A short essay that I wrote about my tours in Nara, Yamato was again featured in a local monthly magazine titled "NARARA" (「ならら」）for their October issue, 2019.
In this issue, I wrote about my short and long vision of my tours. Basically, I believe that Nara has a potential to offer spaces not just for a short term tourists, but for those stay longer who comes to seeking for spiritual cleansing, finding inner peace, detox, harmonious balance of body, mind and spirit. etc. Therefor, creating a ideal "retreat center" in rural areas is one of my vision in Nara, Yamato. Gradually, I think, this kind of retreat center can be a role model to create job opportunities for many rural areas in Japan that are facing critical shortage of younger populations (job opportunities). Young people can move into such areas to offer healthy organic foods, guest houses, healings, tours, etc. etc.
With Alex Kerr. He is a famous Japanologist and an advisor for Japan's tourism Especially, recently he warns the negative trend of "over tourism" using many actual examples in European countries, such as Italy and Spain.
He was an official panelists at "Nara Silk Road Symposium 2019" in Nara. (Oct. 19th) Alex pointed out how excessive signs such as warning tourists or telling them "what it is", as well as badly planned commercial buildings or electric poles/ wires damage the historical, natural environment.
You can find his interview video by Matt (Asia Art Tours) filmed at Alex's house in Kameyama, Kyoto. He really is an profound person.. fluent in Japanese, too. He really is an profound foremost experts on Japan's traditional art and culture.