In this research, we delved into the “hometown study” initiative at Koyasan Junior High School, in the span of four years from 2020 to 2023. It clarified the transitions of hometown study for four years through organizing and analyzing the entire process of community development learning, from its initial planning stages to its actual implementation. The findings revealed that precisely understanding local conditions and needs and reflecting them in learning programs and educational methods as necessary will lead to the evolution of community development learning.

In this study, we identify the challenges in implementing town development learning using the case of hometown learning we practiced at Koyasan Junior High School. Koyasan is famous as a tourist destination with a World Heritage Site but has been experiencing a population decline in recent years. In collaboration with teachers, we planned a hometown study program targeting the historic city area, including the discovery of the town’s charms and issues and proposals for the future, which we implemented through trial and error in actual classes.