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One of the unique aspects of PlanetDAO is the opportunity for co-owners to engage directly with the people and places connected to the properties they help preserve. In April 2026,…
In the late May 2026, PlanetDAO held a stayover gathering at the Hojo Heritage in Sado. More than 20 people joined us, including co-owners from Japan and overseas, members of…
By Monika M.S. First published on PlanetDAO Substack on June 6, 2025. This is the continuation of the Spring Gathering story for the PlanetDAO001 property in Wakayama. If you haven’t…
By Monika M.S. First published on PlanetDAO Substack on May 29, 2025. On May 9th, they arrived in Wakayama as strangers to the local community and as a group of…
Interview with Tomi Nishiyama, head priest of Daitaiji Temple, Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Originally published in Japanese · Translated into English by PlanetDAO In Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture—at the foot of the UNESCO…
by Tomohiro Kimura Originally published in Japanese · Translated into English by PlanetDAO “We’ve reached our limit — financially and in age.” These candid words from Tadashi Hojo, younger brother…
Sado Island, off the coast of Niigata Prefecture, was once synonymous with isolation and punishment. For centuries, it served as a remote outpost for those cast out by Japan’s ruling…
Over the past 20 years, Japan has witnessed a silent crisis—millions of homes standing empty, crumbling in quiet rural towns and even urban suburbs. Known as akiya (空き家), these vacant…
Japan's tourism sector has surged in the first half of 2025, reaching record-breaking levels of international interest. From Tokyo’s tech-savvy charm to Okinawa’s tropical allure, travelers are flocking to the…
Japan is facing a mounting crisis of land abandonment, with the issue of unclear inheritance at its core. As rural depopulation accelerates and generational values shift, land once passed proudly…
Introduction: A Hidden Landscape of Abandonment Japan’s countryside, often romanticized for its rice terraces, misty mountains, and time-honored agricultural traditions, is facing a quiet but escalating crisis: farmland abandonment. While…
Bamboo, with its elegant form and notable resilience, has long been an essential element in Japanese life. Beyond its visual appeal, bamboo symbolizes purity, flexibility, and strength, which are values…
Discover how Japan transformed inbound tourism from economic strategy to cultural exchange, focusing on sustainability and regional revitalization.
Japan’s temples face a quiet crisis as danka parishioners decline and priests age, threatening centuries of cultural heritage and local community life.
Explore the differences between kominka and akiya in Japan’s housing landscape, and discover why these traditional and vacant homes are attracting global interest for sustainable living and cultural immersion.
Discover how Japan classifies historic architecture through Registered and Important Cultural Properties, balancing preservation and adaptive reuse to keep cultural assets alive for future generations.
