Commoning the Once Abandoned Satoyama: Re-entangling Ecological Relationship in Rural Japan

This paper explores the role of Participatory Design (PD) in revitalizing Satoyama, traditional Japanese commons, amidst rapid depopulation. Satoyama, a symbiotic human-nature system, offers valuable ecosystem services and is integral to local cultural heritage. The study focuses on the Bambooful initiatives in Satsuma-sendai, addressing challenges in bamboo forest management due to economic shifts and population decline. Two projects, the Spatial Design Project and the Learning Experience Project, highlight the complexities of integrating non-local expertise and local care practices. The findings emphasize the importance of incorporating 'care' and community worldviews into commons management, suggesting that successful commoning involves deep, reflective engagement with both human and ecological relationships. This paper highlights the need for co-ontological, participatory approaches to maintain and revitalize commons in rapidly changing socio-economic contexts.