限げん界かい集しゅう落らく

げ

ん

か

い

しゅ

う

ら

く

Meanings

noun

marginal village; depopulated village with mostly elderly residents

Sociological term for a rural community where over half the population is aged 65 or older, making it difficult to maintain communal functions.

日本にほんの中ちゅう山さん間かん地ち域いきには、限げん界かい集しゅう落らくと

呼よ

ば

れる

集しゅう

落らく

が

増ふ

え

て

いる

。

In Japan's mountainous areas, settlements called 'marginal villages' are increasing.

限げん界かい集しゅう落らくでは、祭まつりや共きょう同どう作さ業ぎょうの維い持じが難むずかしくなっている。

In marginal villages, it is becoming difficult to maintain festivals and communal work.

Kanji

限limit, restrict, to best of ability
界world, boundary
集gather, meet, congregate
落fall, drop, come down

Related words

過か疎そ
過疎 refers to general depopulation of an area, while 限界集落 specifically describes a village where the elderly ratio is so high that community sustainability is threatened.
集しゅう落らく
集落 is a general term for a settlement or hamlet, without the demographic connotation of 限界集落.

Built from

限げん界かい+集しゅう落らく

Etymology

Compound of 限界 (limit, boundary) and 集落 (settlement, village), coined in Japanese sociology to describe villages at the limit of viability due to aging and depopulation.