The second generation of the Minato City Tourism Association official student tourism ambassador (MINATO CITY NEXT AMBASSADOR), who communicates the diverse charms of Minato Ward to the world from a student's unique perspective, has been decided. The four selected individuals will engage in a wide range of PR activities, including disseminating information on social media, participating in events in the ward, and visiting member companies of the Minato City Tourism Association from April 2026 to the end of February 2027. We asked four people who have ties to Minato Ward but have different backgrounds and areas of expertise to talk about their fresh thoughts immediately after taking office.

――Thank you for your time today. First of all, please tell us about what you are studying at university, what you are currently obsessed with, and your own personality.

Misaki Shioya (hereinafter referred to as Shioya) "I'm Misaki Shioya, a third-year student at Keio University. I majored in aesthetic art history and like ukiyo-e from the Edo period, so I plan to study Japanese painting professionally. Lately, I've been into music as well as art, and I've been listening to a band called indigo la End a lot. He has a positive personality and loves to talk to people and go out to play."

Takaki Ishino (hereinafter referred to as Ishino) "I'm Takaki Ishino, a first-year student at Nippon Dental University. My hobbies are tennis and photography. I have been playing tennis for seven years in junior high school, high school, and university, but I also played judo at the same time in high school and obtained a black belt. Photography often involves taking landscapes, and I have also won prizes in photo contests in Shibuya and Chiyoda wards. People around me say that my personality is calm. I'm the type who doesn't like conflict."

Kanon Toyohara (hereinafter referred to as Toyohara) "I'm Kanon Toyohara, a fourth-year student at Meiji Gakuin University. I've been interning at a trending media for high school girls since I was in my first year of university, and I'm still involved in video editing and management for Instagram and TikTok. I myself am a trendy Meeher type, and I look forward to going to rock band live performances and visiting cafes in Minato Ward on my days off. I am the type of person who is confident in my ability to take action and moves as soon as I want to do it."

Choi Hyun-seok (hereinafter referred to as Choi) "This is Choi Hyun-seok, a second-year master's student at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology. I belong to the Marine Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory, where I am studying the lifting of marine resources including manganese and cobalt, and the analysis of the ground necessary for offshore wind power generation. My hobbies are going to rock festivals, and I like RADWIMPS and ONE OK ROCK. When I was attending a university in Korea, I also participated in volunteer activities overseas. Recently, I have been in the position of a senior in the laboratory, and I am realizing the difficulty of conveying what I need to say (laughs)."

――Please tell us about your relationship with Minato Ward and the reason why you applied. First of all, Mr. Shioya, please.

Shioya: "I was born and raised in Minato Ward, and I have been living in Minato Ward for 20 years. I often walk around Shiba Park with my friends and eat in Mita, and I think I have more attachment to Minato Ward than anyone else."

――Is there anything you have noticed recently while living in Minato Ward?

Shioya: "Compared to the past, I have the impression that the number of overseas people visiting Minato Ward has increased significantly. I applied for this student ambassador with the desire to let more people in Japan and abroad know about Minato Ward, where I live. I'm also interested in social media, and I'm always trying to stay sensitive to trends, so I want to communicate various things from my own perspective."

――I heard that you were also born in Minato Ward.

Ishino: "Yes, I was born at Aiku Hospital in Minato Ward, and my home was in Shinagawa Ward, which is next door, but it is rather close to the Shirokane area. Since I was a child, I have been playing at Acorn Park and Arisugawanomiya Memorial Park in Shirokane. Recently, I often watch movies and play with spotcha in Odaiba, but there are also memories of the swimming class I attended when I was a child, so Shirokane may be the place I feel familiar with. I often went to the nature education garden, and I still go to Happoen to see the cherry blossoms."

――The first selection for student ambassadors was to introduce tourist spots in Minato Ward on your Instagram account, but Mr. Ishino also posted photos of the Nature Education Park and Happoen.

Ishino: "Yes, I also posted about "NEWoMan Takanawa" in Takanawa Gateway City, the shops in the facility, and the scenery that can be taken from there. I would be happy if you could appreciate my unique way of introducing yourself. I have always been interested in urban development undertaken by the government and companies, and since I was a high school student, I have participated in workshops through the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Children's Policy Cooperation Office. Therefore, I felt the importance of communicating the charm of the region, and I wanted to make use of my specialty, photography, which is why I applied for this student ambassador."

――Please tell us about your relationship with Minato Ward.

Toyohara: "I went on to university from Meiji Gakuin High School, so I went to the Shirokanedai school building for both high school and university, and I spent my student days in Minato Ward. Memories with family and friends are scattered throughout the ward, such as going to the Azabu Juban Noryo Festival with friends in a yukata or eating with my mother at a hotel in Odaiba at Christmas. I applied because I wanted to convey the charm of such a friendly city in a way that resonated with my generation. Also, one of the reasons was that I saw an acquaintance of Karen Murakami, who was active as a first-generation student ambassador, and I wanted to try it too."

――You were acquainted with Mr. Murakami. In the first selection, I introduced Shirokanedai cafes and restaurants on Instagram.

