• Business overview
• Event Overview
• Implementation plan
• Introduction to activities throughout the year other than the main festival
• student support
• Implementation Report
• Contact Information

Business overview

The Kyoto Student Festival, a major student-led event launched in 2003 to enliven Kyoto through student power, is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. The festival is planned and organized primarily by the Kyoto Student Festival Executive Committee, comprised of Kyoto students, with support from Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, economic organizations, universities, and the local community, making it a unique initiative nationwide.
In addition to planning and running the festival itself in October, the Executive Committee also actively promotes exchange activities throughout the year, including interactive events using the original dance “Kyoen Sodefure!” born from the festival and participation in local events.
2017 marks the 15th anniversary of the festival, and the key theme for the year is “culture.” In addition to partnering with a variety of cultural projects, students themselves will become “culture,” preserving and passing on Kyoto’s traditions while also creating their own “student culture” by incorporating a student-like touch into existing culture, further promoting the appeal of Kyoto as a “city of universities and students.”

Event Overview

■Theme of the 15th Kyoto Student Festival

■Activity goals

 The Kyoto Student Festival, which began in 2003, has now successfully completed its 15th year. This year, in order to create a festival that can rival the three major Kyoto festivals, we have been working on activities that explore various cultures under the theme of “Creating a new culture, ‘Kyoto Student Culture’.”

15th Kyoto Student Festival

 The 15th Kyoto Student Festival has been working for the past year with the goals of “Rediscovering Kyoto and International Culture,” “Integrating Student Identity with Culture,” and “Widely Communicating the Appeal of Kyoto Student Culture.” This year’s activities included the “Anniversary Festa,” which was held twice as a commemorative event, the “Kyoto Student Culture Communication Day,” on the 15th of each month, where participants learned about culture from Kyoto-born cultural figures active around the world and adapted it from a student perspective, and actively engaged in activities in collaboration with the Kyoto Cultural Power Project, run by Kyoto Prefecture and Kyoto City. This made for an unprecedentedly productive year for the Kyoto Student Festival. We believe that by increasing the number of partners, we have been able to create a unique student culture for the festival, and ultimately move closer to becoming one of the “Four Great Kyoto Festivals,” rivaling the three major Kyoto festivals.

Implementation plan

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Year-round activities other than the main festival

The Kyoto Student Festival aims to be a festival that is loved by the local community and is deeply rooted in the community, and engages in daily exchange activities with the local community throughout the year.
 In addition to previous activities, in 2017, a large-scale pre-event entitled Anniversary Festa was held, and various challenges were taken on in order to realize the purpose of the Kyoto Student Festival.

Commemorative Events

June 4, 2017 [15th Anniversary Festa in. Ukyo feat. Subway Tozai Line 20th Anniversary]

・August 27, 2017 [15th Anniversary Festa in Kyoto Station Building & Porta]

♦Main visual submissions

 Following on from 2016, we received many applications from students across the country for the main visual. The work selected as the grand prize winner was published in various public relations media throughout the year.

♦Local exchange activities

• Nighttime patrols to ensure safety in the area (twice a month) in the Okazaki and An’ei areas of Kyoto
• Clean-up activities aimed at beautifying the local area (approximately once a month) in Okazaki, An’ei, Umekei, Sanjo areas of Kyoto, and the Kamo River
• Water sprinkling activities to address local environmental issues (summer) in the Okazaki, An’ei, and Fushimi areas of Kyoto
• Participation in local festivals (summer) in the Okazaki, An’ei, Baikei, Sanjo, and Shichiku areas of Kyoto

student support

Student Development Programs

At the University Consortium Kyoto, we support students’ daily activities based on the principle that they should “take the initiative in creating their own activities.” We hope that the “interactions” and “experiences” they come into contact with through these independent activities will lead to new “awareness” and “learning,” which will contribute to their growth.
Specifically, we treat student activities as a single project, and each department works toward a single goal, incorporating the PDCA cycle methodology, which places emphasis on achieving results. With the goals of smooth activity execution, business improvement, and continuous business development, we are working to create a system that encourages student growth by promoting the following support methods.

PDCA cycle at the Kyoto Student Festival

• Planning period (November to May): Start-up training, planning, and organizational structure creation
• Trial period (May to September): Pre-events (medium-scale events modeled after the main festival)
• Verification period (June to August): Mid-term review meeting
• Implementation period (October): Implementation of the main festival project
• Disseminating results (around October to November): Post-event review and results presentation

・Planning period “Start-up training”

・Verification period “mid-term review meeting”

  ・Disseminating results through a “post-event review meeting”

・Results presentation “Results report session”

Implementation Report

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Kyoto Student Festival. We have been working hard every day under the theme of “Creating Kyoto Student Culture.” Based on the theme of “A Day to Experience the Miracles of the Kyoto Student Festival,” students from various fields, including fashion, music, and food, gathered in Kyoto to create a one-day festival unique to students, and to celebrate the trajectory of the Kyoto Student Festival over the past 15 years. The festival, held on Sunday, October 8th, involved the
entire city with events including the stunning dance “Kyoen Sodefure!”, music and fashion contests, a festival where participants could enjoy Kyoto’s culinary culture, and children’s events that even young children could enjoy. As
part of the Kyoto Student Festival Organizing Committee, our foundation not only supports the festival, but also views the year-long activities as an opportunity for student growth, establishing a year-round support system. This year, in particular, marked the 15th anniversary, and featured extensive pre-event activities, including the Anniversary Festa and numerous other commemorative events. A visitor survey revealed that these year-round efforts did not necessarily lead to a direct increase in attendance. However, we believe that the experience of a year’s worth of activities has led to increased confidence and learning for the students. As we reach this milestone and mark the 16th anniversary, we will continue to assess the capabilities and potential of the Executive Committee (especially the students who serve as executive members) and develop a system to support the Executive Committee so that the event can continue into the 20th and 30th anniversaries. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who attended the event, as well as to everyone who has provided support in various ways to make this event possible.

Results of the 15th Kyoto Student Festival

■ Total number of visitors

136,000 people (according to the Executive Committee)

■Number of participating students

Contact Information

Kyoto Student Festival, Public Interest Incorporated Foundation, University Consortium Kyoto,
TEL: 075-353-9189, FAX: 075-353-9101,
Campus Plaza Kyoto, Nishinotoin-dori Shiokoji-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8216
*Reception hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 9:00-17:00 (excluding New Year’s holidays)