When you say Narita, many people probably think of Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, but it is not the only thing to see. In Narita, there are many people who provide hospitality to visitors, and I would like you to know about them. Here, we will introduce them to you as “People of Narita”!
This time's guest is Ryuto Ohashi, founder of the Narita City Promotion Circle. While attending the Narita Campus of the International University of Health and Welfare, he launched a circle connecting students with the city, and has continued activities built around three pillars: town development, cultural exchange, and community exchange.
He is now handing the circle over to his juniors while pursuing a career as a doctor, all while continuing initiatives focused on Narita's future. We spoke with him about his unique background and his feelings toward Narita.
— Could you tell us about the initiatives you're currently working on in Narita? —
I created the "Narita City Promotion Circle," which connects students with the city of Narita. I've now handed it over to my juniors and am supporting it from behind the scenes.
— What kind of circle is the "Narita City Promotion Circle"? —
This year marks only the 10th graduating class since the university I attend was established in Narita, so it's a relatively young institution. Because of that, students don't know much about Narita, while local residents, on the other hand, feel that they'd like to see more students coming out into the city. This circle exists to match those two needs.
— Could you tell us about your specific activities? —
We're mainly active around three pillars: "town development," "cultural exchange," and "community exchange."
For town development, we participate in the "Narimichi Project," conducting surveys among students and faculty and providing that data to the city.
For cultural exchange, our university hosts many exchange students from countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, France, and Lithuania. We host these students by taking them sightseeing around Narita and treating them to meals, among other things.
For community exchange, one example is participating in festivals — we take part in the Gion Festival and help out at events at the airport. We've also run a program teaching airport staff basic life support (such as CPR).
— Could you tell us about your background so far? —
I'm originally from Urawa in Saitama Prefecture. After that, I lived in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo for about 20 years, and came to Narita when I entered university. I'm now in my sixth year living in Narita.
— Why did you decide to become a doctor? —
I have about 20 hobbies, and when I dug deeper into each of them, I realized they all ultimately connect back to "medicine."
For example, visiting theme parks got me interested in optical illusions, which led me to physiology. And from Shorinji Kempo, I became interested in ergonomics and anatomy. I have a strong sense that I look at everyday life through the lens of medicine.
— Do you have any favorite spots around the Narita Airport area? —
The bench in front of my university (laughs). It has a sponsor's name on it, but on a nice day I love sitting there eating food I bought from a food truck and watching people go by.
— Looking ahead to Narita's future, how would you like to be involved going forward? —
First, I want to support the juniors who've taken over the "Narita City Promotion Circle." I'd also like to help shape the university going forward.
And if I end up becoming a doctor in Narita long-term, I'd love to spread health-related topics throughout the city and collaborate with the airport to help make the whole town healthier.
— Finally, do you have a message for our readers? —
Narita has a bit of a rural feel to it, but what's interesting is that there are young people — students — here. The fact that young people gather regularly in this area is something special, so I hope people can enjoy the contrast with other regions and feel the energy of things like the local festivals. If you happen to see us around, let's enjoy it together!
