Hometown Stories S2023E4: Soccer Team Raises Community Spirit
- Aired: 2023-02-05
- Runtime: 27 minutes
Overview
A small community in Niigata Prefecture is surrounded by beautiful, abundant rice fields, but its population is shrinking as younger people leave in search of opportunity. To reverse this trend, a local NPO decided to launch a women's soccer team to attract new residents. It pays team members, who are also farm workers, to play soccer. In its seventh year, the team has become a source of community pride and passion. And older residents are among its most enthusiastic fans.