The Yasiki (屋敷) in Asuke(足助), Japan, is a special place where there are distinctive workshops. In these workshops, the processes of making traditional craft products with local features, such as textiles, Japanese Paper, lacquer works, woodworks, bamboo weaving works, have been demonstrated to outside visitors. Meanwhile, visitors can also have the opportunity to interact with and learn from the local craftsmen concerning traditional handicrafts, and participate in any producing process as they would like to. It would be no exaggeration to say that Yasiki is a live “folk archive”, in which featured local cultural heritage has been demonstrated and promoted.
The Asuke Yasiki is a successful design case of applying Endogenous Regional Development Theories into practice. Actually, since its foundation, the Asuke Yasiki has not been financially supported by government, but by the local community. Job opportunities have been created for experienced craftsmen with varied craft skills here. And, external visitors can learn the traditional skills from local craftsmen, and experience the whole producing process in person. Through the interaction between external visitors and local people, the featured local cultural heritage has been exhibited and promoted, and certainly, profits have been gained. Meanwhile, the visitors have a more profound understanding of the local cultural heritage through their own personal experience. Both the visitors and the local craftsmen gain great pleasure-a sense of fulfillment-that cannot be valued by money during the communication process. In sum, besides its endogenous, autonomous and self-reliant properties, the Yasiki case has enriched the Endogenous Regional Development Theories by involving external participation into the process of the promotion of regional cultural heritage.
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