Ajishima is a small Island located in southwest of the Oshika Peninsula in Miyagi Prefecture. It once prospered in fishery, but in late years aging and the population decline advance. The tendency is further strengthened after an earthquake disaster, and population declined to 500 people (200 households). The islanders are concerned that if the trend continues, the island will become a desert island in the near future.

This project tried to propose a desirable future of the island through the development of various ideas generated from field survey that studied what can do to attract people including migrants and tourists by exploiting existing resources in the area such as beautiful nature, abundant fishery products, and warm climate. Specifically, we created the picture roll of ‘Ajishima’s future’ and promoted the island through presentations. The problems of the island are common to all over Japan, and moreover the rise and fall of local communities is happening everywhere in the world. Although the rise and fall of local communities can be expedited by natural disaster, one of the conditions of sustainable local community is resilience that can revive again by ideas. This project therefore had the purpose of finding the principle model of sustainable local community. This project is a collaboration project with ‘Tamanatcha project’ that Ishinomaki’s local NPO called Smile Seed sponsors.