MEET THE INTERVIEWEES
Click the green interview button under the photo to read the interview.
LIVING HISTORIES
Ms. Rio Miura
Rio Miura is a high school student at Kyoto Gaidai Nishi High School (KGN), which is affiliated with Kyoto University of Foreign Studies. She is a first-year student and belongs to the girls baseball team as the youngest member on the team.
Mr. Takatoshi Tsutsui
Takatoshi Tsutsui is from Ukyo Ward and is currently a fourth-year student at Ritsumeikan University’s College of Social Sciences. He is currently studying sociology, with a main focus on the declining birthrate in Japan and parent-child relationships, in his graduation seminar.
Ms. Shuko Kurokawa
Shuko Kurokawa is the okami (female manager) of Sushiyone, a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) in Keihokushuzan-cho, Ukyo-ku, that was founded in 1913. Aside from her ongoing interest in revitalizing traditional handicrafts, she is also involved in activities that support the local community, such as the Tamba Dance Group and the Keihoku Map creation project.
Mr. Stephen Gill
Stephen Gill was born in North Yorkshire, England, and has been living in West Kyoto for 26 years, At present, he teaches courses in English language and haiku in English literature at Kyoto University, as well as comparative culture and haiku in English literature at Ryukoku University.
Ms. Miwa Satake
Miwa Satake is the president of the Arashiyama-based marriage counseling firm KUON KYOTO. She works as a marriage counselor, working with couples before and after they get married. Over the past 12 years, she has counseled over 3,500 people and in the process over 750 couples have benefitted from her expert advice.
Mr. Kunihiro Tokumaru
Kunihiro Tokumaru, the representative director of the non-profit Frontier Association, is considered a pioneer of regional planning for Ukyo Ward and has been active in many community building initiatives. At one time, he also served as a member on several committees in the ward focused on development of the area.
UKYO IN ACTION
Ninnaji Temple
Ninnaji Temple was founded in 888 AD and is now the head temple of the Omuro School of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. There are historical buildings here that were built in the Edo era such as the Gojunoto Pagoda and the Niomon Gate and it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994
Kyoto Hannaryz
Kyoto Hannaryz is a Kyoto-based team belonging to the Japanese men’s professional basketball league “B LEAGUE”. Modeling itself on teams of the NBA in the United States, Kyoto Hannaryz is determined to offer excitement in both its match day shows and its performances in order to whip up enthusiasm in its fans.
Kyoto Minsai Japanese Language School
Kyoto Minsai Japanese Language School is a Japanese language and culture school that offers courses to students from various countries. The school values people-to-people exchanges through education in language and culture, and it strives to nurture international individuals who can play an active role in the world, while contributing to world peace.
Kameya Hirokiyo
Kameya Hirokiyo is a confectionery shop and bakery located in Keihokushuzan-cho, Ukyo Ward, about an hour’s drive north of central Kyoto. Since its establishment in 1922, the shop has produced and sold sweets that have continued to be loved and enjoyed by the locals.
Sukoyaka Sagano Farm
Sukoyaka Sagano Farm is an agricultural experience located in Sagahirosawa, Ukyo-ku. This is a place where you can experience consistent farming from planting to harvesting under the guidance of an expert, and is a platform for local people to interact with each other and grow vegetables together.
Japan Cat Network (NPO)
The Japan Cat Network (JCN) was co-founded in 2000 in Shiga Prefecture by Susan Roberts, an American woman, to help with the problems surrounding stray cats, and now has programs in Tokyo and Kyoto, to help with cat issues throughout Japan.