【Co-host】“Town Travel Symposium, 2021”,

commemorating the 1,400th anniversary of Prince Shotoku’s death.

TOP / Daichishin Seminars / 【Co-host】“Town Travel Symposium, 2021”,

commemorating the 1,400th anniversary of Prince Shotoku’s death.

Date: March 17th (Wed), 2021

Place: Meeting Room on the 25th floor of Abeno Harukas (Remotely delivered)

Co-hosts: Executive Committee of Uemachi Plateau Art Project, Osaka Regional

Promotion Initiative Foundation (GIF)

Theme: “Town Travel Symposium, 2021”, commemorating the 1,400th anniversary of

Prince Shotoku’s death. Future of sightseeing of ancient history.


―― Part 1 Creative Discussion ――

Traveling along the path between Naniwa-tsu which envoys from Sui Dynasty landed on and Prince Shotoku-related place of Ikaruga.

This discussion was created for the project “Prince Shotoku Town Travel Project”.


This is an original story imagined from meeting of Prince Shotoku and Haiseisei based on the historical fact of an envoy coming to Japan in 608 (Empress Suiko 16) made by Junya Nakano who is known to his producing of a public performance of reading by animation voice actors, VORLESEN which is booming nationwide. This story consists of 3 steps, Naniwa-tsu’s story, Shitennoji temple’s story and the story of Kamenose which lies in Yamato River running the border of Kashiwara City and Nara prefecture. Actually, this

road is the shortest course on which Prince Shotoku went back and forth between Asuka/Ikaruga and Uemachi Plateau in Osaka

Ahead of the symposium held on March 17th, a monitor tour of the three stories (walking through the town with ancient history) was conducted. The symposium is planned to include a large-scale forum with 40 or more participants with reports from the related experts. We hope you will enjoy this forum along with the creative discussion.


Nanzaemon Kyokudo, Kodan-shi or storyteller

Born in Hyogo in1954. Became a disciple of the third Nanryo Kyokudo in 1976 and named Nangaku. Promoted to Shin-uchi, a storyteller of the highest rank and renamed from Nangaku to Nanzaemon in 1987. Awarded the 8th Sakuya Konohana Award (Osaka City). Awarded gold prize of Hanagata Engeikai of Tokyo National Engei Hall in 1993. Became president of Kamigata Kodan Association (Currently, 2nd term in office) in 2005. Joins hands with a writer, Junya Nakano, conducts creative activities in “Kamigata Kodan” actively. Brings out Kodan of various genre such as “a biography of Handel”.


Junya Nakano, Writer/Playwriter

Born in Kyoto. Studied novels under Makiro Abe and Joruri scripts under the late 7th Kanji Turuzawa respectively. Became the representative of Telemann Institute Japan. Since 2018 has produced a symposium of discussion with high school students under the theme of public interest capitalism and a public performance of reading by animation voice actors, VORLESEN which gained reputation nationwide. Books such as “Utakata” from K.G. University Press have been published.


―― Part 2 Forum ――

Creation of Micro-tourism and New Pilgrimage Tourism

A story will be created by looking into ancient materials related to the path which Prince Shotoku used to come and go between Uemachi Plateau, Osaka and Nara. Many specialists will meet together and make proposals on the living history and future image of faith-based new pilgrimage tourism in this after-corona internationalized era.


14:00~ Short Speech

Content Creation of Tourism Resources and the Measures to disseminate It

Akira Tobita, Chief of Tourism resources division of Japan Tourism Agency (joined remotely)

Joined Ministry of Transport (currently Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) in 1995. After being a manager of Tourism Department of Tohoku District Transport Bureau, joined Regional Self-support Promotion Division, Autonomous Administration Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and became Counselor of the Office for Promotion of Regional Revitalization, Cabinet Office. Assumed the current position in July 2020.


14:10~ Lectures

Lecture1

Naniwa in the Asian History ~ looking into the era of Prince Shotoku~

Lecturer: Mayuko Kawakami (Associate professor of Course of History, Department of History, Sociology and Geography, Nara Women's University)

Born in Hokkaido. Graduated from Faculty of Humanities and human sciences, Hokkaido University in 2002. Left Graduate School of Humanities of Kyusyu University after earning credits of the doctoral course in 2008 (Doctor of Literature). Has been an associate professor in Faculty of Letters, Nara Women’s University since 2014. Majored in History of ancient Japan. Wrote “Kodai-Asia sekaino taigai kosho to bukkyo (external negotiations and Buddhism in the ancient Again world)” (Yamakawa Shuppansha Ltd.) in 2011. Co-wrote “Ryo Shokukozu to tobu yourashia sekai (A picture of a tribute by foreign envoys to Ryo and

East Eurasia World” (Benseisha Publishing Inc., 2014), “Nihon-kodai no Miyako-wo Saguru (Looking into capitals of ancient Japan)” (Benseisha Publishing Inc., 2015), “Higashi-Asia

no rei/gisiki to sihai ko-zo (Rituals and ruling structures of East Asia)” (Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 2016), “Nihon-kodai no Kotsu, Koryu, Joho-2 Tabi to Koeki (Transportation, Exchange and information of ancient Japan 2 ~ Travels and Trades~” (Yoshikawa Kobundo, 2016), “Nihon-teki Jikukan no Keisei (Formation of Japanese time and space)” (Shibunkaku Co., Ltd. 2017) and many others.


