Epilogue: Think global, act peripheral in Japan’s new ruralities

The epilogue ties together findings and observations from the volume to address the question of local autonomy in the countryside and its relation to processes of globalization and peripheralization. We find that local solutions are positively promoting successful revitalization and the maintenance of community functions. New residents are a valuable source for innovative ideas, while local knowledge and traditions prove to be of limited value when depopulation and high aging undermine local agency. The chapter evaluates the theoretical value of the key concepts of global countryside and peripheralization. By addressing the agency and influence of local, national and global actors, we challenge the idea of a homogeneous rural Japan and argue against the stereotypical notions of a peripheral and suffering, or traditional and authentically Japanese countryside. The creative role of regional centers, located within the rural periphery, and the impact of environmental change are identified as new gaps of knowledge in regard to research on Japan’s new ruralities.