Abstract
The introduction of strategies to build bridging and bonding social capital stimulate
community capacity development and knowledge creation and sharing and contribute to the
increased ability of communities to successfully introduce higher value-added community
policy structures. This paper explores these processes by looking at the development
experience of Oyama-machi, an inspirational archetype of the One Village, One Product
(OVOP) movement. The paper examines three social capital building (networking) strategies
introduced to Oyama-machi prior to the introduction of the OVOP movement in Oita: Oyama
Yuusen Housou; the Ohayou softball tournament; and an overseas sister city relationship.
These strategies built bonding and/or bridging social capital, impacting upon community
capacity development and knowledge creation and sharing and the subsequent introduction of
higher value-added community policy structures such as new produce, agricultural processing
techniques, and ways of conceptualizing community.