Lecture 2

Lost Resources of Ancient History and Possibility of New Pilgrimage Tourism

Yoshifumi Muneta (Professor of Kyoto Prefectural University, Japan ICOMOS National Committee)

Born in Shizuoka. Graduated from Architectural course, Faculty of Engineering, Hosei University and its graduate school. Majored in urban and regional planning in Pisa University and Graduate School of Roma. Obtained a PhD of Engineering with the research of historical urban redevelopment policy (in Kyoto Univ.) After joining United Nations Centre for Regional Development, became an assistant professor of Kyoto Prefectural University in 1993, an associate professor in 2007 and a professor in 2012. Assumed the position of vice president of the Univ. and the director of the university’s Japanese food culture research center Apr. 2016 – Mar. 2020. Becoming a director of ICOMOS national committee, a director of Kyoto Center for Community Collaboration and others. Books written by Muneta include “Nigiwai-wo yobu Italia no machidukuri (Town development of Italy to attract people)”, “So-zo tosino tameno Kanko Shinko (Tourism promotion for creative cities)”, “Inbound saisei (Inbound Regeneration)” (Published by Gakugei Shuppansha) and many others.


15:20~ 15:50 Section Meeting (Workshop)

1. Brushing Up of Tourism Contents of Ancient History

(Uemachi Plateau and a path used by Prince Shotoku)

Lost landscapes have to be not only reproduced with image restoring and VR, but also looked into deeper from the viewpoint of history, life, culture and tourism including big stories and food culture and brushed up as tourism contents. In this session, experts of various fields deepen will discussions with information of the latest measures.


(Reporters)

Shunji Yasumura (Director of Kashiwara City Historical Museum)

Ken'ichi Muramoto (Chief Curator of Osaka Museum of History)

Miho Minamitani (Professor of Shitenoji University)

Yoshitaka Sasai (Representative of Naniwa Gyosai no Kai)


(Participants)

About 20 specialists include Mr. Samugawa, chief specialist of Kinki Regional Development Bureau, Mr. Katsumi, secretary's office counselor of Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, Mr. Shinohara, chief of Osaka City Urban Development Bureau.


2. Pilgrimage Paths which Connect by way of Micro-Tourism (Town Development for Sightseeing at Each Location)

Through such questions as “Can we develop historical resources as the path of pilgrimage towards Prince Shotoku?” and “Can each location be connected with a new micro-tourism where local people and visitors from various places exchange deeply through historical culture?”, many of the related experts will expand practical discussion.


(Reporters)

Keita Amano (Associate professor of Osaka City University)

Hideyuki Ishimura (General Manager of Corporate Business Division, JTB) Satoshi Mutsu (Tourist, the 1st guide of Osaka Asobo)

Takayuki Ikura (Representative of Maimai Kyoto)


(Participants)

About 20 specialists include Mr. Hanazawa (Manager of Osaka City Tourist Division) and Mr. Yoshida, Managing Director of Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau.


Panel Discussion

Special Adviser: Shinichi Fukushima (President of Osaka International Convention Center Corp., Chairperson of Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau)


This will be a panel discussion following the dialogues with a total of 40 participants in the two section meetings as well as the short speech by Mr. Akira Tobita and lectures from Ms. Mayuko Kawakami and Yoshifumi Muneta.

You will also see fusion of the current of ancient history which should be looked into deeper in a multi-faceted way and brushed up as tourism content with creation of multi- layered pilgrimage paths of micro-tourism. Participants will discuss and make proposals for future image of new historical/cultural tourist routes which are sustainable from the viewpoints of not only volunteering but also businesses.


Born in 1948. After graduated from Kyoto University in 1971, joined Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (now Panasonic Corporation) in the same year, and became vice president of the company. Assumed the position of CEO of Kansai International Airport Co., Ltd. in 2009, and since 2016, has been President of Osaka International Convention Center Corp to this day. Vice Chairman of Cultural Committee of Urban Tourism of Kansai Economic Federation, Chairman of Kansai Association of Corporate Executives MICE/IR Committee.


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