Kyoto Gov. Keiji Yamada

by YOKO MORIHIRO
Hokubei Mainichi

Kyoto Prefecture held a tourism seminar in San Francisco on Sept. 10 and invited various groups and companies, mainly Bay Area travel agencies that offer tours to Japan.

The event was attended by the governor of Kyoto, Keiji Yamada, who told attendees, “Kyoto is the heart of Japan.”

During his greeting speech, Yamada said, “When Japanese yearn for the heart of Japan, they come to Kyoto. It is a place where there is a special kindness toward both people and nature. I hope many people will come to Kyoto to experience the heart of Japan.”

Every year, 80 million Japanese and foreign tourists visit Kyoto, which has proven to be a popular destination for Western visitors as well. But Yamada said that visiting popular destinations like Kyoto can be like a fad, something that wanes as fast as it waxes, so he stressed the importance of showing a new side of Kyoto.

He said he hopes visitors will appreciate the Kyoto lifestyle, where residents live in harmony with the surrounding nature, as well as other outlying parts of Kyoto.

Miyako Murozaki of the Kyoto Prefecture government’s tourism division also gave a presentation at the seminar, introducing four regions in the prefecture. She talked about the special characteristics of Tango in the north region, Tanba in the central area, Yamashiro in the south, and of course Kyoto City itself.

Along the coast, Tango is famous for Ama-no-Hashidate, one of the popular scenic spots in Japan, but the area is also known for its abundance of seafood delights.

Mountainous Tanba is  Kyoto’s vegetable-producing region, vital to making Kyoto’s famous culinary creations.

As for Yamashiro, this area is famous not only for being the hometown of the literary masterpiece “The Tale of Genji,” but also for its very refined tea.

Murozaki talked about the wonders of Kyoto and gave pamphlets in English to the attendees.

Kyoto officials have been giving these tourism seminars in Los Angeles for the past three years. These seminars have been held in collaboration with the city of Kyoto and Nara Prefecture and the Japan National Tourist Organization, which has been promoting its Visit Japan Campaign.

Murozaki said they intend to hold more seminars in San Francisco, noting, "Along with L.A., San Francisco is an important region for us.”

Carla White, an attendee and employee at a travel agency in San Francisco, said, “I’m glad I got to know more about places to see in and around Kyoto besides just the city itself.”

Translated by Lefteris Kafatos