The Territorio Economic Zone and the Act of Walking

The concept of 'Territorio,' which views cities and rural agricultural, mountain, and fishing villages as a single, integrated region—as exemplified by the charming small towns of Italy—holds great potential as a new way of relating cities and rural areas, going beyond mere regional revitalization. At the foundation of this concept is a sense of unity based on cultural integrity, economic and human exchange, and the empathy of sharing the same landscape and the same future, which I believe fosters equality between cities and rural areas.

In fact, many people from Fukuoka City frequently travel to Itoshima and Asakura to enjoy the scenery and eat delicious food, while people from Itoshima and Asakura head to Fukuoka's city center for urban pleasures. One could say that a sense of unity as a Territorio already exists. While I am not very familiar with other regions, I believe that in Kyushu, where there are cities of a certain scale in various places, such Territorio-like unity can already be found everywhere.

Given this, why do I dare to bring up the term 'Territorio Economic Zone'? Is it just a new play on words?

The current situation of the Territorio is that while people are moving back and forth, the structure of this movement is car-centric. Roadside stations are built in places other than existing urban areas, or there are a few famous shops with long lines, and these become the contact points between the city and the rural region. While that is fine in itself, it has become detached from the landscapes cultivated by the region's nature and history, and the landscapes created by the production activities currently rooted in that land. Because of this, I feel that despite the existence of a Territorio-like unity, it is not generating enough of an effect to ripple through the entire regional economy.

Turning the movement of people into an 'economic zone' does not have a simple solution where you just do this or that. I believe it involves various movements that shape an economic zone, changing it little by little.

One of these is the act of 'walking'.
Kyushu has the Kyushu Nature Trail, a 3,000-kilometer-long nature trail, but it does not necessarily pass only through nature. While there are so-called mountain trails, there are also many sections that connect towns and mountains, where you walk on paved roads. That is what happens when you try to connect them.
When you walk connecting towns and mountains, the scenery changes gradually. Not at the speed of passing by in a car, but little by little, bit by bit. In some places, the scenery does not change no matter how much you walk. To be honest, there are times when it is boring or tough, but including that, the time spent walking becomes your own story. Recently, people often talk about 'stories,' but the stories of regions that have nothing to do with you do not resonate deeply. I believe that only when a story is connected to the story of having walked it yourself does it feel deeply meaningful. As a mechanism for that, I think the meaning of 'walking' is very significant.

I would like to think about and work on the Territorio Economic Zone, or 'Landscape Economic Zone,' centered on the act of 'walking'.
I look forward to your support!