The Single Difference Between a Town That Ends in Five Years and One That Lasts
If there are subsidies, a town will thrive.
Many people probably think so. But that is wrong.
Projects that start with subsidies end when the subsidies run out. A five-year plan ends in five years. It is obvious, yet everyone pretends not to notice.
The difference between a town that lasts and one that ends is not money. It is not the number of people, either. It is just one thing: whether someone loves that place.
A place where someone feels love somehow continues to exist.
It is not about logic. Even if it is not profitable or efficient, people who love it will keep being involved. Some people visit only on weekends. Some people come from far away just to check on it. Such small feelings of love quietly support the town.
I have seen regions that withered rapidly after their subsidies ended. They had impressive facilities built. They were even trending on social media. But once the person in charge was transferred, no one cared anymore.
On the other hand, there are places where people keep gathering even when there is nothing there. In one port town, there was a cafe that opened only once a week. It was just a place where a grandmother who was a fisherwoman would brew coffee. There were three items on the menu. There were eight seats. Instagrammability had nothing to do with it.
But there were people who came every week. There were even people who drove an hour from the next town over. Because they liked the grandmother. Because they liked the breeze at that port. For that reason alone.
Not a single yen of subsidy went into it. There was no business plan. The grandmother probably does not even know the word KPI.
Even so, it has lasted five years. It might last ten.
Love cannot be quantified. It cannot be written in a report. Therefore, it is difficult to fit into the evaluation criteria of the government. But on the ground, love always wins.
When Akari Studio enters a region, the first thing we look for is not the budget. We look for someone who loves this place for no reason. Even one person is enough. If that one person is found, the town has the potential to last.
If that person is not found, no matter how much budget there is, it will eventually end. It is harsh, but that is the reality.
Town development plans usually say 'creation of related population.' That is not wrong. But the order is reversed. First, there is one person's love. Other people are drawn to that heat. A related population is something that follows later.
Love is not born from plans. It is something that sprouts by chance during encounters.
Therefore, all we can do is increase the probability of those encounters. Open up a space. Mix people together. Wait. That is all there is.
We do not set off flashy fireworks. We know that continuing quietly is much harder.
A scene where someone is still there five years from now. That is all I am looking at.
Katsuki Yamada (Connie)
PR Advisor, Community Designer, Workshop Designer
Based in Kyoto, I accompany companies, local governments, NPOs, and startups in "creating opportunities."
🔗 Akari Studio: https://akaristudio.jp
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