by Manon Mathieu | Jan 10, 2026 | Stories
Jun Omi, known to many as “Mr. Beer,” is one of the people quietly reshaping Kotohira today.Through his project Koto Vegas, he is transforming vacant shops and overlooked streets into places where people stay longer, meet locals, and experience the town beyond the...
by Manon Mathieu | Jan 6, 2026 | Stories
In Kotohira and the surrounding towns, innovation does not always come from new projects or new places. Keita Kitayama often starts from the opposite direction: looking differently at what already exists. A local community builder from Banno-cho, he works on creating...
by Manon Mathieu | Dec 30, 2025 | Stories
In Kotohira, history is not only written in stone steps and shrine buildings.It also lives in everyday gestures, in family roles passed down quietly, and in objects meant to be shared. Ryutaro Ike, often known locally as Mr. Candy, is the current head of Ike...
by Manon Mathieu | Dec 30, 2025 | Stories
For generations, Kotohira has been a destination people visit once in their lifetime. A place of faith, history, and ritual: climbed, admired, and often left behind the same day. But for Taijiro Kusunoki, this long-standing narrative is no longer...
by Manon Mathieu | Dec 28, 2025 | Information
Meet the Kotori and Kotohira Community in this people first guide for your stay. Here you will find short introductions to Kotori staff, local friends, and Japanese neighbors who enjoy meeting visitors and sharing daily life. Use these profiles to put names to faces,...
