By TAKESHI KAMIYA/ Staff Writer
February 24, 2023 at 07:00 JST
The exterior of Nipponia Hotel Ozu Castle Town in Ozu, Ehime Prefecture (Provided by Kita Management)
OZU, Ehime Prefecture--Although known for its historical townscape referred to as the "Little Kyoto" of the Iyo region, Ozu has been suffering from a sluggish economy stemming from a declining population.
But the city is poised to rebound thanks to efforts to restore a bustling atmosphere by remodeling vacant old houses into hotels and other facilities.
The effort has been recognized as Ozu has been selected as one of the six finalists for the Culture and Tradition award of the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories competition.
Ozu was included in the top 100 list of Sustainable Destinations by the Netherlands-based international certification organization for the first time in 2022.
The list is announced annually by Green Destinations, which evaluates sustainable tourism efforts in local areas.
Kita Management, a general incorporated association based in Ozu, was commissioned by city officials to submit the application after driving the restoration efforts in the city.
Its representatives will attend the awards ceremony to be held in Berlin in March.
‘Castle stay’ programs bestow ‘lordships’ from one million yen
October 19, 2022
Castle to mark 400th year with offer of free overnight stays
February 21, 2022
Hotels spread out to boost local economies, entertain guests
September 18, 2022
Japan manages growth in final quarter as tourism returns
February 14, 2023
Sapporo startup to take tourists on balloon rides into ‘space’
February 22, 2023
A peek through the music industry’s curtain at the producers who harnessed social media to help their idols go global.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
