Mountainous villages with dwindling populations are dotted throughout Japan as younger people move to urban areas. These countryside communities, which capture the essence of Japan’s rural beauty and traditional heritage, are at risk as elderly villagers are left to carry the burden. Industrious individuals tired of living in the city are giving some struggling communities a second chance, such as Violet Pacilea who moved to Kochi Prefecture with a dream of breathing new life into her mother’s hometown.
Otoyo is located in the middle of Shikoku Island. It’s geographical location, as well as other factors, including depopulation, an aging community, limited industries and lack of infrastructure, has earned it the distinction of the fifth poorest village in Japan.
When the pandemic hit and international business came to a halt, Violet Pacilea saw the chance to create the lifestyle she always wanted. Worried about her mother, who was having issues with her kneees and could not take care of her property, Pacileo rented out her Tokyo apartment and permanently relocated to Otoyo with three business plans in mind: a distillery, a craft beer brewery or a CrossFit gym.
The distillery and brewery required high initial investment and Pacileo wanted to live healthily in the countryside so the CrossFit idea aligned with her and her husband’s hobbies and former careers. Also when Pacileo conducted initial interviews, she learned that the residents were very health conscious and would travel as far as an hour away to work out at a gym because there were limited facilities nearby.
After navigating seemingly endless paperwork and bureaucracy, Pacileo won a grant to make her gym a reality. First, she decided to go big. Working with a Japanese female architect, Pacileo transformed a rice paddy into a 240-square-meter warehouse gym that is now CrossFit Otoyo Strength. The CrossFit brand is from the U.S. and its 60-minute program was originally a form of training for police and the military to effectively train their full body in a short and effective way. Today it boasts the largest number of fitness gyms globally.
Pacileo wanted to stand out from other gyms by making CrossFit Otoyo Strength in the mountains and built from scratch using locally sourced wood and upcycled steel, a costly decision. In return, Pacileo has been rewarded with travelers coming from far and wide to see her sustainable gym.
The facility is a scenic riverside venue with a view of the surrounding forest. Pacileo and her husband, who also practices Brazilian jiu jitsu, are the main coaches. The gym is complete with a BBQ space and e-bike and SUP rentals. Visitors can order BBQ plates from a local hunter and try gibier (a French word meaning meat from huntng), including wild boar and venison. Adjacent to the gym is Tiny House Otoyo, sustainably built accommodation for travelers wanting to relax and unplug. They’re also partnered with water sports companies nearby including Happy Raft, which offers whitewater rafting tours.
Also, just when you think Pacileo couldn’t be busier, she is doing all this while freelancing as a NHK TV show host, a rural revitalization consultant, an Outside Director for Strategic Capital and an advocate for gender equality who regularly gives talks to local businesses and schools.
Most of Pacileo’s clients are local residents or inbound travelers who specifically enjoy the CrossFit workout while wanting to immerse themselves in the Japanese countryside. Pacileo says the most rewarding part of her job is seeing her whole family working out together and enjoying quality time in nature. She’s also seen a transformation in her mother, who went from being overweight and shutting herself up at home with poor knees to lifting a 20-kilogram barbell and walking without pain.
As far as future plans go, Pacileo has big ideas including offering more accommodation options and branding Otoyo as model town for sustainability. To learn more about CrossFit Otoyo Strength and stay in Otoyo, visit to otoyostrength.com
