Dark Reality of Life in Rural Japan: Xenophobia, No Privacy, Bullying, and Neighbor Troubles

Summary

A small town in Fukui Prefecture, Japan, with a dwindling population, has gained national attention for its controversial rules dictating communal living and lack of privacy for newcomers. Amid a trend of urban dwellers seeking rural life due to remote work, this town's approach highlights the stark cultural contrast and challenges of adapting to rural social hierarchies and collective responsibilities. The town's demographic crisis, where seniors make up 45% of residents, underscores the desperation to integrate new members, yet the strict rules and social pressures have led to a high turnover of newcomers, revealing the darker side of rural Japan's community dynamics.

Takeaways

• 🏡 A small town in Fukui Prefecture with a population of 2300 has gained national attention for its unusual rules for living in the area.
• 👀 The town's rules require residents to give up privacy and accept that their lives will be closely monitored and judged by neighbors.
• 🌾 The rules are a reflection of the rural way of life, which is seen as a form of communal love and support for the community.
• 🏞️ The trend of urban dwellers moving to the countryside, driven by remote work, is causing demographic shifts in rural Japan.
• 📉 Rural Japan faces demographic challenges with low birth rates, and local governments are offering incentives to attract newcomers.
• 👴 The town in question is experiencing a demographic aging crisis, with 45% of its residents being seniors.
• 🏠 The local government offers incentives like public housing and reimbursements for child-related expenses to attract newcomers.
• 🔑 The town has published 7 rules to help urban newcomers adapt to rural living, including accepting communal chores and being judged by the community.
• 🤔 The script highlights the potential dark side of rural Japan, where newcomers may face bullying and social ostracism for not conforming to local customs.
• 📈 The success of newcomers in rural areas can be challenging, with some areas having a track record of pushing people out due to toxic cultures.

Q & A

What is the population of the small town in Fukui Prefecture mentioned in the script?

The small town in Fukui Prefecture has a population of 2300.

What kind of attention did the town's rules receive?

The town's rules caught national attention due to their bizarre and intrusive nature.

What is the main expectation of privacy according to the town's rules?

The town's rules state that residents must give up expectations of privacy and accept that their lives will be closely watched and judged by others.

Why are urban people moving to the countryside in Japan?

Urban people are moving to the countryside in Japan due to a new trend spurred by the rise of remote work.

What demographic challenges are rural areas in Japan facing?

Rural areas in Japan are facing severe demographic challenges due to low birth rates and a need for new people to maintain the population level.

What incentives are offered by regional governments to attract urban people to the countryside?

Regional governments offer incentives such as financial support, cheap housing, job finding assistance, and help starting businesses to attract urban people.

What is the demographic aging crisis situation in the town that published the rules?

The town is experiencing a demographic aging crisis where 45 percent of the residents are seniors.

How many newcomers are moving to the town annually?

About 20 newcomers are moving to the town every year.

What are the seven rules published by the town government to help newcomers adapt to rural living?

The seven rules include: 1) A sense of responsibility as a resident, 2) Acceptance of unique rural chores, 3) Adaptation to communal living, 4) No urban habits, 5) Acceptance of constant observation and judgment, 6) Willingness to build intimate relationships, and 7) Willingness to help in natural disasters.

What are the unique chores referred to in the second rule?

The unique chores refer to participation in communal events such as religious rituals and seasonal festivals, which are mandatory and have significant cultural and social importance.

What was the outcome for the Tokyo school teacher who moved to the countryside and did not participate in communal events?

The Tokyo school teacher was harassed and bullied to the point of severe mental and physical health deterioration, eventually leading to a hospitalization due to stress.

What advice does the comedian and rural living expert give to urban people considering a move to rural Japan?

The comedian and expert advises urban people to carefully consider if the rural area has a successful track record of newcomers settling in and integrating into the local community.

How do social hierarchies in rural Japan differ from urban areas?

Social hierarchies in rural Japan can be very hierarchical and long-lasting, with expectations of unconditional obedience to those in high social positions, unlike the more egalitarian environment in urban areas.

What was the fate of the couple who opened a successful restaurant in a rural beach town?

The couple was forced to close their successful restaurant after receiving an order from the local non-profit association leader who wanted to use the space for his own restaurant, despite the couple's significant contributions to the local economy.

