As part of Yokohama’s move to take the lead on sustainable urban development, the Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau (YCVB) is reaffirming the city’s sustainability ideals and commitments by creating new programs for convention organizers and participants.
These YCVB programs are designed to take sustainability from ideal concept to practical application.
The first of many projects is the creation of traditional Japanese wooden tearooms that are portable and can be easily erected in conference or event settings. The tearooms are constructed using miyadaiku carpentry, a traditional form of carpentry that can be seen at historic shrines, temples and teahouses across Japan. This project is a reminder that structures made from renewable materials can sustain both the craft and its aesthetics for future generations.
The prefabricated tearooms continue an artisanal craft 1,400 years in the making—one that is inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list (as of 2020).
Yokohama aspires to embody sustainability, taking advantage of its many natural attractions from the green expanses of its abundant public spaces to the blue waters of its historic harbor. These new YCVB programs reflect Yokohama and its culture, creating synergy between the city and convention planners and participants.
