OZU STORIES：Ozu castle-town regeneration stories
OZU STORIES 大洲城下町再生の物語
【Program Overview & Purpose】
This is a special journey that offers a deep, immersive experience of Ozu’s sustainable community development, guided by local storytellers known as ""Tsumugibito"".
Population declines in Ozu City led to an increase in vacant houses, which made it difficult to preserve the townscape and historic buildings. To preserve valuable local culture to future generations and protect the town’s identity, Ozu has focused on restoring and adaptively reusing its traditional streets and historic architecture. On this journey, participants learn about the background and effects behind this revitalization and experience Ozu as it is today.
From the late 2010s onwards, the townscape of Ozu’s castle underwent rapid demolition, with many buildings being replaced by new construction or left as vacant lots. This was due to several factors: the aging of property owners, inheritance issues, and rising maintenance costs, all of which made it difficult to maintain the buildings. As large parts of Ozu’s townscape were being lost, not only was the historic scenery of the castle town disappearing, but the community’s identity itself was also at risk. The restoration and adaptive reuse of historic buildings began in response to this growing sense of crisis.
Value Management, which operates accommodation and restaurant businesses such as NIPPONIA HOTEL using historic buildings, collaborated with Iyo Bank, the local financial services, and Ozu City’s public and private sectors. Subsequently, Ozu City established a regional DMO to advance these efforts. As a result, 32 historic buildings have been restored and repurposed over the five years since 2020. Reborn as accommodations, shops, and other facilities, Ozu is gradually transforming into a long-stay tourism destination.
In 2023, Ozu City received first place worldwide in 「Cultural ＆ Tradition」 category from Green Destinations, an internationally recognized certification body for sustainable tourism destinations. In 2024, Ozu’s comprehensive efforts and systems as a sustainable tourism destination – such as landscape conservation, protection of cultural assets, and reduction of energy consumption – were highly evaluated, earning the city the Silver Award for the first time in Shikoku. These awards recognize the successful revitalization of Ozu’s historic townscape through close collaboration among residents, tourism operators, and the municipal government. Building on these awards, this program was created to share Ozu’s long-term townscape revitalization efforts with both residents and visitors from Japan and abroad. Five percent of tour revenue is donated to local organizations and initiatives engaged in community development. Through this program, participants can contribute to the town's ongoing development.
【Program Flow】
1.Guidance and Introductory Video: Watch a video introducing the town’s situation before revitalization.
2.Sites Visits to Vacant Houses and Traditional Homes Before Revitalization: Take part in special tours of buildings before or during renovation, which are normally closed to the public.
3.Tour of Restored Historic Buildings: Enjoy exclusive visits to renovated traditional houses now operating as hotels and shops.
4.Interaction with ""Machibito"", local community members: Meet and talk with residents and business owners involved in the revitalization of Ozu’s castle town.
5.Community Contribution: Five percent of tour revenue is donated to local organizations engaged in town preservation, with the remaining portion used for guide training.
・Time required for the programme: 2 hours
・Time of year: All year round
・Minimum number of participants: 1
・Maximum number of participants: 10,Up to 4 pairs can be consulted.
・Price: Varies depending on the number of participants, 3,000-8,000 yen per person (tax included)
This is a special journey that offers a deep, immersive experience of Ozu’s sustainable community development, guided by local storytellers known as ""Tsumugibito"".
Population declines in Ozu City led to an increase in vacant houses, which made it difficult to preserve the townscape and historic buildings. To preserve valuable local culture to future generations and protect the town’s identity, Ozu has focused on restoring and adaptively reusing its traditional streets and historic architecture. On this journey, participants learn about the background and effects behind this revitalization and experience Ozu as it is today.
From the late 2010s onwards, the townscape of Ozu’s castle underwent rapid demolition, with many buildings being replaced by new construction or left as vacant lots. This was due to several factors: the aging of property owners, inheritance issues, and rising maintenance costs, all of which made it difficult to maintain the buildings. As large parts of Ozu’s townscape were being lost, not only was the historic scenery of the castle town disappearing, but the community’s identity itself was also at risk. The restoration and adaptive reuse of historic buildings began in response to this growing sense of crisis.
Value Management, which operates accommodation and restaurant businesses such as NIPPONIA HOTEL using historic buildings, collaborated with Iyo Bank, the local financial services, and Ozu City’s public and private sectors. Subsequently, Ozu City established a regional DMO to advance these efforts. As a result, 32 historic buildings have been restored and repurposed over the five years since 2020. Reborn as accommodations, shops, and other facilities, Ozu is gradually transforming into a long-stay tourism destination.
In 2023, Ozu City received first place worldwide in 「Cultural ＆ Tradition」 category from Green Destinations, an internationally recognized certification body for sustainable tourism destinations. In 2024, Ozu’s comprehensive efforts and systems as a sustainable tourism destination – such as landscape conservation, protection of cultural assets, and reduction of energy consumption – were highly evaluated, earning the city the Silver Award for the first time in Shikoku. These awards recognize the successful revitalization of Ozu’s historic townscape through close collaboration among residents, tourism operators, and the municipal government. Building on these awards, this program was created to share Ozu’s long-term townscape revitalization efforts with both residents and visitors from Japan and abroad. Five percent of tour revenue is donated to local organizations and initiatives engaged in community development. Through this program, participants can contribute to the town's ongoing development.
【Program Flow】
1.Guidance and Introductory Video: Watch a video introducing the town’s situation before revitalization.
2.Sites Visits to Vacant Houses and Traditional Homes Before Revitalization: Take part in special tours of buildings before or during renovation, which are normally closed to the public.
3.Tour of Restored Historic Buildings: Enjoy exclusive visits to renovated traditional houses now operating as hotels and shops.
4.Interaction with ""Machibito"", local community members: Meet and talk with residents and business owners involved in the revitalization of Ozu’s castle town.
5.Community Contribution: Five percent of tour revenue is donated to local organizations engaged in town preservation, with the remaining portion used for guide training.
・Time required for the programme: 2 hours
・Time of year: All year round
・Minimum number of participants: 1
・Maximum number of participants: 10,Up to 4 pairs can be consulted.
・Price: Varies depending on the number of participants, 3,000-8,000 yen per person (tax included)
Recommendations
This town has been preserved through the dedication of its residents. By tracing the history of its development and the traces of change left behind, visitors can discover fascinating stories and gain insights that may inspire their own daily lives. Through us, the local guides, ""Tsumugibito"", we connect you with ""Machibito"" – the residents and business owners involved in community development. Walking through the revitalized sites, you can sense the unique character and living presence of each building and engage deeply with the town itself. Beyond ordinary sightseeing, this experience offers moving encounters found only through local stories and authentic human bonds.
- Regions
- Southern Ehime
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
| Address | 愛媛県大洲市大洲649-1 まちの駅あさもや2階 |
|---|---|
| Telephone Number | 0893-57-6655 |
| Website | Website |
| Contact Information | KITA MANAGEMENT |
| Contact Person | Hsieh Fan |
| Email Address | ozu_tourist_info@kita-m.com |
