The town of Amagi in Kagoshima Prefecture , which was produced by architect Yasuhiro Yamashita (representative of Denpaku), has beenrecognizedfor its efforts in creating a sustainable tourism region atthe “Best Tourism Village 2024” awardsorganized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism).
Yamashita has unearthed and re-edited the charms and characteristics of Amagi Town that had been buried in everyday life, and under the theme of“tourism in everyday life” created together with village culture and local residents, he has offered suggestions and support for implementing sustainable town development that will pass on traditional culture and the natural environment to the next generation.
We hope that this certification will be an opportunity for more people to learn about the rich culture and natural charms of Amagi Town. In addition, to celebrate the certification,Denpaku has prepared a special plan for you to experience Amagi Town.
What is the Best Tourism Village?
The Best TourismVillage isa project launched bythe United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in 2021 torecognize excellent regions that are working to create sustainable tourism destinations.
Villages and regions that are certified are required to protect the unique local culture and natural environment while aiming to develop the local economy through interaction between visitors and residents and job creation.
Official UN Tourism website:https://tourism-villages.unwto.org/en/villages/
Official website of the Japan Tourism Agency:https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/news07_00006.html
● Certified regions worldwide: 130 regions(until 2023)
●Certified regions in Japan:6 regions(until 2023)
The tourist resource of “Amagi Town’s daily life” that we want to pass on to the next generation
Amagi Town is located in the northwest of Tokunoshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, and is a key transportation hub with Tokunoshima Airport and Hirado Port. It is an area with a thriving agricultural industry, including sugar cane, livestock, potatoes, fruit trees, and flowers.The town’s philosophy, “Amagi, a town that weaves life with a spirit of Yui,” represents the spirit of “Yui,” which is to share joys and difficulties and support each other through collaborative work, and is still deeply rooted in the community.
In order to preserve the spirit of Yui and the culture of Amagi Town,the local government, local residents, and private companieshave worked together to carry out various initiatives. This sustainablecommunity developmentled to the town being recognized as the Best Tourism Village. Below,we will introducesome of the “everyday tourism” initiatives being promoted by Amagi Town .
“Agriculture” that implements recycling-oriented initiatives
Amagi Town is a major production area forsugarcane(the raw material for brown sugar),boasting one of the largest harvest areas in Kagoshima Prefecture.
The project promotes circular agriculture, whichcirculates resources between agriculture and livestock farming, for example by feeding sugarcane leaves to cows and using the cow dung as fertilizer. It also provides support for people to continue farming, thereby contributing to the establishment of a sustainable production system.
“A culture of coexistence between humans and cows”
Bullfighting cultureon Tokunoshimahas continued for over 400 years andis deeply rooted in traditional events and daily life as part of the island’s identity.
Bullfighting tournaments are held on the island about 20 times a year, and at the Matsubara Bullring in Amagi Town, you can watch training andeven get to interact with the bulls by brushing and feeding them. Children strolling with the bulls on the beach and through the town are a part of the everyday scenery of Amagi Town.
Besides bullfighting, the livestock industry is also thriving andhas been designatedas a local specialty .
“The sea of coral reefs, rich in biodiversity”
The diverse coral reefs that develop in the waters of the Amami Islands can be observed even in the sea off Amagi Town.The scenic spot “Inu no Monfuta”is one of the strangely shaped rocks that were created by the erosion of uplifted coral over many years.
There are also several important prehistoric ruins of the Ryukyu Islands, including the underwater limestone cave “Umbuki,” where pottery from over 7,000 years ago was excavated .Whale watchingis also possible in the winter, so you can enjoy sea tourism all year round.
“The Amami rabbit, a living fossil that is a special natural monument”
The mountains, which are registered as a World Heritage Site,are home to many rare plants and animals, includingthe Amami rabbit, a natural monument and endangered species that is found only on Tokunoshima and Amami Oshima.
There are alsorare villages where the Amami rabbit appears among the people’s daily lives .You can easily observe rare wild animals at the Amami rabbit observation hut or by participating in a night tour.
Yasuhiro Yamashita’s town development in Amagi Town
Since opening Denpaku Tokunoshima in Amagi Town in 2018, architect and town development producer Yasuhiro Yamashita has been working on town development in collaboration with the local government and the local community, mainly through operating an accommodation facility with the aim ofpassing on Amagi Town’s traditional and legendary architecture and village culture to the next generation, as well as running the Denpaku Cafe & Office, a community space for village residents and a place wherepeoplecan experience the charm of local ingredients .
These initiatives have been recognized assome of the most innovative efforts the region has made to promote tourismin the Best Tourism Village 2024 awards .
1. Preserving the village landscape by reusing traditional and legendary architecture as accommodation
The Amami Islands have experienced the influx of multiple cultures and have developed a unique culture and architecture due to their warm climate, but there are some things that cannot be newly constructed due to changing times and the need to protect the natural environment.
Therefore, by preserving buildings that retain the unique traditional architectural style of Amami, we are contributing to the preservation of the landscape of the villages lined with traditional old houses. There are also lodgings that have been renovated from legendary buildings in the national park, as well as historic and valuable traditional buildings such as coral stone huts and Ryukyu style buildings.
2. Communicating with the local people through cultural experiences will help pass on village culture to the next generation.
We provide experience programs that unearth and re-edit experiences that are everyday for the local community but special for tourists. At Umigame Beach Inn, located a 10-second walk from the beach, you can experience the traditional fishing method of “Oikomi-gyo” taught by an uncle from the island.
Shimachu acts as a guide for Oikomi-gyo, which is being lost due to aging and a lack of successors, with the aim of passing on this traditional fishing method rooted in the region to the next generation.
3. Denpaku Cafe & Office: a place to promote the appeal of food made with local ingredients and a place for interaction between the village and tourists
Denpaku Cafe & Office, which was renovated from the first floor of a vacant building, aims to promote local production and consumption by using fresh organic vegetables and seasonings from the Amami Islands, mainly from Tokunoshima, and aims to reduce the environmental impact of production and transportation.
In addition, users can use it as a shared office, and it is also used as a place for communication between village residents and tourists.
About Denpaku
Denpaku was establishedin 2016 with the desire to protect and pass on to future generationsthe rich natural environment that has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the approximately 360 different village cultures that have been passed down for hundreds of years for each “island” (village). It consists offour types of accommodation facilities– Denpaku Old House, Denpaku Akakina Hotel, Denpaku Dormitory & Laundry, and Denpaku The Beachfront MIJORA – and is working to promote interaction between village residents and tourists. Currently, there are 42 accommodation facilities with 52 rooms on the three islands of Amami-Oshima, Tokunoshima, and Kakeromajima. (Official website:http://den-paku.com/)
