Iwashiro, Fukushima Prefecture, adopted the "Uncle Encyclopedia Declaration"—"Uncle" becomes a tourist spot?

The word "uncle" has a negative image attached to it, such as "annoying," "lame," and "stubborn." Under such circumstances, a unique initiative to disseminate elderly men as a hope for regional revitalization is being promoted in the Iwashiro area of Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, and is attracting attention. (Photo: Ceremony for the adoption of the "Uncle Encyclopedia Declaration")

The trigger is the " Uncle Iwashiro Encyclopedia It is. The booklet referred to about 20 elderly men, including those who were guardians of local tourist spots, as "Uncle Iwashiro," and became a hot topic for its content, which spotlighted their personalities, work performance, and outlook on life. In addition, "Uncle Iwashiro" has the characteristic of referring to older people than the general social convention. The reason is that people in their 70s and 80s support community activities.

This initiative, which focuses on the "people" of the region, has garnered a great deal of sympathy and has been introduced in various media. As a result, the number of visitors from inside and outside the prefecture who want to meet their uncles has increased. The cumulative circulation has exceeded 10,000 copies, and the number of accesses to related sites has reached tens of thousands. In 2024, following this success, the successor project " Mysterious Map I. has been issued.

Against the backdrop of these responses, on Sunday, March 9, 2025, in the Iwashiro area, " Uncle Encyclopedia Declaration Based on the philosophy that "the community is made up of people," we will further disseminate the appeal of the uncles who support the community more widely in the future. The Declaration promised the following three things:

1. Through the presence of uncles, we will increase the attractiveness of the area and promote interaction between people.
2. We will widely share the spirit of the Declaration and build cooperative relationships with organizations and individuals who support it.
3. Deepening the bonds between people around the uncle and taking a small step toward world peace.

At the ceremony for the adoption of the declaration, the uncles who appeared on the cover of the booklet also appeared, adding to the festivities of the ceremony. Participants in the ceremony commented, "The idea of community development in which uncles play a leading role is fresh" and "This is a wonderful initiative that takes advantage of the aging population."

The tourism association took the opportunity of the declaration to position Iwashiro as a "sacred place for uncles' encyclopedias" and planned an event where you can interact with uncles. The idea is to create a place for interaction between tourists and local uncles, and to attract repeat visitors and promote migration, rather than a one-time tourism.

Mayumi Arino, a member of the Regional Revitalization Cooperation Volunteers who planned the project, commented, "I would be happy if we could use the declaration as an opportunity to further strengthen the appeal of the people living in the region and interact with other regions." Mr. Arino, who will be graduating from the army in March this year, said, "I opened my eyes to the charm of people who are close to the local community in Iwashiro, and I want to continue to be involved in some way in the future."

Iwashiro's attempt at an "uncle encyclopedia" is an attempt to reverse the image of "uncles," which has been regarded as a social issue in recent years and tends to be kept at a distance from the younger generation. This initiative will provide valuable hints for other regions suffering from declining birthrates, aging populations, and depopulation, as well as a new way of understanding local resources.

Whether it is serious or playful, there may be a gap in consciousness between the young man and the uncle who actually interacted with the locals. However, there seems to be no doubt that the distance between them has definitely been shortened through the "Uncle Encyclopedia".