In a ranking of Japan’s most attractive prefectures, the “Ibaraki Prefecture” brand came last. The prefecture’s slogan was “Namennayo, Ibaraki-ken” (Don’t mess with Ibaraki prefecture). In fact, though, Ibaraki boasts the sixth highest incomes in the country, the highest average home floor area, and the second highest agricultural output. And as for attracting companies, it is number-one in Japan in three categories: number and floor area of factories and number of companies from outside the prefecture. So though provincial, it’s a prosperous prefecture. This “Namennayo, Ibaraki-ken,” which is the writer’s home prefecture and has the lowest brand value in the country, can provide some hints concerning regional economic revitalization.