2026.10.05
Motoyama Town, located in the very center of Shikoku and surrounded by steep mountains, is home to about 3,000 residents. Like many rural communities in Japan, it faces challenges such as population decline and an aging society.
About three years ago, Kochi University, which had been working on regional revitalization initiatives in Motoyama for nearly a decade, approached JICA with an idea for collaboration. Discussions led to the signing of a memorandum of cooperation in September 2024 among Motoyama Town, Kochi University, and JICA Shikoku. The agreement aims to promote regional internationalization and foster globally minded human resources.
Motoyama Town in the heart of Shikoku
Central Motoyama Town
Signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation (September 2024)
Under this framework, various initiatives have already been implemented. These include hosting agricultural training for JICA participants from developing countries and providing opportunities for Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers candidates to experience community development activities in Motoyama as part of their pre-dispatch training. Through these efforts, international perspectives are being incorporated into local revitalization.
This article focuses on one particularly unique aspect of the partnership: JICA's activities that draw upon Motoyama's historical ties to Japanese migration to South America.
Agricultural training for JICA participants in Motoyama
Hisae Sakiyama, a pioneer of Japanese settlement in the Amazon
(Source: Overseas Migration Museum Newsletter No. 48)
A comment from a Kochi University professor inspired us to take a closer look at Motoyama's migration history:"Regional revitalization begins when local people take pride in their community." This led us to rediscover an important chapter in the town's past.
Motoyama is the birthplace of Hisae Sakiyama (1875-1941), a pioneer known for his contributions to Japanese settlement in the Amazon region. After joining a migration group to Hokkaido at the age of 18, Sakiyama later established a school in Tokyo to train future leaders involved in overseas migration and settlement. At the age of 57, he emigrated to Brazil himself and contributed to the development of communities in the Amazon. Following his example, many people from Motoyama also migrated to South America.
To reconnect with this history and use it as a catalyst for regional revitalization and internationalization, the three partners agreed to launch the"From Memories of South American Migration to the Future: Motoyama Town × Brazil Exchange Project."
Several programs and events have been organized under this initiative.
Photographs and exhibition panels related to Japanese migration to South America, provided by the Japanese Overseas Migration Museum at JICA Yokohama, were displayed at a community facility in Motoyama. Many visitors from both inside and outside the town attended the exhibition.
South American Migration Photo Exhibition
South American Migration Photo Exhibition
A public seminar on Japanese migration to South America was held in Motoyama.
During the event, a niece of Hisae Sakiyama shared stories about his life and achievements. Participants also heard from a third-generation Japanese Brazilian who was studying at Kochi University as a JICA participant. The speaker introduced contemporary Nikkei communities in South America and shared personal reflections on Japan. Around 40 audience members attended and listened attentively to the presentations.
A relative sharing the story of Hisae Sakiyama
A researcher of Nikkei migration communities in South America, who has ties with Kochi University, visited Motoyama and gave a presentation titled:
"Visiting Maués, the Ideal Community Imagined by Hisae Sakiyama."
Using photographs and video footage, the speaker vividly introduced both the historical and present-day realities of Maués, an Amazon settlement associated with Sakiyama. For the approximately 40 local residents who attended, the seminar provided a valuable opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation for the accomplishments of one of their hometown's notable figures.
To deepen understanding of migration history among local residents, a study tour to the Japanese Overseas Migration Museum at JICA Yokohama was organized for junior high school students from Motoyama.
Eight students from Reihoku Junior High School, the town's only junior high school, participated together with officials from the town government, representatives from Kochi University, and staff members from JICA Shikoku.
Visit to the Japanese Overseas Migration Museum
Migration Karuta Workshop
The museum prepared a special learning program that combined exhibition tours with interactive activities. Students took part in workshops led by migration-history researchers, including storytelling sessions and games using educational migration-themed cards. Through these activities, they learned about the history of Japanese migration overseas in an engaging and enjoyable way.
The group also explored historic sites in Yokohama, including Osanbashi Pier and the Yokohama Customs House, where they learned about the journeys of Japanese migrants who departed for destinations around the world from Yokohama Port.
After the tour, one student commented:
"I realized how important it is for us to pass on what we have learned to future generations."
Fieldwork in Yokohama
We hope that these students will one day help lead Motoyama's revitalization and international engagement.
Recently, a Motoyama Town official shared the following observation:
"People in our town are beginning to feel that the world and international cooperation are much closer to them."
This comment reflects feedback from residents who have participated in the various events and programs organized through the partnership. It suggests that the goals behind these activities, introducing international perspectives while supporting local development, are starting to resonate with the community.
In particular, activities related to the town's history of migration to South America have encouraged residents to take pride in their local heritage while increasing their interest in global affairs and international exchange.
Through this tripartite partnership, JICA Shikoku will continue to draw upon its experiences, networks, and resources to support Motoyama's revitalization and internationalization while promoting international cooperation.
We look forward to seeing how this small mountain town in the heart of Shikoku continues to build connections with the wider world.
Yoshinobu Rice Terraces, a center of tourism and agriculture in Motoyama
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