As tourism expands in Nagano, not everyone is equally positioned to benefit. Local farmers and producers face an uncertain future, facing barriers to participating in tourism networks despite their integral role in preserving food culture and traditions. Against this backdrop, luxury resort developments bring massive economic opportunities to the area. Yet agricultural producers in this already-declining sector remain at high risk of exclusion. Without direct access to these expanding visitor networks, agricultural producers may be left behind by the very growth happening on their doorstep.
This project supports Fermentation Valley, a network of local food organisations and businesses in Nagano’s fermented food industry that seeks to share the region’s fermentation traditions both locally and globally. This further strengthens linkages to Nagano’s tourism economy through inclusive and sustainable partnerships. This research aims to understand how Fermentation Valley currently engages with the tourism sector, where partnerships thrive, and where hard-to-access producers remain excluded. This entails researching how businesses that connect tourists to Nagano’s food and traditions can add value to the local economy. While there may already be producer-focused initiatives in the area, our research assesses what support Nagano’s hard-to-access groups – farmers and small local businesses truly require to thrive alongside major developments.
By centering the experiences and voice of these local producers, the project aims to develop pathways for community-led sustainable growth, ensuring that these groups are better positioned to leverage Nagano’s growing economy, enriching instead of displacing livelihoods.
