Japan is often ahead of the curve when it comes to technology and innovation, but one of the most revolutionary approaches to modern life is taking place in an unlikely location: the small mountain town of Kamikatsu, located in Tokushima prefecture, on the island of Shikoku.
Home to around 1,500 residents (more than half of whom are over 65), Kamikatsu has earned widespread recognition for the town’s commitment to sustainable living. While many municipalities set goals and make promises about transitioning to eco-friendly practices, the businesses and residents of Kamikatsu are making good on their pledge. Around 80% of waste in Japan goes into a landfill or is incinerated, yet Kamikatsu has the opposite statistic: 80% is composted, recycled, or reused.
Kamikatsu’s drive towards sustainability began in the 1990s, when it risked losing government funding over pollution-causing practices like dumping and open burning. Households were encouraged to purchase subsidized composters for their organic waste, while a waste-sorting facility for everything else was established in the town center. The town estimates that they are currently 80% of the way to carbon neutrality, which they hope to achieve by 2030.
Kamikatsu’s Zero Waste Center came about out of necessity, as the town didn’t have the money to provide a garbage collection service. The facility is far more than just the local dump, though. It provides 45 different categories of bins for trash and recycling, enabling the town to turn waste into resources that can be resold, with residents earning vouchers when they recycle useful materials.
Ingeniously shaped like a question mark, the Zero Waste Center is also home to Kamikatsu’s community center, a kid’s playground, and a shared working space. It also has a freecycle shop where residents can bring unwanted items for other community members to browse, collect, and take home.
Located in the "dot" of the Zero Waste Center's question mark, the WHY Hotel hosts many of the tourists who come to experience the unique town and tour the waste-sorting facility. Hotel guests cut individual bars of soap and select the precise amount of coffee beans and tea leaves they’ll want during their stay.
Other local businesses also embody Kamikatsu’s philosophy of reusing items that might otherwise end up in a landfill, such as the handcrafts made from upcycled materials that are sold at Kurukuru Kobo boutique. The town's popular Cafe Polestar serves a limited menu made with locally sourced ingredients and encourages patrons to bring their own reusable containers.
A trip to Kamikatsu wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Rise & Win Brewing Co., a craft brewery/barbecue restaurant/zero-waste shop (don’t forget your reusable containers!). In addition to utilizing unwanted ingredients from local farmers and companies, Rise & Win has managed to make the brewing process nearly a zero-waste loop by turning used grain into fertilizer.
On the way to zero waste:
- Rise & Win references the town’s name, as Kamikatsu combines the Japanese words kami (rise) and katsu (win).
- Kamikatsu has few cars, which are shared by local residents who volunteer to drive their neighbors and visitors around, including to and from the airport.
- Many small towns in Japan are shrinking due to a declining rural population, which makes Kamikatsu’s uniqueness more appealing to future residents as well as sustainably-minded tourists.
