穏やかで美しい瀬戸内海に浮かぶ豊島（てしま）は、文字通り自然豊かな島。島の清らかで豊富な水に恵まれた大地では、お米やオリーブ、レモンやいちごなど、様々な作物が栽培されています。早くから酪農も行われ、さらには瀬戸内の潤沢な漁場に恵まれた場所柄、漁業も盛んなため「食」の宝庫と呼ばれるほどです。

しかし、消費が美徳と謳われた高度経済成長期に、産業廃棄物が不法投棄されるという大変な事件に見舞われ、豊島にとって長く厳しい闘いが続きました。住民たちの根強い活動により勝訴を勝ち取った後、17年の時を経て2017年3月、ようやく廃棄物撤去が終了したのです。そして今、新たな時代を迎えています。

そんな中、住民たちの誇りを取り戻そうと、ベネッセアートプロジェクトが豊島でも始動しました。 2010年の豊島美術館オープンを皮切りに、豊島の自然と調和したアート作品が次々と誕生しています。現在では直島に続く第二のアートの島として、世界中から旅行者が訪れる場所になりました。瀬戸内海や棚田など、島の景観がアート作品の一部となり、唯一無二の空間を作り出しています。

一方で、日本の原風景がまだ色濃く残る豊島には、昔から変わらない島の暮らしが続いています。しかし高齢化・過疎化が進み、立派な日本家屋も今では多くが空き家です。他方、島を訪れて宿泊を希望する旅行者が増え、観光客向けの宿泊施設に新たな需要が生まれています。そこで、空き家を活用して「島の暮らし」を体験できる場所をつくることにしました。私たちは、古いものを再生させて新しい価値を作ること、さらには、四国・瀬戸内と世界をつなぐハブとなることを目指して活動を続けていきます。

   Teshima, whose name literally means “Rich Island,” is one of the islands in the calm and beautiful Seto Inland Sea (Setonaikai). As its name implies, it is blessed with rich nature. On the island, clean and abundant water allows for the growth of a variety of produce including rice, olives, lemons and strawberries. The island has a long history of dairy farming as well as fishing, which is favored by its location surrounded by the great fishing spots of the Inland Sea. It is even called the “treasure spot of food.”

   However, in the height of Japan’s rapid economic growth, where mass consumption had become a virtue, a grave incident occurred on Teshima; a huge amount of industrial waste was disposed of illegally on the island. A bitter battle with the local people began. The residents fought to recover the environment and after a long struggle they legally won. Disappointingly, it took another 17 years until all the waste was finally removed in March of 2017. Now, a new era for the island has started.

   In the midst of the hard time, a Benesse Art Project took root in Teshima with the hope of revitalizing the pride of the local residents of the island. Starting with the opening of Tesima Museum in 2010, many artworks that harmonize with the nature of the island have germinated one after another. After the first art island, Naoshima, Teshima has begun a second, which has become one of most favorite destinations of tourists from overseas. The scenic view of the island, completed with the surrounding SetoInland Sea and the rice terraces, has become part of the artwork. This makes it a unique art space.

   The traditional ways of dairy life remain in the backdrop of Japan’s original landscape. However, the community is suffering from an aging population and depopulation leading to an increase in abandoned houses. Many of the great traditional houses on the island are now without residents. On the other hand, there are new demands for tourist accommodation as more people come to visit the island and want to stay overnight. As well as this, the people on the island wish for those who want to stay to feel welcome.

   These factors led to our plan to make use of the abandoned houses by turning them into places where visitors can experience the everyday life of the people here in Teshima. We aim to revive the old assets to create new value and ultimately to become a hub that connects the Shikoku and Setouchi regions with the global community.