Tokyo, Oct.24, 2019 — The Japan Times Satoyama Consortium (Representative: Minako Suematsu, chairperson of The Japan Times Co., Ltd.) announced the winners of the “Satoyama Photo Contest 2019.”

“Satoyama capitalism” is giving new exchangeable value by people in the community to resources of natural origin promoted by this consortium to create a safe and promising community. It also creates a beautiful and deep feelings toward nature, crops, industry, and people. This contest is aimed at spreading more interest in Satoyama and Satoumi by photos taken in various areas. In the contest, we received applications for general category 762 works and 27 municipal category, and judging by adviser of this consortium, voting by Japan Times readers, one prize in each division and two outstanding prizes were decided.

The prize-winning works are scheduled to be published on the English language newspaper The Japan Times on Nov. 4th 2019.

Special site URL

https://satoyama-satoumi.net/contest/photo2019/result/

Instagram Account

@jt.satoyama_consortium


【General Category Best Award】

Photographer: Mr. Naoki Asano

Shooting Place: Asahi-machi, Nishimurayama-gun, Yamagata Pref.

Thank you very much for choosing my work. This is one of the rice terraces of Kunugidaira in Asahi-machi, Yamagata Prefecture. I took the picture of the early summer clouds that were reflected off of the rice fields submerged in water. There are many areas where the rice terraces are short of manpower, and it is not always possible to see this magnificent and graceful scenery. I want to leave this scenery for future generations. I hope to continue to communicate the charm of Satoyama.


【General Category Excellence Award】

Photographer: Ken-san

Shooting Place: Ine-cho, Yosa-gun, Kyoto Pref.

I am thrilled to receive an award that I have not thought of since last year. I hope that satoyama and satoumi will continue to spread throughout the country.


【General Category Excellence Award】

Photographer: Mr. Kyosuke Yonemura

Shooting Place: Misato-machi, Shimomashiki-gun, Kumamoto Pref.

I am very happy that the landscape I live in has been selected for the Excellence Award. As the name suggests, Misato is a quiet town surrounded by beautiful nature. The sunset reflected in the rice field during rice planting time is so beautiful that you will forget the time. By all means, please come and see this area! Thank you again for the wonderful prize.


【Municipal Category Best Award】

Municipality: Fukuyama-city

Town Mayor: Mr. Naoki Edahiro

Shooting Place: Tomo-cho, Fukuyama-shi, Hiroshima Pref. (Tomonoura)

It is one of the largest stone night lights in Japan. It has been watching over the port since the Edo period.


【Municipal Category Excellence Award】

Municipality: Hayama-machi

Town Mayor: Mr. Takahito Yamanashi

Shooting Place: Hayama-machi, Miura-gun, Kanagawa Pref. (Ajisai Park)

From the hillside park surrounded by about 3000 hydrangea, you can see the ocean and Mt. Fuji with a hydrangea-colored evening sky.


【Municipal Category Excellence Award】

Municipality: Jinsekikougen-cho

Town Mayor: Mr. Yoshinori Irie

Shooting Place: Jinsekikougen-cho, Hiroshima Pref. (Taishakukyo)

Within the Taishaku Gorge, a national park that spans between Jinseki Kougen and Shobara City in Hiroshima Prefecture, you can see a starry sky and a cherry blossom bridge overlooking the shores of Shinryu Lake.


■ About The Japan Times Satoyama Consortium

【Activity guidelines】

1. To support, connect and increase practitioners of Satoyama capitalism and to make that activity sustainable.

2. To make Satoyama capitalism function as an alternate option of money capitalism.

3. Supporting and involvement in Satoyama capitalism is to create an environment that increases the value of companies, local governments, etc. both in Japan and overseas.

【Official URL】 https://satoyama-satoumi.net/

* "Satoyama capitalism" is not only dependent on the "money economy (money capitalism)" symbolized by the Lehman shock, but also to Japanese history and it’s natural resources without monetary value practice. It is a way of capitalism to create a community that is safe and promising as well as giving the exchangeable value by the hands of people living in it. It is ideal that various unutilized resources are utilized by local practitioners which could create jobs, and lead to revitalization of the entire region.

Enquiries

The Japan Times, Ltd.

Press-related enquiries:

Ms. Sasaki/Ms. Kumano, Corporate Affairs Management

E-mail: [email protected]

Contents-related enquiries:

Japan Times Satoyama Promotion Consortium Secretariat

E-mail: [email protected]


The press release may be downloaded in PDF format