Leave No Trace Drives TOKYO Sustainable Tourism Through Experiential Learning in Tokyo’s Forests
The TOKYO Sustainable Tourism Liaison Council will hold a study meeting on June 10, 2026, to develop corporate training programs in Mountainous Tokyo.
TACHIKAWA-SHI, TOKYO, JAPAN, June 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- — Leaving No Trace, Planting Seeds for the Future —
Abandoned barbecue waste and lingering campfire scars have long posed challenges to the natural areas located just one hour from central Tokyo. To protect this rich environment, local businesses have voluntarily conducted river clean-up activities for many years. However, no matter how much waste was collected, the problem continued as long as new visitors arrived. The realization emerged that the fundamental solution was not to keep picking up litter, but to increase the number of people who choose not to leave it behind.
The answer was found in Leave No Trace (LNT), an environmental ethics program adopted in more than 100 countries worldwide. In 2023, Ome City became the first municipality in Japan to sign a regional partnership agreement with Leave No Trace Japan. The initiative subsequently expanded to Akiruno City and Okutama Town, culminating in a symposium in 2024 that brought together the leaders of all three municipalities.
However, signing agreements alone does not change behavior. A mechanism was needed to establish local instructors capable of conveying the principles of LNTJ through direct experience and connecting those values to visitors, businesses, and children. To advance both human resource development and regional economic circulation, TOKYO Sustainable Tourism was created.
Comprised of Ome City, Akifumi City, Okutama Town and LNTJ, Tokyo Sustainable Tourism will hold a study meeting on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. In preparation for a corporate training pilot tour scheduled for autumn, local businesses, corporations, and academic institutions will gather to begin developing concrete program concepts.
The initiative aims to create a circular model for regional development in which a portion of training program revenue supports the training of LNT instructors and is reinvested into environmental education for local children. During the study meeting, local businesses, leading companies, and academic institutions will collaborate on program development for the autumn pilot tour.
About TOKYO Sustainable Tourism: https://sti-tokyo.jp/
About the LNT Environmental Ethics Program: https://lntj.jp/
Event Overview
Date and Time: Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 13:00–17:00 (scheduled)
Venue: Flare Itsukaichi (440 Itsukaichi, Akiruno City, Tokyo)
A networking reception is scheduled from 17:30 at Satoyama resort “Shizenjin Mura” (198 Fukazawa, Akiruno City, Tokyo).
Organizer: TOKYO Sustainable Tourism Liaison Council
Cooperating Organizations: Tama University, PERSOL TEMPSTAFF CO., LTD., Tosei Electrobeam Co., Ltd., and others
Program
1. Keynote Presentation: What Matters Most in Human Resource Development
Speaker: Tosei Electrobeam Co., Ltd.
A company operating at the forefront of precision technology will share practical perspectives from its day-to-day efforts in employee development. Drawing on real-world challenges and solutions, participants will explore how companies and local communities can build meaningful connections.
2. Panel Discussion: Corporate Training in the Era of Sustainability Management
Panelists: Tosei Electrobeam Co., Ltd., PERSOL TEMPSTAFF CO., LTD., and others
Facilitator: Professor Yuichi Matsumoto, School of Management and Information Sciences, Tama University
Exploring the potential of Mountainous Tokyo as a new setting for experiential learning.
3. Workshop: Program Development Utilizing Regional Characteristics
Participants will divide into groups focused on Ome, Akiruno, and Okutama and work with local outdoor guides and businesses to develop programs for the autumn pilot tour.
Media Interview Opportunities: One-on-One Access to Key Project Leaders
In addition to the formal sessions, individual interviews and on-site media coverage opportunities will be arranged during the networking reception at Satoyama resort “Shizenjin Mura.” Media representatives interested in participating are requested to contact the project secretariat (Good Life Tama, Takagi).
Yuichi Matsumoto
Professor, School of Management and Information Sciences, Tama University
A specialist in social marketing, Matsumoto has contributed to long-term comprehensive planning, industrial promotion strategies, and staff training programs for Okutama Town, Fussa City, Hamura City, and other municipalities. In this project, he oversees the development of a new collaborative model that brings together government and business sectors, drawing on extensive experience in regional revitalization.
Daigo Shibata
Representative, Mitake Race Rafting Club; Executive Director, Leave No Trace Japan / Ome City
A former member of Japan’s national rafting team and a world championship runner-up, Shibata serves as an LNT instructor and plays a leading role in the project. Activities include the weekly “River Clean” initiative and the annual Mitake Cup, a comprehensive paddlesports competition held each spring and autumn.
Ken Takamizu
President and CEO, do-mo Inc. / Akiruno City
Takamizu operates Satoyama resort “Shizenjin Mura”, Satoyama Retreat Villa “Zen”, and a café near Musashi-Itsukaichi Station. As a pioneer of experiential tourism utilizing regional resources, he has developed initiatives such as saunas built with locally sourced Tama timber. He also serves on the organizing committee of the Akigawa Valley Hydrangea Festival, contributing to regional revitalization from multiple perspectives.
Makoto Takagi
Good Life Tama Co., Ltd.
8010068626398
m.takagi@goodlife-tama.jp
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