Beyond Linear Causality: How Cultural Resilience Emerges from Nested Agency in Japan's Road Maintenance Traditions

Abstract

This study investigates the traditional activity known as "Doro Hinpyoukai" (Road Competition) in Nishihara Village, Aso District, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. Employing Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) theory as the analytical framework, this study explores how local traditional practices contribute to sustainable rural landscape sustainability and community resilience through multi-agent interactions, self-organizing processes, and dynamic feedback mechanisms. A mixed-methods approach is employed, which adopts Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze data obtained through in-depth interviews and structured questionnaires. The results reveal that the Road Competition exhibits hallmark CAS characteristics, that is shaped by nonlinear interactions across three levels—individuals, community groups, and the village—manifesting emergence, self-organization, and environmental adaptability. Further analysis indicates that a bidirectional reinforcement mechanism between community ethical norms and practical actions plays a critical role in maintaining the system stability. Continuously evolving local rules enhance the community's resilience to external pressures such as population aging and natural disasters.  This study introduces a three-dimensional "actors-ethics-practice" analytical framework, providing novel insights into the survival mechanisms of traditional activities and their functions within rural governance systems. These findings offer valuable reference points for advancing sustainable community development in regions prone to natural disasters.