The disappearing village in Japan, what changes can Web3 technology bring?

Tokyo, the most populous city on Earth with 37 million residents, is experiencing rapid development, while certain regions in Japan are declining. Young people in Japan are moving to Tokyo for its diverse entertainment options and job opportunities. Meanwhile, their older relatives are staying in rural areas, raising concerns about the disappearance of these places and their traditions due to depopulation and aging.

Hundreds of Japanese Villages Are Dying Out

According to a tweet by Coinbase, the Japanese Policy Commission has stated that by 2040, population decline will lead to the disappearance of over half of Japan's cities. One of the villages on the list is Yamakoshi Village in Niigata Prefecture. Facing a drastic decrease in population from 2,200 people to just 800 people after the 2004 earthquake, Haruka is addressing these issues by building a digital space.

Haruka stated that they may be the last generation to interact with rural villages. In order to preserve the local cultural heritage of important terraced fields, koi farming, and rice cultivation, they are issuing NFTs to conserve these ancient historical values as much as possible.

"NFTs will forever preserve the spirit and uniqueness of Yamakoshi Village, connecting with people around the world and inspiring vitality with NFTs that can represent the village's spirit."

"We are creating a Yamakoshi Village in the metaverse where anyone can discuss and converse there." For Haruka, when you purchase the NFTs they issue, you are obtaining a digital resident passport. Those who own NFTs can experience the local characteristics in the virtual environment and participate in the process of protecting the village. Local physical events will also be regularly held, projected into the metaverse of the village, bringing together physical residents and digital residents from around the world.

Haruka further explained that as of today, a total of 1,012 NFTs have been sold, meaning there are over a thousand digital residents in that virtual space, even more than the local population. He believes that if the virtual space can remind young people of the cultural value of these villages, they may actually visit these areas in reality.

Blockchain Technology Creating Bridges Across Generations

The application of blockchain technology is not limited to cryptocurrencies and the financial industry. It can be useful for preserving art, history, and culture. As the country with the fastest aging population and the largest urban-rural population disparity, Japan finds it very challenging to bridge the information and cultural gap.

International journalist Yusuf Omar remarked, "It feels like there are two countries here, one sprinting towards the future and the other holding onto the past."

He added: