen this October after reconstruction and renovation. The town is also promoting its hometown tax program (furusato nozei) and encouraging people to register as supporters through the LINE messaging app.
The goal is to foster a new kind of connection, one that goes beyond conventional tourism or full relocation and instead builds an ongoing relationship with the town.
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Author: Mika Sugiura
