Co-develops and launches programs for Western travelers to learn Japan’s sustainable spirit and craftsmanship through traditional home renovation

Liberta Inc. (Head Office: Shinjuku, Tokyo; CEO: Keijiro Sawano, hereafter “Liberta”), which operates the Heartland Japan brand to offer adventure travel experiences for travelers with inquisitive mind from Europe, North America, and Australia, has joined the TOKU Project—an initiative that transforms vacant houses into community resources.

TOKU, which is run by Everyplan Inc. (Head Office: Matsue city, Shimane; CEO: Yuji Katsube) and Liberta Libert,  has co-developed a hands-on cultural program centered on traditional home renovation in Shimane Prefecture. The new program has now been incorporated into the San’in Region Tour that Heartland Japan has created and launched for travelers from Western markets.

Liberta and Everyplan signed a partnership agreement in 2019, continuing their collaboration to this day.

For the Purpose to Develop Cultural Programs in Shimane  Inheriting Traditional Building Techniques and Revitalizing Local Communities

Shimane, where Toku operates, retains its national rural heritage. Numbers of centuries-old houses built using traditional building techniques forms the site into a jewel landscape.

However, like many other parts of Japan, Shimane also faces a growing vacant house problem. Many of these houses are now at risk of decay or demolition, leading to a loss of architectural techniques and the village’s characteristics.From the architectural point of view, these traditional houses are designed to be passed down for multiple generations simply by repairing and mending. The technique used in building the houses not only last long but also shows respect to the life of nature to live in harmony, symbolizing sustainability. The newly developed program allows participants to take part in the renovation process themselves, connecting with the traditional construction methods, the artisans who preserve them, and the communities they sustain will lead to a greater understanding of its culture.

Main Contents of the Workshop

Through this workshop, Liberta aims to offer foreign travelers an authentic experience of Japan and share Japanese sustainable life and the Japanese value of life, one that is referred to as the original Japan. The program also seeks to support self-sustaining growth and revitalization of the local communities by providing opportunities to feel proud of their culture and lifestyle, leading to respect for their traditional culture and townscapes that are already starting to fade away. This all happens through mutual respect and interest of the region by travelers.

The program is featured in the San’in Mystical Walk tour, themed around sustainability and exploring the Shimane and Yamaguchi regions.
A webinar introducing the tour was recently held for travel agencies and tour operators in Europe, North America, and Australia. The dedicated webpage has also been launched today, with further promotional activities planned.

Tour Page: San’in Mystical Walk – Heartland Japan
Liberta Official Note (Japanese): CEO Keijiro Sawano explains the vision behind promoting the San’in region to Western markets

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Comments

▼Keijiro Sawano, CEO of Liberta Inc.

“In my hometown, the population continues to decline while the aging rate rises. Schools are merging as children becomes fewer—these are clear signs of rural depopulation. At the same time, modern houses built by major developers are increasing, while homes built using traditional techniques are steadily disappearing. As a result, the number of skilled craftsmen such as carpenters and plasterers is decreasing, and their skills are at risk of being lost. In addition to this issue, more and more number of vacant houses is increasing, leaving them to be forgotten and untouched. 

However, there are people around the world who have a deep appreciation for Japanese architecture, and we see a glimmer of hope for the reuse of vacant houses. Through our collaboration with TOKU, we are creating opportunities for travelers to engage directly in traditional home renovation. We hope this experience will contribute, even in small ways, to addressing Japan’s vacant house problem and passing on the skills of our artisans.

▼Motoki Moriyama, Project Member of TOKU / Head of Co-creation Business Promotion, Everyplan Inc.

“Our goal is not to preserve old houses as museum pieces, but to carry forward the techniques, communities, and spirit of local craftsmanship into the future. This workshop invites participants to go beyond being tourists—to become part of the story as active contributors to culture.

Heartland Japan has been deeply connected with our thoughts, and we believe that working hand-in-hand will help us engage with travelers who are genuinely interested in being involved with our beloved communities. We hope this collaboration will help share the true value of Japan’s regional culture to the world.”

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This isn’t our final goal.Liberta will continue to develop as a community-based travel agent, sending trips and experiences to Western travelers and offering amazing community-based tours. We offer ourselves as a bridge between the travelers and the community. We shall nourish these relationships, adding not only value to those communities but also to keep providing and assuring responsible tours.Our mission continues. We are putting our mind and soul towards community development, from educating the next generation to investigating hidden Japanese areas as a valuable place. Our point of view is global with our mission being to demonstrate best practices to the travelers and to the community-based travel agent.

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