TAKETOMBO instigates social innovation activation in rural craft towns of Japan.

The hype generated for 2020 Tokyo Olympic, and Japan's government's new target to drive tourist growth from 20 to 40 million in-bound visitors by 2020, and 60 million by 2060 maybe driving economic growth for Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. It is also creating negative impact to these major locations: local residential lives disruption, trash, traffic, pollution ...etc. It is also accelerating rural-to-urban migration.
Overall population with age over 65 is at record high of 28%. (World Economic Forum (4/2019). Some rural towns are seeing as high as 32-35%. Simulation also shows hundreds of regional municipalities may disappear in 40-50 years. Consolidation of shrinking municipalities are also destroying their history and cultural identities (as towns assume new names with little to no relevancy to town history).

OPPORTUNITY
- Leverage explosive tourist growth and trending experiential tourism & eco-tourism development.
- Leverage No.1 Competitive Advantage of Japan: Artisanship & Diligence
- Diversification
- Create a new sustainable practice that stimulate economy growth of declining towns.

CREATIVE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY - RESILIENCE COMMUNITIES - ECONOMIC GROWTH
(1) Divert investments and draw attention from overcrowding Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka
(2) Leverage foreign interests to create aspiration for new generation rural lifestyle for the locals.
(3) Leverage global creative ideas and Japan artisanship to create new functional objects or art objects. Open new market and business channel.
(4) Protect and sustain craft legacies.
(5) Activate declining rural towns. Bring new traffic to towns through quality experiential tourism and cultural exchange, one town at a time.
(6) Bring awareness to Cultural Sustainability.
(7) Renew legacy craft town "brands".