24. Sustainable Communities in Hilly, Mountainous and Heavy Snowfall Areas

Japan has large hilly and mountainous areas with heavy snowfall. Because of severe population decrease arising from the aging society, many communities in such areas have become quite vulnerable to natural disasters. In addition, public help in disaster reduction has been weakened because of difficulties in public finance. In order to consider sustainable communities in these circumstances, it is necessary to examine the power of both mutual and self-help. In this study, we examine some approaches to coping with severe snow disasters in several communities in hilly, mountainous, and heavy snowfall areas. First, problems arising from winter are considered through information from researching more than 300 local governments in heavy snowfall areas in Japan. Second, the outcomes of case studies in Semboku City in Akita Prefecture in northern Japan are discussed. The results show the importance of residents’ associations and such local groups. In addition, by enhancing communication among the communities, these kinds of workshops are important for strengthening the power of mutual support.