2026.2.23    Passing on Local Treasures: A Workshop to Connect Uwajima's Culture and History to the Future

Even under population decline, local heritage—history, culture, and nature—should be treated as irreplaceable “community treasures.” Sustainable inheritance requires citizen-led collaboration and networks beyond single organizations, combined with hands-on experiences and creative ways of sharing stories. By openly sharing knowledge and memories, more young people and outside supporters can join, creating a positive cycle that strengthens the community.

• Reframe “decline” into a chance to increase human capital
• Experience-based learning (walking, making, expressing) matters
• Move from mapping to real implementation (routes & guided walks)

To engage people who are not originally interested in history, the project used a gamified “walk rally” approach. Participants explored mission spots, took photos, shared results, and learned through group debriefs—turning discovery into motivation. This design creates both social connection and learning, and naturally leads into building practical maps and routes for future use.

• Entry point: fun first, learning follows
• Mechanism: missions + photo proof + scoring
• Outcome: shared discoveries strengthen community ties

Participants worked in five area groups and mapped local points using three-color sticky notes: hidden facts, best viewpoints, and places to preserve for the future. Each group then presented key findings, forming the foundation for next year’s community map and walking routes.

Yoshida highlighted heritage routes and disaster memory sites, alongside civil-engineering landmarks such as diversion weirs and river structures. The group emphasized passing on both “stories” and “infrastructure knowledge” as community assets.

• Jūbonmatsu Pass: a historic route featuring a cut-through pass (horikiri), a spring known as “Ippai-mizu” (“One Cup Water”), a hill overlooking the sea, and clusters of wild azaleas—rich in elements worthy of being passed down through generations.
• Kuniyasu River, diversion weir, and guide levee: highlights from a civil engineering heritage perspective, showcasing historical ingenuity in river confluence and flow control.
• Okuminami Canal: valued as a large-scale canal infrastructure with significant regional importance.
• Natural disaster memorial monuments: important sites that preserve and transmit the community’s memory of disasters to future generations.

Uwajima A focused on viewpoints connecting spiritual sites and Uwajima Castle, as well as places that preserve the memory of war and peace. They also noted traditional performing arts and unique coastal landscapes as key treasures to carry forward.

• Ryūkō-in Temple: a haiku monument (connected to Bashō and his mother) / a photogenic spot featuring a Bosatsu statue and Uwajima Castle
• Uwajima Castle & Castle Hill (Shiroyama): scenic views, stone walls, and popular photo spots (one of Japan’s 12 remaining original castle keeps)
• Peace Tower, the Peace Bell at Taiheiji Temple, and Warei Shrine: places that convey memories of air raids, remembrance, and peace
• Iyo Kagura: a local cultural tradition that should be preserved for the future
• Strange rock formations on the islands off Hiburijima: the appeal of natural scenery (views reminiscent of a “Blue Grotto”)

Mima highlighted pilgrimage-related sites and scenic viewpoints, especially the panoramic view from Omori Castle. The group emphasized connecting landscape, local events, and shared memories as a pathway to future preservation.

• Butsumoku-ji and Ryūkō-ji Temples (Shikoku Pilgrimage): important as milestone sites along the pilgrimage route, fostering local traditions and community connections through annual events and gatherings.
• Ōmori Castle: a mountain fortress offering panoramic views of farmland and surrounding nature—an outstanding scenic vantage point.
• The Nakayama Pond area: a place where history, local events, and shared memories have accumulated, serving as a key intersection of landscape and community activity.

Uwajima B emphasized scenic “light and viewpoint” treasures (sunset, sea outlooks, misty castle views), alongside living community hubs for youth and fading industrial heritage such as railway facilities worth preserving.

• Akamatsu Park: a beautiful sunset spot where the sun sets behind Kushima Island, with stunning reflections across the sea’s surface.
• Kushima Lookout Point (Tomiba): the former signal fire site of the Uwajima Domain, offering panoramic views over the Uwa Sea.
• Atago Park: a viewpoint where Uwajima Castle can sometimes be seen floating in the mist.
• Horibata (Central Community Center): valued as a present-day gathering hub for junior high and high school students.
• Ōike Pond: a wintering site for whooper swans.
• JR Engine Depot and Turntable: a railway heritage site at risk of being lost, with potential for preservation and cultural reuse.
• Kurosone Super Forest Road: a dramatic route rising from 0 to 1,000 meters in about 5 kilometers, offering impressive views and a largely unknown scenic value.

Tsushima highlighted historic townscapes and community-maintained seasonal assets (like cherry-lined paths), along with nature-based destinations and cultural practices such as bullfighting. The group also noted how pilgrimage routes overlap with cultural “distributions,” offering a powerful mapping perspective.

• The townscape of Iwamatsu: including the Konishi residence, Mishima Shrine, narrow alleys, and traditional houses—elements that reflect the town’s historical formation and should be preserved together with its urban character.
• Cherry blossom-lined path (from Yamazai Dam to the Iwamatsu River): a springtime community asset carefully maintained by local residents.
• Yokobuki Gorge and walking trail: valued for both its natural scenery and the experiential quality of walking through the landscape.
• Harai River Hot Spring (radon hot spring): an attractive local resource with potential as a community and tourism asset.
• Yura Peninsula: known for its caves, wild mountain cherry blossoms, and Yura Shrine—accessible only by boat, adding to its distinctive character.
• Bullfighting culture (including the Onai bullring): where regional entertainment and historical tradition intersect.
• The overlap between pilgrimage routes and local culture: a shared perspective that the network of pilgrimage roads connects with and reflects the broader distribution of cultural practices across the region.