Outlines

00:00

🏡 Rural Living Expectations and Challenges

A small town in Fukui Prefecture, with a population of 2300, has gained national attention for its unusual rules dictating life in the community. These rules demand a relinquishment of privacy and acceptance of communal scrutiny to judge residents' worth. This comes amidst a trend of urban dwellers seeking rural relocation due to remote work opportunities, and rural Japan's demographic struggles. The local government offers incentives like housing and financial support to attract newcomers, but the town has published seven rules to help urban transplants adapt to rural life, including embracing communal responsibilities and chores, and accepting constant surveillance and judgment. The town's representative, originally from Hiroshima, explains that these rules reflect the reality of rural living, which can be starkly different from urban norms.

05:01

🤔 The Struggle for Integration in Rural Japan

The script delves into the difficulties faced by newcomers in rural Japan, as illustrated by a Tokyo ex-school teacher's experience. After moving to the countryside, he faced harassment and bullying from local authorities for not participating in communal events, leading to severe health issues. His story, shared on YouTube, resonated with many who commented on similar experiences, highlighting the pressure to conform to rural customs. A comedian and rural living expert points out the lack of successful newcomer integration in many rural areas, suggesting a 'toxic culture' that drives people away. A journalist adds that rural hierarchies can be rigid, with expectations of obedience to local leaders, which can lead to social exclusion or retaliation for non-conformity. The narrative includes an incident where a successful restaurant was forced to close by a local association leader, leading to a viral social media post, a terrorist threat, and significant damage to the region's reputation.

10:07

📺 Conclusion of Japan Media Review

The video concludes by underscoring the darker aspects of rural life in Japan, as explored through personal stories and expert insights. It emphasizes the cultural and social challenges that urban transplants face when moving to rural areas, including the pressure to conform to local customs and the potential for social ostracism. The episode wraps up with a call to action for viewers to engage with the content by liking and subscribing, promising further exploration of such topics in future episodes.

Keywords

💡Fukui Prefecture

Fukui Prefecture is a region in Japan that is mentioned as the location of the small town with unusual living rules. It serves as the backdrop for the video's exploration of rural living challenges. The town's population is a mere 2300, highlighting the demographic challenges faced by rural areas in Japan.

💡Privacy

Privacy is a central theme in the video, as the town rules suggest that newcomers must give up expectations of privacy. This is a stark contrast to urban living, where privacy is often more valued and protected. The script mentions that residents accept being judged based on intimate details of their lives, which is a significant cultural shift for those moving from urban areas.

💡Rural way of life

The rural way of life is contrasted with urban living throughout the video. It is characterized by close-knit communities, communal responsibilities, and a different set of social norms. The script describes how newcomers are expected to adapt to these rural customs, which can include participating in local festivals and communal events, and accepting a lack of privacy.

💡Demographic challenges

Demographic challenges, such as low birth rates and an aging population, are significant issues in rural Japan. The video uses the example of the town in Fukui Prefecture, where 45 percent of the residents are seniors, to illustrate the urgency of attracting newcomers to sustain the community.

💡Remote work

The rise of remote work is a trend that has spurred many urban dwellers to consider moving to the countryside. The video suggests that this trend is one of the reasons why rural areas are experiencing an influx of newcomers, who are seeking a different lifestyle or a more relaxed pace of living.

💡Incentives for relocation

Incentives for relocation are policies and offers made by national and regional governments to encourage people to move from urban to rural areas. The script mentions financial support and cheap housing as examples of such incentives, which are designed to help newcomers settle in and contribute to the local economy.

💡Communal living

Communal living is a way of life that requires collective thinking and mutual support, as stated in the town's third rule. It is a significant aspect of rural culture, where individuals are expected to contribute to the community's well-being. This concept is foreign to many urban dwellers and can be a point of conflict when they move to rural areas.

💡Social hierarchies

Social hierarchies in rural areas are deeply ingrained and can be quite rigid. The video explains that these hierarchies can persist from childhood into adulthood, with those in high social positions often holding significant power. This is in stark contrast to the more egalitarian environments often found in urban settings.

💡Retaliation

Retaliation is a form of social punishment mentioned in the video, where those who do not conform to community expectations may face consequences. Examples include being denied access to essential services or being socially ostracized. The video provides a case where a couple was forced to close their successful restaurant due to local association leader's complaints.

💡Integration

Integration refers to the process of newcomers becoming part of the local community. The video discusses the importance of a successful track record of integration for rural areas, suggesting that places without such a record may have cultural issues that make it difficult for newcomers to settle in and feel welcome.

