Hotel Okura Kyoto to Host Lecture by Mari Yamazaki on September 10th (Thursday)

Hotel Okura Kyoto (Headquarters: Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City; Kyoto Hotel Co., Ltd.; President: Hiroshi Shimizu; TSE Standard Market) will host a lecture event on Thursday, September 10, 2026, featuring Mari Yamazaki, a manga artist, writer, and painter active on the world stage. Reservations will begin on Thursday, July 9, 2026.

Mari Yamazaki

Widely known for her representative work "Thermae Romae," Mari Yamazaki is a unique manga artist and essayist who has honed her distinct perspective amidst multicultural environments, traveling between Japan and overseas. In recent years, through television appearances and lectures, she has consistently communicated messages about "intercultural understanding" and "living without being bound by conventional ideas," gaining support from a wide range of generations with her intelligence and humorous speaking style.

In this lecture, Ms. Yamazaki will share hints for "living without being bound," based on her own experiences of navigating diverse cultures since her first trip to Europe at the age of 14.

On the day of the event, in addition to the lecture, guests can enjoy a choice of dinner courses: Kyoto cuisine, Chinese cuisine, or French cuisine. Please spend a fulfilling time while being inspired by Ms. Yamazaki's words.

■ Event Overview
[Name] Mari Yamazaki Lecture

[Reservation Start Date] From 10:00 on Thursday, July 9, 2026

[Event Date] Thursday, September 10, 2026

[Time] Reception 18:00–18:30 / Lecture 18:30–20:00

[Venue] Hotel Okura Kyoto Banquet Hall

[Dining]

"Kyoto Cuisine Irifune" / "Chinese Cuisine Tōri" 17:00–18:00

French Cuisine (Banquet Hall) 17:00–18:00 or 20:10–21:00

[Price]

S Plan: ¥18,000 (Includes "Kyoto Cuisine Irifune" or "Chinese Cuisine Tōri")

A Plan: ¥16,000 (Includes French Cuisine)

[WEB Reservation] https://www.hotel.kyoto/okura/event/483567/

[Inquiries] Hotel Okura Kyoto Event Reservation Desk Phone: (075) 254-2566 (10:00–17:00)

*Prices include a course meal, one drink, consumption tax, and service charge.

■ Mari Yamazaki Profile

Manga artist, writer, painter. Special Appointed Professor at the Faculty of International Cultural Studies, Japan Women's University; Visiting Professor at Tokyo University of the Arts. Born in Tokyo in 1967.

Moved to Italy in 1984, majoring in Art History and Oil Painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze. Lived in countries such as Egypt, Syria, Portugal, and the United States after marrying an Italian comparative literature researcher. In 2010, received the Manga Taisho 2010 award and the 14th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize for Short Story for "Thermae Romae." Received the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's New Artist Prize in the Fine Arts division of the 2015 Art Encouragement Prizes. Received the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity, Commendatore, in 2017. In 2024, received the 28th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Grand Prize for "Plinius" (co-authored with Tōri Miki). Her books include "Viola-san" and "Thinking While Walking."

Currently serializing "Thermae Romae II" in Shueisha's "Weekly Shonen Jump+"; the comics are also selling well.

About Hotel Okura Kyoto

A prestigious hotel with a history dating back to 1888, located in the heart of Kyoto. Celebrating its 137th anniversary in 2025. The hotel harmoniously blends Kyoto's traditional charm with European elegance, bearing witness to a history of welcoming distinguished guests from Japan and abroad. The view from the top-floor restaurant, approximately 60 meters high, is magnificent, offering panoramic vistas of the Higashiyama mountains, the Kamo River, and the cityscape of the ancient capital.

1 Kawaramachi-Oike, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8558
Phone: (075) 211-5111 (General Inquiries)
Access: Directly connected to Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Station on the Tozai Subway Line. / Approximately 15 minutes by car from JR Kyoto Station.
Official Website URL: https://www.hotel.kyoto/okura/
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