Giving a name to something invisible - is it possible to develop a town with yokai?

One day, I suddenly had an idea: "Is it possible to develop a town using yokai?"

"Azukiarai" is one of the monsters that are said to exist all over Japan. It is said that every night near a river or stream, the sound of azuki beans being washed can be heard.

If we could bring back to the present day those things that were "unseen but definitely there" -- wouldn't the town become an exciting place once again? That was the idea that led to this project.

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Creating "reason to come back" with yokai

Tourism in rural areas tends to be a one-time experience. However, yokai have the power to be "beings that can be nurtured" and "beings that change over time."

For example, imagine a yokai living in a region. Then, give that yokai a "development element." At first, you can only hear its voice, then you can see its shadow, then you can see its form... The yokai grows little by little depending on the actions of visitors and the season.

Through this "yokai raising experience," visitors will remember the yokai stories along with the scenery of the town. This will give them a reason to return, wondering, "What will they look like next?"

This is not a fictional story. By utilizing modern technologies such as AR and MR, the future where you can see "the monsters that should be there" through your smartphone may not be so far away. By combining storytelling and technology, we can imagine a future where we can experience the "monster town" more intuitively.

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You can do it alone. How to start a Yokai project

It may sound like a big idea, but it all starts with small steps.

For example, I came up with the idea of creating an original yokai in the place where I live. I would write about its personality, appearance, favorite food, and where it lives, and write about it on my blog. Next, I would create a "yokai notebook" and think of a system where visitors could "raise" the yokai.

A yokai's home can be just a corner of a shelf in a local store. With paper, pen, and a story, it can live there. All you need is to believe in it and tell it.

The cultivation process is recorded and periodically shared. In this way, these little stories take root in the town.

For example, why not start with something like this?

• Give names to the "strange things" and "interesting places" around you
  If you think the sound of the wind is strange, try making a yokai called "Kazekuguri." A small sense of incongruity can become the seed of a new yokai.
• Imagine a monster that might live in your town and try sketching it.
  We recommend drawing with your children. It would also be fun to compile the drawings in a notebook and make a "Yokai notebook."
• Post to SNS
  If you post using a hashtag like "# Yokai in my town," you may be able to attract people who sympathize with you.

These small actions will eventually help to develop the individuality and connections of the town. Yokai are not just for special people. I'm sure there are some hiding out there in your everyday life.

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Placing monsters between economy and culture

To continue activities rooted in the local community, we need a system that keeps things moving.

Yokai may not be easy to turn into products.
However, when turned into a story, it has the power to elicit people's interest and action in various ways.

Yokai notebooks, sightings, and storytelling events are all gradually put to good use in the community, slowly creating connections between people. I call this yokai no go-en. Go-en is like yokai, something that cannot be seen, and building a culture that values the very things that cannot be seen is what it means for yokai to nurture a town.

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Example of practice: A "Yokai Town Walk" experience in Kawagoe

In fact, we have already attempted this "coexistence with monsters" in one town: Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, a town with a rich history and atmosphere.

The smartphone app we developed, "Yokai Collection," is an experiential app that uses location information to find and collect yokai. Using this app, we held a "Yokai Town Walk" event, where we "released" original and traditional yokai into the town of Kawagoe, and visitors walked around looking for them.

The yokai scattered throughout the town are not just something to be found, but are living beings that breathe the stories and air of the land. As participants searched for yokai on their smartphones, they experienced the charm of nature and the town, and saw the usual scenery transform into a slightly "other world."

This initiative was a small first step in developing the town by "giving a name to something that cannot be seen."

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Conclusion: Let’s start with one yokai

I'm sure there's something lurking in my town too.

With this in mind, I open my notebook. I still don't know for sure what kind of youkai should be born in this town. But it feels like the sound of the wind has changed a little. The birds' voices seem to have become more distant.

Well, it's time to get moving. There may be soil in your town where youkai can grow. If the sound of the wind changes, it's surely a sign that the seeds of the youkai have sprouted.
So why not try raising some yokai in your town too?