💡Egalitarian environment

An egalitarian environment is one where all individuals are treated as equals, without significant social hierarchies. The video contrasts this with the more hierarchical nature of rural communities, where obedience to those in high social positions is often expected. This can be a shock for urbanites moving to rural areas.

Highlights

A small town in Fukui Prefecture with a population of 2300 gained national attention for its unusual community rules.

The town's rules require residents to give up privacy and accept communal scrutiny as part of rural living.

Newcomers are expected to accept close monitoring by neighbors as a norm in the community.

The town's rules are gaining attention as urban dwellers increasingly consider moving to rural areas due to remote work opportunities.

Rural Japan faces demographic challenges with low birth rates, prompting governments to incentivize urban-to-rural relocation.

The local government offers incentives like public housing and reimbursements for childbirth and childcare to attract newcomers.

The town has published seven rules to help urban newcomers adapt to rural living.

Newcomers are expected to embrace communal living, including participation in local events and mutual support.

The rules highlight the stark differences between urban and rural lifestyles, particularly in terms of community engagement and expectations.

Participation in communal events is mandatory in rural Japan, with failure to participate leading to social consequences.

A former Tokyo school teacher's experience of being bullied for not participating in communal events went viral.

The lack of successful newcomer integration in the town raises concerns about the local community's culture.

Rural areas often have hierarchical social structures that can be a shock to newcomers from urban environments.

Local leaders in rural Japan can wield significant power over essential services, impacting residents who do not conform.

A couple's successful restaurant was forced to close due to local association leader's personal interests, despite contributing to the region's economy.

The forced closure and subsequent social media outcry led to a terrorist threat, damaging the region's reputation.

The episode highlights the potential dark side of rural life in Japan, including social hierarchies and community pressures.

Transcripts

A small town in Fukui Prefecture  with a measly population of 2300  

caught national attention by publishing  a bizarre set of rules for living in the  

area. The town rules include shocking  statements such as when you live here,  

you must give up expectations of privacy and  accept that people will want to know every  

detail of your life and use these details to judge  if you are a high quality human being. The rules  

assert that you must not think such behaviors  are intrusive because this is the rural way of  

expressive love for the community. The rules  warn that newcomers must accept that their  

lives will be closely watched by their neighbors  who are nervous about living next to new people.

This news is catching attention amidst a new  trend of urban people wanting to move to the  

countryside, which is significantly spurred  by the rise of remote work. In addition,  

many areas of rural Japan are facing severe  demographic challenges due to low birth rates  

and desperately need new people to move in  and maintain the population level. National  

and regional governments have implemented many  policies to motivate urban people to move to the  

countryside, often offering financial support  and cheap housing for those who are willing to  

relocate. In many cases, regional governments even  help newcomers settle in by finding them jobs or  

helping them start businesses. As more urban  people are taking a chance at starting a new  

life in the countryside, some unexpected dark  secrets of rural Japan are becoming exposed.

The town that published those bizarre rules  sent a representative to explain them to a  

national audience on a popular show. The town  is currently experiencing a demographic aging  

crisis where 45 percent of the residents  are seniors. The town’s population level  

is unsustainable without newcomers moving  in, so the local government has offered  

newcomers incentives like public housing  and reimbursements for expenses related to  

child birth and child care. Currently, there  are about 20 newcomers moving in every year.

To prevent conflicts between newcomers and those  who already live there, the town government  

decided to publish 7 rules that are meant to  help newcomers from urban centers adapt to rural  

living. The first rule states that newcomers must  harbor a sense of responsibility as a resident of  

the town. The second rule states that newcomers  must accept that there will be many chores  

unique to rural living that urban folks have never  experienced. The third rule states that newcomers  

must adapt to habits of communal living, which  requires collective thinking and mutual support.  

The fourth rule states that newcomers must not  bring urban habits. The fifth rule states that  

newcomers must accept that they are being watched  and judged at all times. The sixth rule states  

that newcomers must be willing to build intimate  relationships with people of the town. The seventh  

rule states that newcomers must be willing  to help others in cases of natural disasters.

The town representative is originally  from Hiroshima city and explains that  

although these rules seem very harsh, they are an  

honest reflection of how rural living can  be very different from urban expectations.

The second rule regarding chores unique  to rural living refers to participation  

in communal events such as religious rituals and  seasonal festivals. To residents of rural Japan,  

these events have profound religious, spiritual,  cultural, economic, and social significance,  

and everyone is expected to devote a lot of  time and energy throughout the year to help  

these events take place. When urban people move  to the countryside, they are often shocked by  

how much time and energy they are expected  to spend on helping to prepare for these  

events. Whereas in the cities, participation  in such events is optional and recreational,  

in rural Japan, participation is actually  mandatory, and failure to do so can result  

in severe consequences, including  social rejection and even retaliation.

