全国初の「野球のまち推進課」を設置した徳島県の阿南市では、野球を軸にした活性化を目指しました。地方都市が野球での地域振興を考えたときにときに思いつくのが、プロ野球のキャンプ地誘致です。しかし短期間で多くの人を集めるプロ野球チームが来るとなると、大規模な宿泊施設が必要で、阿南市には似合わない。
野球を楽しむ人々が、１年を通じて阿南に来てもらえたら。そこで目を付けたのが、プロとは真逆の、草野球選手たち。しかも還暦を迎えた野球好きが、一年を通じて楽しめる仕組みを作り上げました。
試合をする相手に困っていれば、地元チームとの試合をセッティングし、阿波踊りでの歓迎、地元特産品を使った食事の提供、そしておばちゃんチアガールの応援など、地域全体が一丸となって訪問者を迎えます。この取り組みにより、阿南市は観光と地域活性化を同時に実現し、独自の体験を提供する地方創生の成功例として高く評価されています。
Anan City in Tokushima Prefecture, the first city in Japan to establish a “Baseball Town Promotion Section,” aimed to revitalize the city with baseball as its axis. When local cities think of regional promotion through baseball, they sometimes come up with the idea of attracting professional baseball teams to their area. However, a professional baseball team that would draw a large number of visitors in a short period of time would require large-scale accommodations, which would not be suitable for Anan City.
We wanted to attract people who enjoy baseball to come to Anan throughout the year. They turned their attention to grassroots baseball players, who are the complete opposite of professionals. They have created a system that baseball lovers who have reached the age of 60 can enjoy baseball all year round.
If they are in need of a partner to play a match, the entire community comes together to welcome visitors by setting up a match with a local team, welcoming them with Awa Odori dancing, providing meals featuring local products, and cheering on the Aunty cheerleaders. Through this initiative, Anan City has achieved both tourism and community revitalization at the same time, and is highly regarded as a successful example of local development that offers a unique experience.