Your signature will help protect the future of Kyoto.
We, the Association to Protect Kyoto’s Water and Culture have come together to oppose the proposed extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen via the “Obama–Kyoto Route,” in order to protect the vital underground water veins and the cultural heritage that Kyoto has cultivated over a thousand years.
This Shinkansen project plans to spend over 5 trillion yen to construct massive underground tunnels deep beneath Kyoto in order to develop a railway line that experts warn is unlikely to be profitable. More importantly, specialists have raised serious concerns about the project’s potential to severely damage Kyoto’s groundwater system—an irreplaceable lifeline for both its people and its culture.
This is not just a problem for the present. It carries irreversible consequences that may affect Kyoto 100 or even 200 years into the future.
We are not merely raising our voices in protest.
We are taking responsibility—for the water that sustains our lives and traditions, and for the future that we will pass on. It is time to act.
The Kyoto Buddhist Association has submitted a formal statement opposing the tunnel construction, and a public petition is now underway. These are not just acts of protest; they are heartfelt appeals and expressions of hope.
Recently, the Kyoto City Assembly passed a resolution against the proposed tunnel route, and Kyoto Mayor, Mr. Matsui also expressed that it would be extremely difficult to proceed with a national infrastructure project without first resolving these pressing concerns.
We hope this growing movement will spark a broader dialogue—one that reimagines a society that honors both culture and nature. And we believe that this message, starting from Kyoto, can resonate across Japan and the world.
Please support this petition.
All signatures gathered from this page will be submitted, together with the Kyoto Buddhist Association’s campaign, to relevant government bodies and local authorities.
We are a civic coalition of residents, businesses, and visitors—unaffiliated with any political party—coming together to make our voices heard.To all who feel a connection to Kyoto’s natural and cultural heritage—
To those who wish to leave behind a future we can proudly share with our children—
To everyone who wants to reconsider what truly meaningful public works look like—
Your voice will shape the next 100 years.
Please lend your support to this initiative with your signature.