A Glimpse of the Business Scene in Kyoto

This week was a wonderful one for business here in Kyoto. 

I attended two of Kyoto’s largest business events, and they fundamentally changed the way I think about the city itself. I, like many people, viewed Kyoto primarily as a place of tradition–Kyoto was a city of temples, shrines, machiya, and centuries-old customs. While those things certainly help to define Kyoto, I realized that they are only half of the story. Kyoto is not simply preserving its past, but is actively building its future.

On June 30th, I had the opportunity to attend Tech Tour Kyoto, a business networking event designed to promote international collaboration between overseas companies, investors, researchers, and Kyoto-based businesses. The event was held inside Kyoto Moyashi House, a traditional Kyoto townhouse whose history stretched back over a century.

Just by being in Moyashi House, I felt as if Kyoto was introducing itself to me. The long, narrow hallways, low ceilings, and central courtyard gave the impression of walking through another era. The house carried a deep, earthy scent of aged wood as though the meeting were taking place within a forest–its dark timber seemed permanent, reminding me that it had witnessed countless generations before us and would continue standing long after we had left. 

The preservation of machiya is often discussed because of their architectural and historical significance, but standing inside one while listening to discussions about cutting-edge medical technology revealed something I had never considered before–preservation is not about freezing history in time, but is about allowing history to continue serving people in new ways. This house was not a museum–it had become a gathering place for entrepreneurs, researchers, government officials, and investors from around the world who had come together to imagine the future.

The audience reflected this balance between old and new very well. While most of the attendees were business professionals dressed in muted suits, there were also university students, entrepreneurs, researchers, and international guests from many different countries. Everyone spoke in English throughout the evening, which allowed conversations to flow naturally across cultures. Rows of chairs filled the back of the room,  some people were even standing along the walls–despite the crowded conditions, everyone was eager to hear each presentation.

Following a brief introduction from a representative of Kyoto City Hall explaining the purpose of Tech Tour, several companies shared the stories behind their innovations.

One presentation that particularly stood out to me came from CosMED Pharmaceutical. CosMED researches transdermal therapeutic systems using microneedle technology to reduce the pain associated with injections for cosmetic treatments, dentistry, vaccinations, and diabetes care. As a Type 1 diabetic, this presentation immediately became quite personal.

After the session, CosMED’s presenter allowed me to try one of their microneedle patches on the back of my hand. Although it was still painful, the discomfort was remarkably small compared to that of the insulin injections I administer daily. While current microneedles cannot yet deliver the larger doses required for insulin therapy, the technology has tremendous potential for many other medical procedures. Listening to the company discuss both its active scientific research and its hopes for the future left me feeling genuinely optimistic about the future of healthcare.

Another presentation came from Professor Hiroaki Kitagishi of Doshisha University, who introduced his pre-start-up researching what may become the world’s first antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning.

I will readily admit that much of the scientific terminology stretched beyond my understanding, but what did resonate with me was the hope behind the research itself. Instead of accepting carbon monoxide poisoning as an unavoidable tragedy, Professor Kitagishi and his team are actively working toward a future where lives can be saved. During the question-and-answer session, one attendee asked whether the technology might someday help firefighters before entering dangerous environments. Although Professor Kitagishi explained that such applications were still under investigation, the exchange is just another example of the collaborative spirit filling the room.

The final presentation that especially captured my attention came from Mitsufuji, a company whose own story reflects Kyoto’s unique ability to carry tradition into the future.

Originally founded in 1956 as a Nishijin textile manufacturer producing kimono obi belts, Mitsufuji has since transformed its expertise in fabrics into wearable health technology. Their product, the hamon band, continuously monitors body temperature to help prevent heat stroke. Unlike many modern smartwatches, the hamon band intentionally does not receive phone notifications or messages. The simplicity of that, a smart watch that exists solely to monitor health, made me feel hopeful. Many products attempt to become all-in-one devices, but Mitsufuji instead focused on solving one problem exceptionally well. My continuous glucose monitor sometimes complicates standardized testing because it connects to my phone, so I especially appreciated the value of a dedicated medical device free from unnecessary distractions.

Leaving the Tech Tour, I realized I was reflecting on something deeper than individual products.

While every company had discussed growth projections and future profits,  what stayed with me most was the people behind the businesses. Every one of the entrepreneurs spoke passionately and worked diligently to solve a problem that affected someone else–the painfulness of procedures, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heat stroke. The common thread through every presentation was service driven by a deep care for the community.

The following day I attended IVS 2026, one of Japan’s largest startup and innovation conferences held in Kyoto, and walking into the Miyako Messe convention center felt like going to a concert. Thousands of people darted enthusiastically between exhibition halls, startup booths, networking sessions, and panel discussions with an unmistakable energy as entrepreneurs, investors, university researchers, government officials, and students all gathered under one roof.

One of the first sessions I attended featured a panel discussion moderated by Akihide Iriyama with Kyoto’s Mayor Koji Matsui, Soichiro Minami, and Hironobu Yoshikawa discussing how Kyoto can continue thriving during our modern era of rapid transformation. The discussion addressed many of Kyoto’s most pressing challenges, such as population decline and overtourism. I couldn’t help but be amazed by how Mayor Matsui spoke so openly about each one. I appreciated not only his honesty, but also the shared determination among the panelists to seek practical solutions instead of simply accepting decline as inevitable.

That conversation genuinely reshaped something in my own thinking. It is easy to believe or deeply fear the narrative that Kyoto is slowly disappearing because tourism, aging populations, and modernization will eventually erase what makes the city special, but after attending both Tech Tour and IVS, I no longer believe that narrative tells the whole story. As long as there are people who love Kyoto enough to invest in it–to restore machiya, build businesses, solve problems, mentor young entrepreneurs, and care for their neighbors–the city will continue growing without losing its soul.

Walking through the Startup Market afterward only reinforced this realization–booth after booth was filled with genuine conversations rather than simple sales pitches as representatives eagerly explained their work and visitors asked thoughtful questions. Universities, local governments, startups, and established companies all stood side by side, united by a shared belief that Kyoto’s future is something worth building together.

Looking back on these two events, I feel confronted again with the misunderstanding of Kyoto that seems inevitable before coming here. Many believe that Kyoto’s beauty lies primarily in its temples, shrines, gardens, and historic streets, and while those places are undeniably beautiful, I am coming to recognize that the real beauty of Kyoto is intangible. 

It lives in the people, whether that is the entrepreneur choosing to keep a company in Kyoto rather than relocating elsewhere, the researchers dedicating years to developing treatments that may save lives, the government officials honestly confronting difficult challenges, and the craftspeople preserving centuries-old buildings by finding new purposes for them. 

Kyoto is remarkable for many reasons. Kyoto City was the ancient capital of Japan for thousands of years, was where the first ever manga was made over 800 years ago, and has 14 World Cultural Heritage sites–but all of these things are facts on a screen until one fully grasps the beating heart of this city. Kyoto is remarkable because generation after generation continues choosing to build upon the past that this city so carefully preserves towards the future. 

KYOTO MOYASHI HOUSE
https://www.kyotomoyashihouse.com/

CosMED Pharmaceutical
https://cosmed-pharm.com/

MITSUFUJI
https://www.mitsufuji.co.jp/en/

MIYAKO MESSE | Kyoto International Exhibition Hall
https://www.miyakomesse.jp/english/

IVS2026
https://www.ivs.events/en/about/ivs2026