Rural communities with progressive aging and depopulation speak to the current difficulties of maintaining traditional rural settlement functions, often due to insufficient workers. Therefore, the present study examines the current status and issues regarding the required awareness among residents, for maintaining the basic functions of rural settlements. This is done by interviewing the residents based on existing research that organizes the six social functions of many rural villages. Furthermore, this case study of a depopulating rural village, examined the measures required to maintain the basic functions of settlements in future depopulated areas. Specifically, we targeted cases obtained through interdisciplinary collaboration programs. Examining the qualitative differences in the related populations attracting attention in recent years helped determine the necessity of considering the relationship with the region for each category.
