Tottori: Discovering charms of city through the eyes of foreigners

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:37 JST, September 17, 2022

YONAGO, Tottori — Residents from overseas have formed a group to convey the attractiveness of Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, as seen through the eyes of foreigners.

The group, Yonagood, comprises six members from Hungary, Nigeria, Slovakia, Mexico, Australia and France, who live in Yonago or neighboring towns. Zeidler Otto, 25, a Hungarian who runs a food truck in Yonago that serves Hungarian food, is the leader of the group.

The members plan to post a video once a month on a subchannel of the city’s official YouTube account, covering sightseeing spots, scenery and daily life from the perspective of non-Japanese residents. The group will also post information on the team’s Facebook page, as well as on the founding members’ social media accounts. In addition, Yonagood intends to hold events to attract more members.

On Aug. 19, a ceremony to mark the launch of Yonagood was held at Yonago City Hall. Three members of the group, including Otto, received a certificate of appointment from Mayor Takashi Igi.

“We want to find things that Japanese people aren’t noticing and allow [everyone], even people living overseas, to see them,” said Otto. “Please watch our videos,” he said, using Yonago dialect.