Why are Anago No Nedoko and Miharashi-tei so important? (Part 1)

Because they are a part of the NPO’s mission for community building. The following mission statements are translation of the corresponding Japanese version found on the NPO website.

プロジェクト本文にもありますが、尾道ゲストハウス「あなごの寝床」と「みはらし亭」は経営のNPO尾道空き家再生プロジェクトがの活動方針と密接にかかわっています。その活動方針の日本語版はウェブサイト5つの柱を参照してください。

--- First 3 of 5 missions ---

1. Abandoned Houses x Architecture (空き家 × 建築)

Showcasing Onomichi’s unique architecture and disappearing forms of craftsmanship - Houses in Onomichi’s former city district come in different styles, in contrast to the houses shown in location sets of period films built to represent a certain era. Within a radius of 2 km (1.2 miles) from the city center are scattered houses from various eras: machiya-style houses, dozō warehouses, a mansion with a tearoom and Japanese garden, Western-style houses and more. Some houses appear “unstructured” because they are built for the variable landscape of Onomichi in its spread from the mountains to the sea. Some are built just for the views they offer, while others simply have unusual forms due to the multiple expansions made to them. Rare three-story wooden houses are also found in the city.

2. Abandoned Houses x Community (空き家 x コミュニティ)

Supporting the building of community - The abandoned houses scattered across Onomichi’s hillside are coming to appear as symbols of the declining birthrate and aging population, depopulation of local cities and hollowing out of city centers.  No matter how much effort we might expend to preserve old houses, buildings and landscapes, without communities of people living there, towns will lack appeal. We hope to make continued efforts to provide assistance in locating new residents for houses that have come to be abandoned by the next generation along with advice on living in such spaces for newcomer residents, opportunities for intergenerational interaction and events using abandoned houses and vacant lots, etc.

3. Abandoned Houses x Tourism (空き家 x 観光)

Creating opportunities to fully experience Onomichi by providing rental homes for short stays - Though many people visit Onomichi, there is so much on offer that they end up not having enough time to fully appreciate it. To do so would require frequent visits or a long stay. For visitors who would like to stay longer or experience Onomichi living, we provide a renovated, formerly-abandoned house for short-term stays at reasonable rates. Also, for abandoned houses that cannot be renovated sufficiently to be livable, we hope to repurpose them as spaces for small businesses or artist studios so that tourists may have a more enjoyable time wandering around the hillside and exploring the narrow alleyways.