Kyoto University of the Arts Students Explore Kurama Beyond Tourism: Presenting Results of Regional Revitalization Project

The 'Social Innovation' minor at Kyoto University of the Arts (Sakyo-ku, Kyoto; President: Taku Sato) will hold an event on June 14, 2026, in collaboration with Eizan Electric Railway Co., Ltd. and the Kurama Community Promotion Association, at the closed Kurama Elementary School to foster interaction between local residents and visitors. At this event, students will present and implement regional revitalization ideas planned based on a year of research and interviews with residents in the Kurama area. This initiative aims to rethink the new charms and regional issues of Kurama, known as a tourist destination, and consider the future of the region from the perspective of young people. Kyoto University of the Arts introduced an interdisciplinary minor program in April 2025 to cultivate talent capable of driving social change through the power of art, applying and developing learning from major subjects. In the 'Social Innovation' minor, one of these programs, students have explored solutions to regional issues in the Kurama area against the backdrop of a comprehensive partnership agreement between the university and Eizan Electric Railway. The nine students enrolled have been conducting interviews and research with local people since June 2025 to explore the current state and charm of the town. While the Kurama area is known for the 'Kurama Fire Festival' and 'Kurama Tengu,' attracting tourists from home and abroad, maintaining the local community due to population decline is an urgent issue. Responding to the voices of local people who said, 'We want young people who love the town to come,' the students devised various travel ideas focusing on Kurama's 'nature,' 'food,' and 'warmth of people.' The project was launched after the results presentation held in July of the same year received high praise. With the warm support of local people, the students have been preparing since last December to utilize the closed Kurama Elementary School as a new exchange hub. They aim to create a relationship population by disseminating the charm of Kurama, which goes beyond its image as a tourist destination, and to connect this to local attachment and future settlement promotion by increasing opportunities for interaction using the closed elementary school. Through such practices, the 'Social Innovation' minor hopes to continue to foster the ability of students to face the issues and possibilities of local society and create new value while collaborating with diverse entities.