In Japan, it is feared that nationwide depopulation cause deterioration of our living conditions. It is serious especially in rural areas. However, current improvement in urban and rural areas is assuming nationwide population increase. We need a new method for the improvement going in nationwide depopulation. We have to select the elements to be given up.

This workshop was carried out at the University of Tokyo on October 22 and 23, 2016. Our aim was to make enjoyable games relating to urban and rural development for promoting national discussions on the new method. Although the subject is not limited in rural areas, we usually call those games ‘Sim Rural’. In addition, we provided materials for developing the games, blank cards, dices, and so on.

This workshop was divided into five stages. In the first stage, outline of the new rural improvement going in nationwide depopulation was shown. In the beginning of this second stage, participants were divided into two groups, and then they practically learned foundation of developing an educational game with Mr. Ikeziri, a specialist in education. In this stage, they made rough drafts of their game. The third stage (on the second day) was making their trial pieces and the tests. In the fourth stage, they finally made two practicable games. In developing the games, each of groups, made in the second stage, independently developed it. The fifth stage was evaluating the games (through practicing) and thinking backward.

The result of this workshop is two games focused on a strong village to keep a rural area and arrangement of land managers. Moreover, we think that participants have improved their abilities to make an educational game. We carried out similar workshops in 2014 and 2015. A feature of this workshop compared to that in 2015 is refined pictures on the cards used in the game, using a portable printer. Through the three workshops in 2014, 2015, and 2016, the lecturers and facilitators, too, have improvement the abilities for the workshop.