Hankyu-kita NeopolisKawanishi, Hyogo Prefecture

Located in the northeast of Kawanishi City, Hyogo Prefecture, Hankyu-kita Neopolis (Daiwa district) saw its first residents in 1976. It was developed as a dormitory suburb of the Keihanshin (Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe) metropolitan region, combining a rich natural environment with easy access to the major cities of Kansai. The population of children in the area is slowly rising as it continues to attract families with young children from Osaka City and elsewhere in the Hanshin (Osaka, Kobe) metropolitan region.
The strong bonds within the community are one of its attractions, with considerable activity by the residents’ association and other community groups who see the Daiwa district as their birthplace and want to make it an even better place to live. There are also a significant number of former residents who have moved back to the area seeking a better environment in which to raise their children as well as people relocating or moving house within the area and parents with young families living nearby.

Nevertheless, the district is also experiencing the usual challenges facing suburban single-family housing areas, including the elderly making up more than 40% of the population, an increasing number of empty lots and vacant homes, and the difficulty of getting around the area’s steep slopes.
With the aim of making Hankyu-kita Neopolis (Daiwa district) into a place where people can feel secure in their lives regardless of age, we have embarked first on a program of consultations with the goal of learning how the local people feel about the place where they live.

By engaging in dialogue, we will work with residents to sketch out what sort of place they want Hankyu-kita Neopolis (Daiwa district) to be. As well as being fortunate to participate in the seasonal and other community events that are part of what makes the area special, this also includes our working with the residents’ association and other community groups to hold discussion meetings and conduct surveys of all households. Initiatives are getting underway to resolve the challenges facing the area and to bring people together to build prosperity and new connections.