The student tourism ambassadors (MINATO CITY NEXT AMBASSADORS), who will share the charms of Minato City from a unique student perspective, have been selected. A total of four members—three who will promote Minato City from within Japan to both domestic and international audiences, and one overseas field agent who will convey its appeal from abroad—will advance Minato City's promotions using social media. How will these next-generation student ambassadors capture and communicate the attractions of a city where diverse cultures and histories merge? First, we spoke at length with the three members active in Japan about why they applied, the appeal of Minato City, and their enthusiasm for the role.

--First, could you please introduce yourselves and tell us about your connection to Minato City?

Karen Murakami (hereafter, Murakami): "I'm Karen Murakami, a 4th-year student at Keio University's Faculty of Commerce. I'm studying accounting and marketing. My connection to Minato City comes from commuting to the Mita campus, but I'm also involved as a student staff member for an entrepreneur based in Minato, and I help out at networking events for entrepreneurs and students held in the city."

Sora Okabe (hereafter, Okabe): "I'm Sora Okabe, a 3rd-year student in the School of Business at Aoyama Gakuin University. My university is in Shibuya, but I pass through Omotesando to get there, and I often walk around areas like Roppongi and Aoyama. I also lived in Shirokanedai for about a year from my first year of university. I love the atmosphere of the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum in Shirokanedai and used to go often. Participating in a small local festival there is also a fond memory."

Mio Nishino (hereafter, Nishino): "I'm Mio Nishino, a 4th-year student in the Faculty of Law at Meiji Gakuin University. My university is in Shirokanedai, so I commute within the city every day. Outside of school, I'm part of a 'Geography Research Club' where we conduct city walks called 'junken' in various places. In Minato City, we toured redevelopment areas with the theme of redevelopment, from Nogizaka to Roppongi, Azabu, and Shiba."

--Thank you. I'd like to ask why you applied for the student ambassador position. Ms. Murakami, I hear you are also active as an influencer.

Murakami: "Yes. I mainly introduce spots and gourmet food in and around the Kanto region. Since my university is in Mita, I thought I could share the charms of Minato City more than ever before, which is why I applied. I feel this is an activity I can do now as a student, being active and having a relatively flexible schedule."

--The first round of selection for the student ambassadors involved making a post about Minato City on your own Instagram account. Ms. Murakami, you posted a photo of yourself in a yukata.

Murakami: "There's a shop in Akasaka that rents out yukata and kimono, so I posted a photo wearing a yukata I rented. As an influencer, I've been managing my Instagram for a while, and I felt that was my strength, so I started posting actively as soon as applications opened in July. Part of the reason I applied was a desire to give back to Minato City, which has been a big part of my university life. I was genuinely happy to be chosen, and I'll do my best to live up to the expectations."

--Ms. Okabe, what were your reasons for applying?

Okabe: "I love to travel and hope to work in the tourism industry in the future. In addition to my connection with Minato City, I wanted to gain experience in tourism while still a student, so I applied. I started using Instagram again little by little after returning from studying abroad last year, but I don't have that many followers, so I'm hoping to work hard on my outreach from now on."

"--For the first round, Ms. Okabe, you posted photos of Azabudai Hills and Tokyo Tower. You mentioned earlier that you often take walks; where in Minato City do you usually go?

Okabe: "Mostly around Omotesando, Aoyama, and Roppongi, since they're close to my university. When I walk in Omotesando, I pass by so many fashionable people, and in Roppongi, I feel there are many hard-working professionals. For me, Minato City is a motivating place where I can get energy from people who are working hard. It's not just the people, but the areas themselves feel different. For example, you have new areas like Azabudai Hills, but also historic, old-fashioned townscapes. Minato City has many different faces, which makes exploring it so much fun."

--Now, could you please tell us your reason for applying, Ms. Nishino?

Nishino: "My family works in the tourism industry, and my parents told me about this student ambassador program. To be honest, I wasn't very interested at first, but I thought it was a good opportunity and might be worth a try, so I applied."

--For the first round, Ms. Nishino, you posted a rather unusual photo.

Nishino: "Yes. I posted a photo of a river culvert (ankyo). A culvert is a river or waterway that has been covered up due to reasons like urbanization, making it invisible from the surface."

--Why did you decide to post a photo of a culvert?

Nishino: "I learned about culverts during a 'junken' (field trip) with my seminar. I assumed that other applicants would introduce famous tourist spots, so I thought about a place that most people wouldn't know, and the culvert came to mind. It's not exactly 'Instagrammable,' and you wouldn't notice it unless it was pointed out, so I was very surprised when I passed the first round, thinking, 'They actually saw it!' Now that I've been chosen as a student ambassador, I want to study more about topics like this, such as topography, and do my best."

--So, could you tell us what you would like to promote in Minato City? It can be a spot, a food, anything at all.

Murakami: "I'd like to promote the historical buildings in Minato City. There are many historic and cultural buildings on the Mita campus, and when you look out at the cutting-edge skyscrapers from the university grounds, the contrast between old and new makes you feel like you're in a slightly different world. Personally, I enjoy visiting shrines and temples, and I often go to the 'Steps to Success' at Atago Shrine."

--The "Steps to Success"" at Atago Shrine are also famous as a 'power spot.'

Murakami: "I hope to start a business one day, so I climb the steps hoping for some good fortune. Mount Atago, where Atago Shrine is located, is also surrounded by state-of-the-art skyscrapers, which creates a strange feeling. I also love food, so one of my hobbies is searching for places in Minato City that serve cost-effective lunches."

