The NPO “Japan’s Most Beautiful Villages” Association has been working to maintain small but unique regions since 2005. The activities of the “Most Beautiful Villages” have become a global movement, and various initiatives are being carried out in various countries. (Kitajima Kei)

The “Japan’s Most Beautiful Villages” Association is an NPO that was established in 2005. It protects small but beautiful regions that still convey their landscapes and culture, while creating beautiful regions for the future, and supports the promotion of local independence and revitalization by the residents themselves.
It all began about 25 years ago, in 2000, with an exchange between Hamada Satoshi, who was the mayor of Biei Town in Hokkaido at the time, and Matsuo Masahiko, president of Calbee.
When Mayor Hamada consulted President Matsuo on how to manage the town from a business management perspective, President Matsuo introduced him to the “Most Beautiful Villages of France” association, which is operating in France with the aim of promoting tourism in small villages with many high-quality heritage sites.

Inspired by the activities of the “Most Beautiful Villages of France” association, Mayor Hamada launched the “Most Beautiful Villages of Japan” alliance, which focuses on activities to maintain small but unique regions. Calbee participated as a supporting company and worked hard to expand the number of sponsoring companies.

As of 2025, there are 57 member towns, villages, and regions, and 64 supporting companies.

“The goal is for each town, village, and region to declare itself the most beautiful village in Japan and polish its village. Beauty is a major point,” says Kaoru Ninomiya, vice president of the “Most Beautiful Villages of Japan” alliance.

To join the alliance, a town must meet several criteria.

First, the population must be less than 10,000. Although the basic unit is towns and villages, cities with a population of 10,000 or more can join as specific regions. For example, Tsukahara district in Yufu City, Oita Prefecture, and Mase district in Gero City, Gifu Prefecture, are members as regions.
Secondly, there must be at least two local resources that they want to preserve for the future. This is not limited to historical buildings, but also includes culture and traditions protected by the residents.
And it is important that the revitalization of the village is not undertaken only by the town office, but that the local residents are actively involved.
Municipalities that meet these requirements can join the “Most Beautiful Villages in Japan” Union.
“We don’t ask them to join, but rather they voluntarily declare that they are the most beautiful village in Japan and then polish their village. Once they join, it’s not the end; they are re-evaluated every five years,” explains Vice Chairman Ninomiya.

By the way, what does it mean to be beautiful or not?
One point of beauty is to eliminate man-made objects such as utility poles and signs as much as possible and to preserve the old-fashioned streetscape.
It is also considered beautiful when the residents love their community and polish their local culture and traditions with pride.
For example, Oshika Kabuki in Oshika Village, Nagano Prefecture, has been going on since the Edo period.
The Ubagami Daijingu Festival in Esashi Town, Hokkaido, is older than the history of Hokkaido, having been held for about 380 years.
The boathouse inns in Ine Town, Kyoto Prefecture, have been around since the Edo period.
In Higashi Shirakawa Village, Gifu Prefecture, local kabuki performed by villagers, which has been continued since the Edo period, is still preserved today.
The inheritance of such traditions and culture is emphasized as an indication of beauty.
On the other hand, areas that have become commuter towns for urban areas and have become highly modernized are not considered beautiful.
Secretary-General of the association, Takanobu Mukai, says, “In short, areas that are visited by tourists and have an atmosphere that says this is not a tourist spot are not considered beautiful.”
In addition, no matter how beautiful a lake is, if there are many swan boats floating in it or advertising flags fluttering all over the streets, it cannot be considered beautiful, and abandoned farmland and abandoned buildings that stand out also do not meet the standards of beauty.
Currently, the Union is focusing on youth exchanges in the member towns and villages. It has established the “U35 Future Creation Conference” and holds regular meetings. “We bring together a variety of people, including town hall staff, housewives and teachers who live in the area, to discuss the issues facing the area and what the future should look like,” said Secretary-General Mukai.

The themes are varied, but one that often comes up is how to create stable jobs in the area. In many areas, the only stable workplaces are the town hall, agricultural cooperative, or post office. They are discussing how to address these issues.

Topics include new ways to utilize closed schools and how to respond to disasters that strike every year. In addition, they will discuss the difficulties that child-rearing generations have in purchasing diapers and other baby products because there are no drugstores nearby.
“There are things we can talk about because we are the same generation. Participants have also said that it was good to be able to talk with people of the same generation. It seems that women living in the area have become less connected to their communities since the COVID-19 pandemic, so this is a valuable opportunity,” says Secretary-General Mukai.

The Union is also active in international activities. The association is a participant of the World’s Most Beautiful Villages Association, and is deepening ties with the Most Beautiful Villages Associations in France, Belgium (Wallonia), Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and Canada (Quebec).

Vice President Ninomiya says, “We take turns holding the world general meeting and exchange information, but France is particularly advanced.”

The Most Beautiful Villages of France Association is said to be recognized by 90% of the French population, and when a village in France joins the association, it is said to attract a large number of tourists the following week.

Sales of guidebooks are also booming, and a version of the Michelin map, a staple in France, has been created that features only the most beautiful villages that are members of the association.

“The French have a habit of spending their vacations in the countryside. The village I visited in France had a population of 500, but 900 houses, 40% of which were villas. I felt the deep relationship between the city and the countryside.” (Vice President Ninomiya)

As an example of France, the Most Beautiful Villages of Japan Association is focusing on an app that allows users to see accommodation information, restaurant information, and scenic spots at a glance.

People who are interested in a particular village can get all the information they need, such as where the village is, how to get there, whether there are places to stay, and whether there are good restaurants, all in one place.
“Japan is a treasure trove of food, so even small villages can attract tourists if they promote comfortable accommodation and restaurants. We would like to put more effort into disseminating information,” says Ninomiya.
Incidentally, the “Most Beautiful Villages” activity has become a global movement, and the World’s Most Beautiful Villages Association has associate member countries in Germany (Saxony), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, China, and Russia.

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