Raised by the Sea, Carrying Kotohira's Stories to the World

Futa Kitayama Local Guide Kotohira Travel

Kitayama was born and raised in Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture. His family home was right by the sea, and as a child he spent much of his time playing on the shore. As an adult, he headed to Australia on a working holiday. There was no single big reason for the move — he simply decided, “Let's compare Japan and Australia,” and crossed the ocean. Living between the two countries, he came to appreciate the charm of Japanese culture in a new way. Many Australians, he found, love Japan, and he recalls, “People were kind to me in so many ways, simply because I was Japanese.” That experience of seeing Japan from the outside became the starting point for the work he does today.

Why He Chose Kotohira

Kotohira has a very long history and is one of Japan's leading tourist destinations. With so many visitors coming from overseas, he felt it would be a place where he could put his English to use. The deciding moment came when he happened to stay at Kotori. The timing lined up, and being invited to “come work together” made all the difference.

What He Noticed About Kagawa and Kotohira, Seen From Outside

Both Kagawa and Kotohira, he feels, are places overflowing with charm. The Seto Inland Sea's scattered islands form scenery beautiful by world standards, and the town itself is compact and easy to take in. Kotohira in particular is becoming a place that draws people from all over Japan, and increasingly from around the world. And Kotohira is full of stories — he wants to pass them on to someone else, so they keep being told into the future. Konpira-san is also a god of the sea, and since his own hometown is a town by the sea, he feels a certain connection there too.

The ‘Cycle of Connection’ He Feels in Kotohira

Tourists, of course, but also artists, travelers, and musicians — all kinds of people come to this town from all over the world. People, he says, come to meet people. Someone comes to meet a particular person in Kotohira, happens to meet someone else along the way, becomes friends, and then comes back to see that person too. This cycle of connection happens easily here, and it's one of the things he loves about Kotohira.

His Work at Kotohira Travel

Today, Kitayama works as a guide for Kotohira Travel, showing guests from Japan and abroad around the town of Kotohira. He's also involved in planning tours, running Kotori, and creating events for the town. “When guests actually go to a shop I recommended after a tour, or tell me, ‘One night in Kotohira just isn't enough,’ it makes me happy — it means the town's charm really came across.”

His Hopes Going Forward

When guests finish their trip and head home, he wants them to tell the people around them, “Kotohira was such an interesting town.” That's the kind of guide he wants to be.

His Next Challenge

Kitayama loves movies and books, and he also enjoys traveling to places he's never been. When asked about his future goals, he answered: “To guide a Hollywood star!” A big dream, fittingly for a movie lover. Since people from all over the world gather in Kotohira, that day might just come someday.

In Summary

Raised in a seaside town, and having looked back at Japan from across the ocean, Kitayama brings both the traveler's eye and the local's eye to guiding Kotohira — and it's that very experience that makes it possible. If you see him around town, don't hesitate to say hello. You're sure to discover a story about Kotohira you haven't heard yet.

Writer

Kotohira Enmusubi Project “Matatabi”

We are the Kotohira Enmusubi Project “Matatabi” from Kagawa University.
We interview and share the stories of Kotohira-bito—people who are active in Kotohira—
connecting individuals and building meaningful relationships.

Through their voices and stories,
we aim to uncover and share new charms of Kotohira.