Toyohara: "I posted a recommended restaurant where you can have a delicious lunch and dessert. It was a restaurant I had always wanted to go to, so I visited it with my mother and asked her to help me shoot (laughs).
Since the university is nearby, the development of cafes in this area in particular has become a part of daily life."

――You said that your hobby is visiting cafes, but are there any hidden gems?

Toyohara: "Yes, that shop is also close to my university, but there is a café called "KAIKOU COFFEE" with a nice atmosphere, and I often go there. However, when I asked my friends, there were some children who didn't know about it, so I think it's surprisingly a hidden gem."

――Did you know Mr. Ishino, who grew up in the Shirokane area?

Ishino: "I didn't know at all. I would like to go there next time. Please let me know if you have any other recommended cafes."

Toyohara: "By all means! Since I live close to Mr. Ishino, I felt a sense of closeness to him. I'm the one who can tell you a lot of things."

――Mr. Shioya also introduced a café in the first selection.

"I introduced a bakery café located right near the coast of Odaiba Seaside Park. Odaiba has many commercial facilities, but in fact, there are good shops in a slightly off area. I would like to introduce spots that only such locals know."

――Next, please tell us about your relationship with Minato Ward.

Choi: "I've been in Japan for two and a half years, and I've lived in Minato Ward for one of those years, and the university campus is also in Minato Ward. The staff were mostly Korean, and they always worked while speaking Korean. The reason I applied for the Student Ambassador was because I wanted to send out useful information to overseas tourists from the standpoint of an international student."

――Mr. Shioya also works part-time at a restaurant in Shimbashi.

Shioya: "Yes, I was surprised."

――Mr. Choi posted a photo of himself crossing the Rainbow Bridge on foot in the first round of selection.

Choi: "Yes, it was quite long, so it was difficult to get through it (laughs). In addition, I also posted the observation space of Caretta Shiodome and gourmet food in the Shimbashi area. I was really happy when I was selected as a student ambassador, and I want to make a solid submission plan for the next year."

――As a student ambassador, what kind of information do you want to disseminate in the future?

Choi: "Minato Ward is literally a city close to the sea, so I want more people to know the wonders of the waterside scenery such as canals and ports. Also, the other day, I visited Takanawa Gateway City, which has just had its grand opening. I was surprised by the developed infrastructure, and there were festival-like events being held, which made me feel very lively. In the "NEWoMan Takanawa" in Takanawa Gateway City, there is a new sauna facility called "Takanawa SAUNAS", which we would like to introduce here. I like saunas (laughs). There is another sauna facility right near Takanawa Gateway Station, so it might be fun to compare them."

――Mr. Ishino was also introduced to "NEWoMan Takanawa".

Ishino: "Yes, Takanawa is my favorite place, but I didn't know there was a sauna. I was also curious about the gourmet food in Mr. Choi's Shimbashi area."

Choi: "Thank you."

Ishino: "The four students of the first generation of student ambassadors were all women, so I think it would be nice to introduce places where we can play from the perspective of a man like us. Minato Ward has a strong image of each area, and Roppongi and Azabu, for example, have an image of being a city where relatively wealthy people gather. However, I want many people to have the impression that Minato Ward is a city that even students can enjoy, and I would like to work from that perspective as well."

――Is there anything you would like to communicate in the future?

Shioya: As Mr. Ishino just said, Minato Ward has a different expression depending on the region, so I would like people to pay attention to that. Also, while new commercial facilities are being built one after another, there are also many historical shrines and historical sites. I think that duality is also the charm of Minato Ward, so I would like to lighten my footwork and walk around and introduce it."

――What do you think, Mr. Toyohara?

Toyohara: "Due to the influence of social media, I think some people in Minato Ward have an image of glitter and no longer have a glittering image. As Mr. Shioya just mentioned, there is also a historical and cultural aspect, so I hope we can communicate on both axes."

――Finally, how do you want to connect this activity to your future and career?　Please tell us about your enthusiasm for the activity.

Shioya: "I have a strong interest in urban development and regional development, so I think this experience of visiting on my own and communicating in my own words will be a great source of nourishment.

Ishino: "I am aiming to become a dentist, but I am also interested in being involved in urban development from the standpoint of the government beyond the framework of medical care.

Toyohara: "I have decided to move into the advertising industry in the spring, and marketing for young people and the use of social media are exactly in the middle of the career I want to pursue. I want to improve my own skills through trial and error to see how to better convey the charm of Minato Ward."

Choi: "I aim to be a civil engineering expert related to offshore wind power and marine resources, and in the process, I want to become a bridge between Japan, South Korea, and the world. I would like to do my best to convey the charm of Minato Ward to people around the world and create opportunities for exchange."

――I look forward to seeing your success. Thank you very much for today.

《Student Tourism Ambassador Profile》

MISAKI SHIOYA
Keio University, 3rd year
@misaki_minatocity21

TAKAAKI ISHINO
Nippon Dental University, 1st year
@taka_minato_camera

KANON TOYOHARA
Meiji Gakuin University, 4th year
@2__kanon.6

HYEONSEOK CHOI
Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology , Graduate School , 2nd year Master's degree
@minato_navigator
※global crew