Popular Free English Paper Reports on Appeal of Real Kyoto; Foreign Tourists Get Inside Look at City

By Minako Aima / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

15:53 JST, February 13, 2025

KYOTO — A free English-language paper called Enjoy Kyoto is so popular that copies disappear quickly from stands at Kyoto Station and various places in the city. The paper is published for inbound tourists and features stories about the appeal of Kyoto, such as the work of traditional craftspeople and famous landmarks.

When the paper featured craftspeople making chochin paper lanterns, wealthy tourists flocked to a related workshop event that they learned about in the paper. Likewise, a kimono store sold out its merchandise after the paper carried a narrative-style advertisement about it.

Between 30,000 and 40,000 copies of each issue are printed, and they always go quickly, said Shinya Tokumo, 43, president of T-Style, the paper’s publisher, in Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto.

The idea for the paper was conceived in around 2012 when Tokumo heard about the need for free papers from people connected to Japanese ryokan inns and traditional crafts whom he met mainly through his business selling items such as mattresses.

They told him that there were very few free papers for foreign tourists and that they would be willing to place ads in a suitable paper.

Tokumo decided to publish a free paper himself and formed a team with about 10 members, including freelance reporters, photographers and translators, with whom he connected through acquaintances.

At that time, the term “inbound tourism” was not yet widely used.

During his time as a sales representative, when he would visit a variety of places, Tokumo often heard that many foreign tourists prefer authenticity. For example, he was told, “Even when buying a kitchen knife, they are very selective and choose a traditional Japanese product.”

Hearing this, Tokumo thought, “If I make a free paper that publishes stories placing emphasis on the ‘real Kyoto,’ such as the uncompromising work style of craftspeople, inbound tourists would definitely like it and carefully read even the ads.”

In 2013, the first issue was published with 24 pages. It included a feature story on Takezasado Co., a traditional woodblock printmaking studio.

“By delving deep into the history and personality of craftspeople, I wanted to shed new light on the traditional craft,” Tokumo said. The story was published on six-page spreads and focused on the craftsman’s thoughts, techniques and product creation.

500 copies gone quickly

The approach was right on target.

About 500 copies of the paper that were allowed to be placed at Kodaiji temple in Higashiyama Ward were all gone within a few days. Tokumo heard from a company that placed an ad in the paper that their products sold like hot cakes.

“Inbound tourists who read the paper could actually experience the appeal of Kyoto and take good memories back to their home countries to tell others,” Tokumo thought.

He found making the free paper to be very rewarding.

Tokumo continued to publish the free paper every other months with such subjects as geiko (geisha) and maiko (apprentice geiko), bamboo and manga, each story with abundant photos.

Advertisers were pleased with the editorial policy of “even the ads are worth reading,” and large department stores and confectionery companies began to pay regularly for advertising space.

Things at the publication, however, have not always been smooth.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among other factors, the publication was suspended from 2021. It resumed as annual publication last year in response to requests from various people.

Now the company is also responsible for running YouTube videos and promotions for governments and companies, expanding the scope of its business.

Tokumo says the business has continued thanks to the hard work of his staff and the strong human relationships and history of Kyoto. “In Kyoto, if you rely on someone, you will always reach someone who can help you,” Tokumo said.

To build and strengthen relationships, Tokumo still goes to more than 100 hotels, tourist information centers and other places in the city where the paper is placed, spending three days handing out each issue of the free paper to people there.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of foreign guests staying in accommodations in Kyoto reached a record high.

“I hope Enjoy Kyoto will become a hub of human exchange,” Tokumo happily said.

“We are so particular about many things that the paper isn’t very profitable yet,” he added with a troubled smile.