--Ms. Okabe, what would you like to promote?

Okabe: "For me, it's cafes. I feel that Minato City has a particularly large number of stylish cafes, and there are plenty of places where I can get my favorite acai bowls and bagels. The Omotesando and Aoyama areas especially have many cafes, and I go cafe-hopping about twice a week after my classes."

--Do the other two of you also go to cafes?

Murakami: "I like them, but I don't get to go regularly."

Nishino: "I only go occasionally with friends, so I'd love to try cafe-hopping."

--Then, Ms. Nishino, please tell us what you'd like to promote.

Nishino: "For me, it's Takanawa Gateway Station. I usually use it for my commute, but it's new and the platform feels so open. I really want more people to see it."

--In March 2025, TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY also opened adjacent to Takanawa Gateway Station.

Nishino: "At the opening, there was a special exhibition called 'The Exhibition of Railways and Urban Development Connecting to the Future,' which showed how JR East has been developing the Takanawa area. I saw the exhibition and felt it was a project they are putting a lot of effort into. Also, like Takanawa, Minato City has many slopes, which I think makes it a rewarding city to walk around. Many slopes have names derived from place names, and it's a fun city to just stroll through."

Murakami: "I also like walking. It's about a 30-minute walk from Mita campus to Atago Shrine, and I do it often. I climb the stone steps, but I always thought of slopes as just being tough. So it's wonderful that you're focusing on them, and I'd love for you to teach me about their appeal."

Nishino: "Of course! It sounds like fun for all of us to walk around Minato City together."

Okabe: "That sounds fun! I hope we get a chance to do that."

--Finally, please share your aspirations for your activities as student ambassadors.

Murakami: "I'm good at editing images and videos, and I also study social media trends. Using these as my strengths, I first want to create content that resonates with people of my generation. From there, I hope they'll learn about Minato City and come to visit."

Okabe: "As I mentioned earlier, for me, Minato City is a place that boosts my motivation, and I want to share that in a way that makes many others feel the same. I'm also thinking about initiatives that could create a positive sense of surprise for inbound tourists, making them think, 'So this is what Japan is really like.'"

Nishino: "I believe that by leveraging my position as a student, I can engage in more insightful activities. I'll do my best to convey not just the typical glamorous image of Minato City, but also its surprising, lesser-known charms."

<<Student Tourism Ambassador Profiles>>

Next, we bring you an interview with Hana Niwa, who will be active as an overseas field agent. From her study abroad destination in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, Ms. Niwa will share the attractions of Minato City, mainly with a focus on the European region.

--First, please introduce yourself and tell us about your connection to Minato City.

Hana Niwa (hereafter, Niwa): "I'm Hana Niwa, a 3rd-year student in the Faculty of Economics, Department of Business Administration at the University of Tokyo. I mainly study business administration and development economics, and I'm currently on a one-year exchange program at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. I love walking while admiring the cityscapes, and on sunny days, I often walk instead of taking the train or bus. I've lived in Minato City for 10 years now, and I grew up experiencing its charms from a young age. I love traveling far, both domestically and internationally, but my favorite time is strolling through my local Minato City on an ordinary day. Every time, I'm reminded of what a wonderful place it is."

--Please tell us why you applied to be a student ambassador.

Niwa: "I applied because I want the world, not just Japan, to know about the appeal of Minato City. Currently, Japanese culture is gaining worldwide attention. Glasgow has many matcha cafes and Japanese restaurants, and bookstores sell manga and notebooks with famous Japanese scenery on the covers. However, almost no one knows the name 'Minato City.' I want to take things a step further than just getting people to like Japan. I want them to get to know and love Minato City, so that they'll think, 'When I go to Japan, I want to go to Minato!'"

--During your study abroad, what kind of activities would you like to undertake as a student tourism ambassador?

Niwa: "As an ambassador abroad, I want to increase the number of Minato City fans overseas, starting with Glasgow. I believe that listening to my friends in Glasgow about what they find appealing in Minato City, and rediscovering the city's charms while living abroad, are things I can do precisely because I'm a student here. In the cosmopolitan city of Glasgow, I want to gather many authentic opinions and use them to promote Minato. I also enjoy designing and drawing, and I think the first impression is crucial in making people want to visit a place. Therefore, I want to try visually appealing activities, like creating and distributing memorable pamphlets and posters."

--You also posted a colorful illustrated map of Minato City on Instagram for the first round. Could you tell us what you'd like to promote in Minato City?

Niwa: "What I would absolutely recommend to anyone visiting Minato City is to walk across the Rainbow Bridge. The sea breeze feels wonderful, and you can see the bridge itself and the cityscape of central Minato across Tokyo Bay. There are also unexpected encounters, like chatting with people you meet at the observation deck or those you pass by. Also, the way the color of the fence changes like a gradient is lovely and one of my favorite points."

"--Thank you. Lastly, could you please share your final thoughts and aspirations?

I am very happy to have been chosen as a student ambassador and to be able to participate in this role. Minato City is a fun place packed with the best of Japan, showing different faces in different areas, and it has so many charms I want people all over the world to know about. I will do my very best to convey the appeal that I know from having lived there for a long time, as well as the appeal I'm rediscovering now that I'm living away from it, to as many people as possible!"

<<Student Tourism Ambassador (overseas field agent) Profile>>