The globalization of music in recent years has led to both de-regionalization and re-regionalization of local music. During re-regionalization, the localized identity in musical practice is emphasized, and distinction from others is actively sought. However, it is necessary first to examine the relationship between music and locality, and the type of relationship that has been formed between music and region. This paper clarifies the process of acceptance of foreign music and the construction of locality in the town of Kawamata, Fukushima prefecture, by examining the relationship between music and region. A folkloric event has been held since 1975 in Kawamata and is now one of the largest musical events in Japan. In the beginning, the only performers were folk music practitioners, but with the participation of the younger generation and external evaluations, the residents have also transformed into active practitioners of folklore. Through this process, the event organizers and residents have established a connection between folklore and Kawamata, and a substantive epistemological locality for music has been constructed. In addition, the indirect practice of the residents’ initiative promotes the recognition of the usefulness of music in giving back to the community. These results indicate that in the relationship between music and the region, the construction of locality by practitioners, including residents, and returning to the region through various forms of practice are important elements.

Immunity to slope failure is based on the concept that once failure occurs, it does not recur until the soil layer recovers. It is worth examining whether two slope failures occurred on the same slope to verify whether that immunity is maintained during a certain period. The aim of this study was to reveal the distribution of slope failures induced by the Makurazaki typhoon and to verify whether slope failure immunity was maintained between the Makurazaki typhoon and 2018 heavy rainfall.

Based on the interpretation of aerial photographs, 3,787 slope failures were induced by the Makurazaki typhoon. It is believed that the occurrence of slope failures and amount of precipitation may be related. Areas of high slope failure density overlapped during both the Makurazaki typhoon and 2018 heavy rainfall. Thus, either immunity does not exist or the effective period is shorter than 73 years on a mountain or watershed scale. However, 113 slope failures were caused by the 2018 heavy rainfall on the same slope where failure occurred with the Makurazaki typhoon, and the recurrence rate was only 1.4% of total slope failures. In addition, the length of slope failure caused by the 2018 heavy rainfall on the same slope where it occurred due to the Makurazaki typhoon was shorter. These results suggest that the surface soil where slope failure occurred with the Makurazaki typhoon did not recover sufficiently during the period of 73 years up to the 2018 heavy rainfall, and that the immunity to slope failure was maintained.