Photo/Illutration The Sign In Co-Working Office in Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture, will serve as a base for the “Tottori Creator's Village” project to nurture digital content creators. (Provided by the Tottori prefectural government)

TOTTORI--Tottori Prefecture is pulling out all the stops to nurture aspiring digital content creators from across the country by setting up the Tottori Creator’s Village to bolster the content industry.

The project took its inspiration from Tokiwa-so, a no-frills prewar apartment in Tokyo that was demolished in 1982 and where the likes of Osamu Tezuka and other prominent manga artists used to gather.

Officials said the prefecture is teaming up with Tokyo-based publisher Kodansha Ltd.

Creators already working outside the prefecture are eligible for the program. There is no age limit.

Up to five members will be selected from a range of genres such as video games, manga, the metaverse and virtual reality.

Instead of being housed in a replica Tokiwa-so, the members will use the Sign In Co-Working Office in Sakaiminato as a base from this March to February 2026.

There, they will receive guidance and work on their projects while living in nearby apartment buildings or housing complexes.

The successful candidates will also receive a monthly stipend to help their creative endeavors.

The prefectural government has made a major effort to promote the charms of local communities in conjunction with manga and anime titles as part of its “Manga Kingdom Tottori” initiative.

“We want to provide a forum where future maestros can become full-fledged creators as they discuss their works, help each other or even be at odds with one another sometimes,” Governor Shinji Hirai told a Nov. 22 news conference.

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