Genkai shūraku (限界集落 , literally limited village, also translated as marginal village)
is any village that has experienced depopulation and in danger of
disappearing altogether, largely because more than half of the people
living in the village are over the age of 65.
Such villages are generally found in mountain villages and outlying
islands.
Villages facing this sort of situation have seen the functions
of a community - local government autonomy, maintaining of roads, and
ceremonial occasions - rapidly declining, and are facing losing these
altogether.
A hikyō station (秘境駅 hikyō eki ),
or "secluded station," is the name for those train stations which are
located off the beaten path and considered a place good for photographers and train fans seeking photos of historical trains and spectacular nature photos. The term originates in Japan and now is also used in other areas like Taiwan, especially among train fans. These hikyō stations tend to be located in secluded wilderness areas and mountain regions which have little in the way of human habitation.
Hikyō stations are generally located in areas that previously had a
sizeable human population due to mountain climbing and related
activities, but currently have very few inhabitants and houses. Because
of this lack of population, the trains no longer make regular stops, and
train and rail fans have adopted these as popular locations for
visiting. Because of the lack of regular use by passengers, the stations
see little use these days, and many are being considered for closure.
Beginning with the personal site of train enthusiast Takanobu Ushiyama, and a subsequent book published in 2001 by Shogakukan, the general understanding of these hikyō stations has begun to increase.
No comments:
Post a Comment