OISHII STREET Kitano Tour Monitor Tour Report
2024.12.16
On Friday, November 22nd, WAKJAPAN conducted a monitor tour of the Kitano Tour, part of the “OISHII STREET” series, which is set in the several shopping streets in Kyoto and is planned and operated in cooperation with a General Incorporated Association, affiliated with Kyoto City.
Four international students who are usually active in WAKJAPAN’s educational programs were invited to the tour, which started at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, the center of the Kitano area, and toured Kitano Shopping Street, the kitchen of Nishijin, with a local guide.
At Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, a Shinto priest guided them around the shrine grounds and shared a wide range of valuable information, including the shrine’s history, famous architecture, cultural heritage, and the seven wonders of the shrine. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine has a long history and is now visited by students from all over the country as the god of academics, but it is also said to be extremely beneficial not only for academics but also for culture and the arts, and for protection from disasters, making it an inseparable part of the lives of the local people.
We made a formal worship at the beautiful Momoyama-style main hall, which was built 400 years ago and is now a designated national treasure. In a solemn atmosphere, everyone received a prayer and prayed for the success of the tour. For many of the international students, this was their first time making a formal worship at the shrine, and they commented that it was extremely valuable to have this experience during the tour. One of the best parts of the tour was being able to talk directly to the priests. The international students asked questions such as “Why did you choose to become a priest?” and “What is rewarding about the work of a priest?”, and it seemed that they were enjoying the interaction that they would not normally have.
After the valuable experience at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, they walked along the approach to the shrine and headed to Kitano Shopping Street, which is located right down from the shrine. On the way, the local guide explained the city tram that was running from Kyoto Station to Kitano from the Meiji period to 1955, the location of the old torii gates, and the background to the origine of the shopping street.
In the shopping district, the students stopped by kelp shop, tool store, Japanese sweets shop, chicken shop, beauty salon, and tofu shop to taste their popular product and talk with the shop owners about the history and characteristics of the shops, enjoying the nostalgic shopping district to the fullest. At the Japanese sweets shop with an incredibly long history, currently run by the 23rd generation, the shop owners told them about their long history, which made them surprise.
Although the international students are knowledgeable about Japanese history and culture, they were delighted to hear that they were able to feel the long history of this town and the lifestyle of the people who have lived there for generations. Finally, they all had lunch together at a Japanese restaurant in the shopping street, and the tour ended.
Based on the issues identified during this monitor tour, we will finalize the tour and plan to officially release it soon. We will announce the official release on our website in near future.
[Kitano Tour]
For group tours: minimum 5 people, 9,900 yen per person (tax included), includes a guided tour of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine by a Shinto priest, a walk through the shopping streets with a guide, tastings, and lunch.
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