The first session of the “Utaakari Concierge Workshop” was held (Lecturer: Hayato Kimura)

Learn about the community development of Nagato Yumoto Onsen and the "Utaakari" initiative

The first session of the "Utaakari Concierge Workshop" was held at Nagato City Hall on Wednesday, October 19.

This is an initiative for the "Utaakari(*)" lighting event scheduled to be held in the Nagato Yumoto hot spring resort area from January to February next year.

This program trains "Utaakari Concierges" who will provide on-site guidance to visitors during the event.

(*) "Utaakari" in 2023 is scheduled to be held from Thursday, January 19 to Sunday, February 19.

The course was attended by about 20 members of the "Nagato Tourism Concierge," who are active in learning about tourism in Nagato and hospitality.

The lecturer for the class was Hayato Kimura, Area Manager of Nagato Yumoto Hot Spring Town Corporation, a leader in hot spring town development, who spoke about the "past and future" of Nagato Yumoto Onsen as a whole, focusing on the renewal of Nagato Yumoto Onsen in the spring of 2020.

Manager Kimura giving a lecture

The "Utaakari" has received the "26th Furusato Event Grand Prize" for excellence and has been attracting more and more attention each year, and is becoming an established winter tradition in Nagato Yumoto Onsen.

Manager Kimura said, "It is gradually becoming well known, but we must nurture it together with the local community, while also cherishing the 'world of Misuzu Kaneko's poetry' and the 'unique qualities of this place. I would like to continue to build up these thoughts on the land," he told the participants about his thoughts on the event and the local community.

Two more training sessions are scheduled for the event starting in January. A total of three sessions are planned.

Related Links

Nagato Yumoto Onsen Official Tourism Site