As in years past, the Field Studies in Japan module culminated in a public event at the Japan Creative Centre, in which I provided a framework for the program and students shared their experiences. With the exception of my introduction, the student presentations were all conducted in an adapted PechaKucha format. Each pair had 30 slides to tell their story, with each slide only being visible for 20 seconds. 10 minutes for each pair.

This was the program of events:

1. “Creative Revitalization: An Introduction”
by Chris McMorran

2. “Revitalisation: The Population Effect”
by Francesca Chua and Kasper Koh

3. “The Search for Furusato”
by Alvin Lee and Germaine Tan

– Break –

4. “Farmstays, Furusato and Craft-making”
by Janice Chen and Craig Tan

5. “Nature Tourism: Hiking, Rafting and Mt Aso”
Evelyn Tan and Lee Tingfeng

6. “The Past in Our Hands”
by Oh Pei Qi and Tan Jing Ting

(Master of ceremonies: Adeline Chua)

Finally, this was the official announcement that I authored and the Japan Creative Centre posted:

CREATIVE REVITALIZATION: IDEAS FROM KYUSHU
PRESENTATIONS BY PARTICIPANTS OF THE 2013 NUS FIELD STUDY TRIP TO JAPAN

Throughout Japan today there is talk of regional revitalization, or chiiki saisei. Efforts to rebuild communities in Tohoku affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown are but the most recent and noteworthy examples. In fact, a range of top-down and bottom-up programs have been devised over the past few decades to help areas throughout the country overcome problems like depopulation, aging, economic decline, and industrial disaster.

Although at present much attention is rightly aimed at northeastern Japan, it is worthwhile examining revitalization in general. In doing so we can analyze what factors are essential for revitalization (youthful population? innovative industries? well-maintained infrastructure? healthy tourism sector? bountiful nature?) and what lessons from elsewhere might apply to revitalization efforts in Tohoku.

In May 2013, the Department of Japanese Studies at the National University of Singapore (NUS) held its third annual Field Studies in Japan program. For 10 days Dr. Chris McMorran led 10 NUS students around a handful of communities in Kyushu whose creative revitalization efforts past or present have been noteworthy.

At this special Japan Creative Centre event, students will present their findings and reflect on the potential prospects for revitalization elsewhere in Japan.

At the farmstay, Nakabaru, Minami-Oguni, Kumamoto

Walking tour with members of the Seinenbu, Kurokawa Onsen, Minami-Oguni, Kumamoto

Chatting with a local resident during a field exercise, Tsuetate Onsen, Oguni, Kumamoto