This man is a former school teacher in Tokyo  who moved to the countryside with his wife  

and children. His video on youtube became viral  for accusing rural authorities of bullying and  

harassing him and his family to punish him for not  participating in communal events. When he first  

moved to the area, he joined a local association  that focused on reviving the region’s economy by  

cultivating products like ginseng and maple  syrup. However, the project failed, and the  

man stopped participating in the association’s  events because he felt that the association was  

incapable of producing real progress and joining  their events was a waste of time. After he stopped  

participating, he was summoned by the association  leaders, who told him that his existence does  

not contribute to the region and they don’t want  people like him in the future. The man protested  

by arguing that he regularly contributed to the  region by cutting grass to maintain public roads,  

cleaning schools, and helping his neighbors,  but the association leaders told him that these  

contributions did not count. After that,  he was regularly harassed and bullied,  

to the point where his mental and physical health  deteriorated so much that he passed out and was  

rushed to the hospital, where the doctor said his  health problems were caused by stress. The video  

received millions of views, and many viewers left  comments about their own horrifying experiences  

of being bullied and harassed in rural Japan  for not conforming to the way of rural living.

The man was invited to a talk show to talk about  his experience. The show also interviewed the  

leader of the rural association, who admitted  to telling the man that the association didn’t  

want more people like him in the future  but denied allegations of bullying and  

harassment. This man is a comedian who also  happens to be an expert on rural living,  

and he points out that it’s very concerning  that the town has no recent record of newcomers  

successfully settling in, meaning that  all the newcomers ended up leaving in  

a few years. He says when urban people are  looking for a rural area to start a new life,  

they should carefully consider if the area has a  successful track record of newcomers settling in  

and integrating into the local community. He  warns that rural places with no track record  

of newcomers being able to integrate likely  have toxic cultures that push people out.

This man is a journalist who spends a lot  of time living in rural areas. He says that  

what urban people don’t understand is that human  relations in rural areas can be very hierarchical,  

which can be shocking to urban folks who are  used to a more egalitarian environment. In  

rural communities, people are often expected  to unconditionally obey those who are in high  

social positions, such as the head of a local  association, even if the association is just a  

grassroot association with no government  backing. He says that in rural areas,  

social hierarchies formed among children  in schools can actually last a lifetime,  

and the bullies in school would occupy high  social positions even as adults and continue  

to dominate the social hierarchy. He warns  that when urban people move to a rural area,  

they might find it difficult to conform to these  social hierarchies. If they refuse to conform and  

obey, they could suffer retaliations. He holds  an example of a town association retaliating by  

not allowing someone to use the garbage disposal  station. Since the garbage station is technically  

privately run by a grassroot association, it is  not illegal to deny service to any individual for  

any reason. In rural Japan, local leaders usually  have considerable power over essential services,  

and their retaliations can make  your day-to-day life a living hell.

This man relocated from Tokyo to a beach town  with his wife and opened a restaurant. The couple  

wants to help revive the region’s economy,  and their restaurant promotes local farmers  

by using regional ingredients in their menu. The  restaurant has been very successful and attracted  

many tourists to the region. After successfully  operating for 6 years, the couple suddenly  

received an order to close the restaurant. It  turns out that the building where the restaurant  

was located was managed by a local non-profit  association that focuses on reviving the region,  

and the leader of the association wants to use  the space to run his own restaurant. The leader  

has made many complaints about the restaurant over  the years, despite the fact that the restaurant  

is loved by its customers. The leader argued that  the couple only used the restaurant to make money  

without helping to revive the region, which  the couple refuted by pointing out that the  

restaurant has always promoted local ingredients.  The couple was upset by the unreasonable forced  

closure of their successful business that has  contributed a lot to the region’s economy and  

posted their story on social media. On social  media, the couple accuses the local government of  

colluding with the non-profit association leader  to kick them out. As the post became viral and  

attracted national attention, a terrorist threat  was made about potential explosions in the region,  

and the region’s schools and kindergartens had  to send the children home. This incident severely  

damaged the region’s reputation and put a bitter  end to the region’s effort to attract newcomers.

Through today’s episode of Japan Media Review,  

I hope you learned something about the  dark side of rural Japan. If you like  

my content, please help me by liking and  subscribing. I will see you next time.