Abstract
Studying in mountain village systems are performed all over the country as a counter measure to the decline in the number of students and combined classes. Most urban students live in villages only during study periods and then return to their hometown, but a small number of urban students' families emigrate to the rural village.
This study aims to clarify the condition of emigration process, life in the village and support to the system of the urban residents who emigrated by studying in mountain village system (the emigrated families), and to grasp the consciousness to emigration of the urban students and guardians. Moreover it examines the tasks of emigration and the role of urban residents for continuance studying in mountain village system.
We conducted questionnaires and interviews with the urban students and guardians of Takami elementary school. And we conducted interviews with the representatives of four emigrated families' households.
Although many urban students and emigrated families hope to live in the village after the study period, there are many difficult problems, from urban students' entrance to secondary schools and parents' employment and housing securement. On the other hand, the emigrated families make use of their experiences during the study period and of the network with other emigrants and local residents, and they overcome these obstacles.
The emigrated families support the life of the urban students and guardians and the system, and they have valuable roles in continuance studying in mountain village system.
Studying in mountain village system is a system for enriching the educational environment in decline birthrate problem. However, it is difficult to continue the system by only local residents, and important existence of urban residents who support the system as the emigrated families.
Longing for life in a rural village is the cause of studying in mountain village system for the urban students' families and the emigrated families. And a system such as studying in mountain village system which can experience life in a rural village is important for the urban residents who hope for U-J-I-turn. Also, it is considered that the residents who support of urban residents increase by the continuance of systems such as studying in mountain village system.
