November 2009

Pilot project for recycling small household appliances started

24 November 2009

To promote the recycling of so-called rare metal resources in small household appliances, a project for the collection and recycling of unneeded used small household appliances is currently underway in Kyoto city. Designated by the national government, the city is taking the lead among other cities with the project.
Under the project, fifteen types of appliances are collected including mobile phones, digital cameras, home video games, calculators and USB memory sticks.
Special collection boxes have been placed in 22 places including the City Hall, and supermarkets and shopping malls in Kyoto city until January 31 next year. In addition, temporary collection boxes will be placed at event sites such as flea markets.
To eliminate the risk of personal information being leaked from collected appliances such as mobile phones, the data storage parts of such appliances will be destroyed after collection.
For further details, call the Circulation Planning Section 075-213-4930


Kyoto City Subway released its first original"in-station"cake

16 November 2009

Kyoto City announced that the Kyoto City Subway has released an original "in-station" sweet, "Mizuo no Yuzu Cheese: Maro no Okiniiri", which is available only in subway stations.
An in-station sweet competition was held, aiming to improve the profitability of the subway, which has been facing a severe fiscal situation, and to stimulate local industries, and many unique sweets were offered by local companies. At the competition, representatives of universities, companies and Kyoto city jointly selected "Maro no Okiniiri"as the winner.
"Mizuo no Yuzu Cheese: Maro no Okiniiri" is a steamed sponge cake with cream cheese mixed with yuzu from Mizuo, a little-known specialty of Kyoto. The character printed on the package plays a role in adding a Kyoto ambiance.
An award ceremony was held following the product announcement, attended by the essayist Keiko ASO, who is the chair person of the award committee, and the Mayor Daisaku KADOKAWA. During the ceremony, the product developer was awarded a commendation, and participants tasted the sweet.
The price of the original cake is 150yen. Sale of the sweets was begun first in Kyoto Station of the City Subway on November 20, and will be subsequently extended to other stations.
For further details, call the Department of Transport Planning and General Affairs Section 075-863-5068


Symposium held to commemorate the designation of Gion Festival as a UNESCO world intangible cultural heritage event

9 November 2009

On October 31, a symposium was held to commemorate the designation of Yamahoko, the float ceremony of the Kyoto Gion festival, as a UNESCO world intangible cultural heritage event.
The Gion Festival is said to have originated about a thousand years ago to pray for protection against evil. The festival has been passed down due to the efforts of local people and carefully preserved to date, albeit with a few periods when it was not held. Intangible cultural heritage events are priceless cultural treasures of the world, which are designated based on the UNESCO convention for the Preservation and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
At the symposium, Masaaki UEDA, a professor emeritus of Kyoto University, made a commemorative speech, and a documentary video on applying for the status of intangible cultural heritage was shown.
A discussion was also held about the appeal of the Yamahoko event and possible future visions amongst Shigeru FUKAMI, the chief director of the Gion Festival Yamahoko Association, Jeffrey Berglund, a professor of Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, and Mayor Kadokawa. Kyoto city is taking this opportunity to promote its culture and the power of the residents of Kyoto to the world.
For further details, call the Cultural Assets Protection Division 075-761-7799


Kyoto City Zoo won an enrichment award

2 November 2009

The chimpanzee house project won the Enrichment Award 2009, an award given to a zoo that creates a rich environment for animals where their behavior can be expressed, as if in the wild.
The chimpanzee house of the Kyoto city zoo was reopened in April this year, and four chimpanzees live there. To bring out the natural behavior of chimpanzees living in trees, a nine-meter high wooden tower was built. A research room for observing the chimpanzees studying numbers was also built.
The Enrichment Award was given in recognition of the efforts of the zoo and the staff members in developing various methods to appeal to the animals, namely the facilities in which the chimpanzees can develop their intelligence, curiosity and motivation for learning, and because the studies are being opened to public.
Kyoto city is aiming to increase the appeal of the zoo by implementing the new Kyoto City Zoo Plan based on opinions from people in Kyoto.
For further details, call the Kyoto City Zoo 075-211-9311