Fresh Sentiments in the Air in Iketani and Iriyama

We have successfully completed the four sessions of Snow Busters this year. This year, we established the ‘Snow Removal Training Hall’, and all volunteers received training allowing them to go up onto the roofs of houses to remove the snow. 

Seeing the volunteers climb up onto the roofs, the village people noted happily, ‘If they brush up on a few more skills, we can entrust them to do the parts that we are unable to do!’

During the same period, the Tookamachi Regional Development Planning Committee held a workshop in which there was a engaging 7-hour discussion in which they exchanged opinions on ways to both ‘enliven the village, and ensure its sustainability,’ Members considered that, ‘having new inhabitants was an indispensable component to the sustainability of this village, but pondered, ‘How should we go about attracting new inhabitants?’

The answer to this issue will not come easily. However, what is important is the new sentiment in the air, the hope that this year will be one in which the village people will consider and act for the future of their village.