Over the course of the last 14 years here in Kyoto, an exceptional aspect of our work and my life experience has been discovering and appreciating the importance of pioneering efforts, particularly in cultural exchange. It has been a special and truly unique experience to build a new style of international cultural exchange business in UTO and UTO Productions. Stepping back at this point to take stock and evaluate our work has been both rewarding and revealing.

Through our events, we have instigated and generated continued momentum in cultural

exchanges between many countries. By discovering, learning about and gaining understanding of different cultures throughout diverse countries, each with their own unique and individual rich and timeless histories, we have realized and helped build formidable bridges and connections between people. Those connections have produced both profound and often unexpectedly rewarding results

People meeting and coming to know each other creates new understanding, discoveries, potential and possibilities that can be shared and passed easily over the bridges that naturally form. And the significant individual and collective benefits appreciated in this grow exponentially year after year.

Since 2010, we have been staging a Marché in the gardens of the French Consulate in Kyoto. We are ‘Marché Pioneers’ in Japan. Although it might be a bit surprising to some now, when the first Marché in Kyoto was first held, people didn’t know what a ‘Marché’ was or even what it meant.