#Kyoto

Hideaki Hatta, president of Kyoto Animation, died on February 16, 2026, at the age of 76. From subcontracted cel painting that his wife Yoko started in an apartment block, through incorporation in 1985, he led the studio for more than four decades under the motto "creating together," producing The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, K-On! and Violet Evergarden. A look back at his career, including the years he spent rebuilding after the 2019 arson attack.

Kyoto's Uzumasa Movie Village reopened on March 28, 2026 after a 50th-anniversary overhaul, reborn as an immersive Edo-period experience park aimed at adults. It features a 360-degree real-time drama staged across the whole village, R-18 night events including a torture house and dice gambling, samurai training, a non-verbal ninja show and hands-on cultural workshops: a side of Kyoto beyond temples and shrines.

Kyoto announces Japan's first dual pricing system for city buses: residents will pay ¥200 ($1.30) while tourists face fares up to ¥400 ($2.60). With 56 million annual visitors overwhelming a city of 1.43 million, this bold overtourism measure follows global models from Venice to Bali. How do locals and the world react?