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What comes to mind when you think of Japan's national parks? Unlike the case in many other countries, where national parks are vast tracts of pristine nature, there are stories to be told about most of Japan's national parks - stories of people living in harmony with nature and in awe and respect of nature. These stories hold clues for creating a carbon-neutral and sustainable future. This article will share the unique appeal of Japan's national parks and explain some of the changes happening in our national parks during the pandemic.

National parks as tourism resources for foreign visitors

Japan stretches lengthwise from north to south, encompassing a diverse range of climatic zones, from subarctic to subtropical. National land also exhibits great differences in altitude and complex topography. Across this land, a total of 34 of Japan's quintessential "outstanding natural landscapes" have been designated as national parks by the government. Of these, seven national parks include World Heritage sites. The four seasons in Japan give rise to a diverse array of flora and fauna, as well as scenery, with the same park or location exhibiting differing scenic views according to the time of year.

The national park system has existed in Japan for some 90 years, with its main purpose being the preservation and utilization of the natural environment and scenic areas. Since Japan's period of rapid economic growth, however, priority has been placed on preservation, and national parks have been operated as places to protect nature, scenic areas, and biodiversity. Meanwhile, interest in tourism began to rise in Japan as a whole beginning around 2000 as a means of overcoming the prolonged economic slump that followed the bursting of the bubble economy, and the natural attractions of national parks began to garner attention as tourism resources. In 2016, national parks were designated as a pillar of the "Tourism Vision to Support the Future of Japan", and the "Fully Enjoy National Parks" project was launched to promote the parks to overseas visitors. A number of initiatives were then begun aimed at increasing the use of Japan's national parks by foreign visitors.

"Stories to Experience"

One unique feature of Japan's national parks is that they encompass landscapes formed out of the lifestyles of the local people that are an accumulation of the history of human and nature coexistence. Both within the national parks and outside them, the nature and history of each region coexist having been shaped by human hands. Visitors to national parks can not only view diverse natural landscapes and experience nature and culture, but also come into contact with history and stories born out of a harmony between nature and people. The experiences offered by these diverse natural landscapes, and the stories of life, culture and history that are concentrated in them, are unrivaled and unforgettable. The cultural and spiritual appeal of Japan's national parks has been conveyed to the world in the brand message, "Stories to Experience - National Parks of Japan".

The "Fully Enjoy National Parks" Project

This project provided opportunities to review and rebuild a virtuous cycle for the protection and use of the magnificent natural environment, which is the original purpose of the national parks system. Most of the land within Japan's national parks is either national forest or privately-owned land. As such, hotels and houses can be found both in and around national parks, as private ownership allows for individual authority. However, depopulation and a worsening economic situation in rural areas has led to an ongoing lack of funding for the removal or renovation of hotels and houses, even after they become dilapidated. Under these circumstances, improvement of the landscapes of national parks and protection of their natural environments were becoming problematic. Thus, a mechanism was needed to encourage tourists to visit and use the national parks, which would economically allow for the protection of the natural environment. The project provided the impetus for a virtuous cycle between protection and use of national parks' magnificent natural environments by using government funding to make enhancements. More specifically, the project improved landscapes by removing or renovating dilapidated hotels, making upgrades to visitor centres including information provision in multiple languages, installation of Wi-Fi, and the adding of services by private operators. In addition, efforts have been made to expand experiential programs and create publicity materials in order to provide unrivaled enjoyment and experiences that only our national parks can offer. A user-pays system has been established whereby fees collected from tourists who participate in the experiential programs are used to protect wildlife in the national parks. Additionally, a variety of lodging facilities has been provided to meet differing needs, ranging from luxury hotels to camping and glamping. As these improvements were being made to enhance the overall appeal of the national parks, a website was launched and efforts made to reach overseas audiences in cooperation with foreign media. As a result, the number of visitors to national parks coming from overseas increased from 4.9 million in 2015 to 6.67 million in 2019.

Social transformation and changes of heart

In recent years, faced with environmental issues like climate change and biodiversity loss, as well as widening inequality, poverty, and other social challenges, we now aim to transform our societies into a carbon-neutral and sustainable ones. In 2015, the United Nations adopted "Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" (2030 Agenda), with the global aim of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

What is involved in "transforming our world", as the 2030 Agenda's title proposes? In discussions of the 2030 Agenda, we often hear references to the importance of technology, finance, and partnerships. Yet these alone may not be enough - transformations in people's values and lifestyles are surely required. The appeal of Japan's national parks lies in opportunities to learn about the culture, history and spirit that make up the sense of values and way of living that are in harmony with nature, which are needed to create a sustainable future, the aim of the 2030 Agenda.

Japan's national parks are rich in spiritual places. Experiencing the grandeur of nature makes human beings feel that their existence is just one small part of nature. When we are surrounded by nature, we feel a sense of peace and gratitude. Furthermore, we learn to fear nature when we live in harmony with it, and we come to respect it. Such ideas and philosophies about nature have taken shape in the many spiritual places that can be found in Japan's national parks. This nature and people's sense of values toward it have the potential to transform the hearts and minds of those who visit our national parks, thereby "transforming our world".

Rethinking work and lifestyles in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic

While work to promote the charms of Japan's national parks has been ongoing mainly targeting foreign visitors, from 2020 onwards, the global spread of COVID-19 has made it difficult to visit Japan. Accordingly, renewed efforts have been made to attract domestic visitors. For example, new uses are being promoted in light of recent lifestyle changes brought about by the pandemic, such as using national parks as places for workation. The pandemic has made remote work more possible than ever before. Offering national parks as workation destinations has given people from cities chances to discover the attractions of rural areas.

Workation in national parks can also help lay the groundwork for building a decentralized society. If we are to create a sustainable society, decarbonization and a shift to a circular economy will be required. This will necessitate the creation of autonomous decentralized societies, for example, rural areas that produce and use their own renewable energy. Japan aims to create what we call "Regional Circulating and Ecological Spheres" that are decarbonized, circular, and decentralized local societies. National parks are becoming more important than ever before in these contexts.

We are also moving towards decarbonization and circularity within our national parks. Zero-carbon parks are taking the lead in offering free parking for electric vehicles, introducing e-bike services, and promoting the use of personal water bottles. In addition, we are working to further enhance activities and cultural experiences that emphasize the human and nature coexistence stories of our national parks. Initiatives to maintain a virtuous cycle of protection and use of national parks are also underway, such as limiting the number of users and adding fees to be used for environmental protection.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a reconsideration of the distance between people in modern society, as well as the distance between people and the energy and materials that support their lives, and the distance between people and nature. The pandemic has also raised doubts about the distance between people in urban areas with concentrated populations. When food and masks were in short supply during the pandemic, we realized how far away we are from the food and energy that support our daily lives. When we were told that the destruction of nature by humans and the distance between people and wild animals were the origin of COVID-19, we were forced to think about the appropriate distance between people and nature. Finding the right distance in these three ways is necessary for building a sustainable society, and it is COVID-19 that brought us this realization.

Decarbonized, decentralized, and circular "Regional Circulating and Ecological Spheres" represent an ideal that we must aim for in building a sustainable future. Underlying this aim is a reverence for nature. Visiting Japan's national parks and experiencing a sense of reverence for nature can lead to a change of heart, which in turn may lead to "transforming our world", the aim of the 2030 Agenda.