Abstract
While sense of place is recognized as essential to mental health and community development, its loss and reduction has become a serious problem in rural Japan. Accordingly, an enhanced understanding of how sense of place is developed, as well as ways it can be fostered, is essential for planners concerned with rural decline. This paper analyzes sense of place from by interrogating the relationships formed between local communities and certain types of landscapes and activities. The findings suggest that pluralistic relationships between local communities and everyday landscapes as well as activities such as work, playful leisure, and seasonal festivals are of particular importance to the development and enhancement of sense of place.
