Metropolitan Japan receives 59% of the country's total in-bound visitors each year. Meanwhile, rural towns continue seeing steep population and economic decline, and with that the loss of their centuries-old heritage of traditional crafts and architecture. UNESCO and Japan Heritage designations have become desperate attempts to build resilience through tourism development. Cookie-cutter tourism strategies may create short-term financial benefits but long-term negative effects. Riding the growth in the experiential travel industry, we connect Global Creators to Japan Makers to activate rural craft towns, providing a platform to rethink object design, production and consumption.