Societal design that depicts, views, and circulates memories of the land: Using “Roundabout Letters” - circulating round-trip letters

Abstract

In depopulated areas, an increasing number of elderly people are moving away from economic zones in search of better healthcare and caregiving services. As the elderly population relocates, their memories of these places fade, and eventually, they forget these areas. With this in mind, the authors attempted to depict the life-world of the grandfather of co-author Suzuki, who resides in Hamatonbetsu Town, Hokkaido, and communicates and interacts with Suzuki’s acquaintances within and outside of this town through round-trip letters. As a result, we are able to engage in generative communication, shaping our life-world by overlaying our “visibility” onto the life-world of others.