Strengthening the region from “the harbors”! The challenge of Matsushima, one of Japan’s most famous scenic spots

Summary

Chiganourakaze Community, a general incorporated association, is working on creating a platform to link regional activities. With its base being the cultural sphere of Japan’s first salt processing areas (Matsushima Harbor and Shiogamako Harbor in Miyagi Prefecture), the group aims to connect regions and transmit information about the areas’ attractions. Eventually, it hopes to build a “Harbor Station”.

Its goal is to “increase the number of people who are proud of our region”.

During the 2013 fiscal year, the association’s projects included creating experience-based (’hands-on’) tours of the harbors (training people as guides and developing the tour programs), as well as information transmission about, and distribution of, products from the harbors. Future plans include creating a fan club of members, continuing the transmission of information about the harbors’ production and way of life, and developing brand names for the harbors’ products.

Points about the partnership

  • The association’s members are quite dedicated to their activities; in order to continue/further develop their projects, they have gotten cooperation from the support organization EPO (Environmental Partnership Office) Tohoku and others, and also come up with ideas for new projects.
  • The association isn’t tied down by the conventional boundaries of municipalities, and is aiming for the creation of a collaborative model in which “the harbors” link the participants.

Category

Project cooperation/project accord

Theme

Town/City planning

Actor

Chiganourakaze Community, a general incorporated association
http://chigakaze.net/

Partner

Gambare Shiogama (‘Striving to Create a Shiogama City Full of Beaming Smiles’), LLC http://www.m-urato.com/llp/llp.htm
Enfan (cafe) http://www.enfan.jp/
Shiogama Marine Products Intermediary Wholesalers Market http://www.nakaoroshi.or.jp/
Hoshinori Shop http://www.hoshinori.jp/nori.html
Shio-Damashii (‘Soul of salt’ – a group of individuals supporting the project)
Sodosha Inc,  http://www.sodosha.co.jp/
Kinki Nippon Tourist Co., Ltd. , EPO Tohoku http://www.epo-tohoku.jp/

Reference

Green Partner Okayama participates in Okayama’s ESD (education for sustainable development) projects, and carries out activities together with people in government, universities and schools, citizens in general, and others.