The journey of Noto after the earthquake shows that true recovery is not only about rebuilding infrastructure, but about rebuilding people’s trust and connection. By bridging past and future, self and community, local and external, Noto is shaping a living model of resilience.

Country: Japan / Sweden
IDG HUB: IDG Japan Hubs Collaboration, IDG NIPPON LABO
Link to website:
Link to presentation: Resilience in action

The “Blue & Green School – Noto edition” was launched in 2025 by IDG NIPPON Labo, led by Hub Leader Masashi Mori, with support from other Hubs in Japan such as the IDGs Japan Hubs Collaboration (Maki Kobayashi) and many advisors bringing diverse expertise. Companies like All Nippon Airways and university students also joined the initiative.

The program combined online learning based on the IDGs framework with immersive fieldwork in Noto — a region rich in centuries-old festivals and cultural traditions, but also deeply affected by the 2024 earthquake, depopulation, and aging. Participants began with online sessions to reflect on inner development across the five IDG dimensions, then engaged in fieldwork to connect with local residents, listen to their voices, and co-create recovery ideas. The process culminated in proposals presented to the town leadership, bridging inner growth with tangible community action.

So far, we have seen participants move from personal reflection to collective creativity, while local communities welcomed both practical support and the human presence of outsiders. Festivals, cultural heritage, and even everyday exchanges became points of connection. The impact lies in showing that recovery is not only about rebuilding structures but about rebuilding relationships and sustaining community life.

What we have learned is that traditions and communities cannot survive on local resources alone under depopulation. Yet, with the IDGs framework as a bridge, locals and externals found new ways to empathize, collaborate, and act together — turning divides into opportunities for sustainable community resilience.

The Noto initiative demonstrates how inner development can bridge polarities on multiple levels. It connects inner and outer by turning personal reflection into community action, and self and others by aligning individual growth with collective recovery. A particularly critical polarity is local and external. In Noto, depopulation and aging make it difficult to sustain communities and traditions. External volunteers and new perspectives are essential, yet trust between locals and outsiders does not come automatically. Here, the IDGs framework supports empathy, dialogue, and genuine collaboration. Another tension lies between tradition and innovation. Even within the local community, debates arise over whether to preserve or adapt. The IDGs framework helps participants listen openly, honor heritage, and at the same time spark creative ideas for the future. Finally, the project itself bridges multiple Hubs and perspectives: initiated by IDG NIPPON Labo (Masashi Mori), supported by the IDGs Japan Hubs Collaboration (Maki Kobayashi) and many advisors. Together, this work shows how divides can be transformed into possibilities for sustainable community resilience.

Our project contributes to several SDGs by linking inner development with community-based recovery:

Real world impact (SDG connection) your project/initiative has contributed to.

  • SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: By co-creating recovery ideas with local residents, the initiative supports the regeneration of a disaster-affected, depopulating rural region. A central focus is sustaining Noto’s centuries-old festivals, which connect people within and beyond the community and embody a sustainable relationship with nature. Preserving these festivals is inseparable from sustaining the community itself.
  • SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being: In Noto, indirect disaster-related deaths have outnumbered those caused directly by the earthquake, due to shelter conditions, stress, and illnesses. With many elderly living alone, the arrival of young people from outside brings vital energy and hope. At the same time, new cultural activities — such as the mermaid show launched at the local aquarium — provide emotional relief and highlight the importance of psychological resilience alongside physical recovery.
  • SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: What began with IDG Hubs and advisors soon expanded to include companies such as All Nippon Airways, partner universities, and external volunteers. As the network grew, the project succeeded in bringing more people into Noto — demonstrating how diverse partnerships can generate both local engagement and tangible impact.