Hospitality, Kyoto-Style

INTERVIEWER The key slogan for the Tokyo Olympic bid was omotenashi—in other words, the spirit of hospitality. Speaking as mayor, how would you describe Kyoto’s own particular brand of hospitality?

KADOKAWA Firstly, we want to ensure that visitors arrive to find a beautiful city. One long-standing custom among many Kyoto residents is kado-haki, where they wake up early in the morning to sweep outside of their houses. We also have around 500 city facilities that are cleaned on a voluntary basis by our municipal employees. Something we learned from a 2013 survey of tourists is that many of them were impressed by how clean and free of litter the city was. This attests to the effectiveness of the activities we have been engaged in over the past few decades to beautify the city, and is also a reflection of our deep-rooted traditions. I am quite proud of this fact.

Kyoto residents clean up a riverside area.

When people have spent the time and money to visit our city, it’s not enough that they should leave merely satisfied—we want them to be moved by the experience. They should feel Kyoto where they stay. They should feel Kyoto as they walk around the city. And of course, they should feel Kyoto as they sample our cuisine. Over the past century, the world has modernized at a rapid pace, and in this process many cities have lost their originality. But despite this modernization, Japanese cities, and Kyoto in particular, seem to have managed to hold on to their wonderful uniqueness. We want to treasure these distinguishing features so that people around the world can experience and be inspired by them.

Finally, let me just conclude by inviting everyone to travel to Kyoto to see its charms for themselves. 

(English translation of a February 25, 2014, interview at the Kyoto City Office conducted by Harano Jōji, representative director of the Nippon Communications Foundation. Photographs by Nakano Haruno; photographic materials courtesy of Kyoto City Hall and the website photo53.com.)

Key Facts on Kyoto

Population: 1,469,204
(as of February 2014)

Area: 827.90km2

Access via public transport: 75 minutes by train from Kansai International Airport on the JR “Haruka” express train; 2 hours and 20 minutes from Tokyo or 3 hours from Hakata Station (Fukuoka) on the “Nozomi” Shinkansen.

▼Further reading

Kiyomizudera Night & Day (360˚ Panorama)
Kiyomizudera temple beautifully lit up for special nighttime viewings.

Kyoto’s “Nippon to Asobō” Event Blends the Old and New
An event that showcases the city’s traditional culture and cuisine.

Kyoto’s Manga Museum
Visit a museum specializing in manga.

Kyoto University CiRA: Japan’s Leading Stem Cell Research Center
CiRA has been studying iPS cells and conducting cutting-edge research into their potential use in regenerative medicine.

Kōshinsha—At the Forefront of “Extreme Counting” Technology
A Kyoto-based manufacturer is bringing innovative technology solutions to the most challenging counting tasks.