October is here, a time for indulging in a yummy chestnut-flavored treat or two. 

On October 8th, our very own Mikiko Hayashi had the opportunity to give a talk about sustainable tourism to the people of Nagiso, one of the most beautiful villages in Japan.

One of the most well-known places in Nagiso is Tsumago-juku, a well-preserved post town of the Nakasendo, the Edo-period trail that connected Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto.

A stroll among the historical buildings of the district, which are still inhabited by the townsfolk, will have you feeling the transition from the Edo period to the Meiji period firsthand. The area is very popular with tourists, and this wonderful post town has been designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.

Efforts to preserve Tsumago-juku began in earnest about 50 years ago, and among the 129 Important Preservation Districts currently designated nationwide, Tsumago-juku stands as a premier model for its preservation as well as its dedication to sustainable tourism. However, the reality for residents who are not involved in tourism is that the term “sustainable tourism” is a vague and poorly understood term that has taken on a life of its own.

In our presentation, we tried to not only stay away from technical jargon, but also to make tourism terms and definitions easy to understand by referencing familiar examples in an effort to have everyone go home with at least one new thing that they learned.

The town of Nangiso is hard at work planning a project to promote tourism, so now is the perfect time to foster awareness and hear the townspeople’s opinions about tourism.

Despite the weekday afternoon drizzle, about twenty people attended the seminar. In spite of the weather, it was a lively affair, with everyone listening intently, and so many questions during the Q&A after, that it went over the allotted time.

Considering Tsumago-juku’s past efforts, we are excited to see how the new tourism project and policies will progress.