This research investigates how inhabitants have continued the local festivals and folk performing arts from generation to generation. To take over them, residents need supports from out-migrants, incomers, and volunteers. In the process of taking over the indigenous customs, participants re-construct the festivals and performances. This research analyses the transition and make clear the function of cooperation between inhabitants and other stakeholders in overaged and depopulated communities. Moreover, it aims to show the possibility of local festivals and folk performing arts to empower the community because they play the role of mediation among diverse collaborators. 
 This research project focuses on conflicts and misunderstanding between residents and other stakeholders. Through the negative incidents and feelings, people can learn how to live and cooperate in the community together. And in that situation, those who mediate between residents and other stakeholders are important. The project conducts the participant observation and interview for participants in three festivals in farm, mountain and fishing village because industrial and job structure gives effect to the organizational one. Research cases are Onda festival in Aso city, Rokusai-nenbutsu in Takashima city, and Kanmai festival in Iwaishima Island, Kaminoseki town. 
 This study shows the importance and difficulty of local festivals in regional community from comparative framework.

This research investigates how inhabitants have continued the local festivals and folk performing arts from generation to generation. To take over them, residents need supports from out-migrants, lifestyle migrants, and artists who are interested in folk performing arts. In the process of taking over the indigenous customs, participants re-construct the festivals and performances. This research analyses the transition and make clear the function of cooperation between inhabitants and other stakeholders in overaged and depopulated communities. Moreover, it aims to show the possibility of local festivals and folk performing arts to empower the community because they play the role of mediation among diverse collaborators.
In this research, I investigated the relationship between residents, out-migrants, lifestyle migrants, and artists in festivals and folk performing arts. For this purpose, I participated as a volunteer in observing the process from preparation of festivals and folk performing arts to the actual day of the event, and conducted interviews with residents, out-migrants, lifestyle migrants, and community development organizations that promote migration. In this study, I analyzed (1) the significance of festivals and performing arts for residents, outsiders, immigrants, and artists, (2) the challenges and difficulties faced by residents, outsiders, immigrants, artists, and community development organizations in preparing and learning festivals and performing arts, and (3) the viability of communities with the involvement of immigrants and volunteers.
This research project focuses on relationships between residents and other stakeholders. The project conducts the participant observation and interview for participants in two festivals in mountain and fishing village because industrial and job structure gives effect to the organizational one.
The subjects of the survey were Rokusai Nenbutsu in Furuya, Kutsuki, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture, and Iwaishima Kamimai in Iwaishima, Kamiseki-cho, Yamaguchi Prefecture, which out-migrants and lifestyle migrants or artists participate in festivals and folk performing arts. Research has revealed the process of settlement of migrants, the process of artist participation in folk performing arts, and the implications of participation in festivals and folk performing arts for migrants and artists. For the future succession of communities, it is essential not only to maintain social relationships of traditional communities and but to utilize social networks in a modern society that is individualized and fluid. In this research, we observed the possibility that personalization and fluidization of social relationships does not necessarily mean that they destroy traditional communities, but rather enables them to survive and inherit through the use of them.