Interview with Naito Yuji, who planned the Mizushima Night View Taxi
We spoke with Naito Yuji, who planned the Mizushima Night View Taxi.
How the Mizushima Night View Taxi got started
Could you tell us how you came up with the Mizushima Night View Taxi?
Naito (surname only)
As a company headquartered in Mizushima, Nomura Kotsu wants to remain a taxi company rooted in the local community.
We wondered whether we could create something new ourselves for our hometown of Mizushima, beyond our regular daily transportation services.
So a few of us drivers gathered, and we got talking about how it would be great if more people could learn about the beautiful night views of the Mizushima Industrial Complex, which is practically a symbol of Mizushima.
We proposed a tour of recommended spots with beautiful views of the industrial complex to our supervisor, and the “Mizushima Night View Taxi” became a reality.
Features of the Mizushima Night View Taxi
What kind of drivers will be your guides?
Naito
The tour is led by drivers who normally drive around Kurashiki City, mainly in the Mizushima area, as part of their regular taxi work. Of those, only drivers who have completed in-house training on the Mizushima Night View Taxi are assigned to the tour.
Because they know the Mizushima area inside out from their daily work, they have also studied the routes so they can efficiently visit the spots on the Mizushima Night View Taxi within the allotted time.
There are many companies within the industrial complex, so they also make a point of learning which factories belong to which companies and the distinctive features of the buildings.
What makes the factory night views so beautiful?
Naito
It depends on the course, but on routes along public roads within the industrial area, you can see up close, albeit through fences, the stark iron stairways of factories illuminated by lights and complex pipelines.
The sight of lights shining on the steel buildings creates an almost fantastical atmosphere and is very beautiful.
Factory night views really do make a completely different impression from what you see during the day.
Also, even when looking at the same place, the impression changes greatly depending on the direction you view it from, and the view varies by season, too.
For example, when looking out over the industrial complex from a high place such as an observation deck, the leaves fall from the trees in winter, opening up the view. The air is also clear, so you can enjoy an even clearer night view.
Another feature of this tour is that we can take you along private roads that are normally off-limits to the public and show you recommended photo spots.
These private roads are roads for which Nomura Kotsu has obtained special permission to pass, and the views of the industrial complex from here can only be seen on this tour.
What kinds of customers use the service most often?
Naito
Our customers range widely in age.
Some are couples, while others come with family or friends. Their interests vary, too: some love night views, some are interested in the industrial complex scenery, and some enjoy photography.
The more people in your group, the more affordable the price per person, so I think people use the service as a way to make memories on their trip.
You can efficiently visit several spots within the allotted time, and I think even people who are not confident in their stamina can enjoy the tour safely and comfortably.
What kind of feedback have you received from customers who have taken this tour?
Naito
People seeing a factory night view for the first time often say things like, “Wow, it’s so vast and impressive,” “The smoke coming from the chimneys looks beautiful against the night sky,” and “It looks stark during the day, but at night, with the lights, it looks almost magical.”
Hearing those kinds of comments makes me happier than anything. For local people, the industrial complex is a familiar sight they see every day, so it’s easy for the sense of wonder to fade over time.
But every time I see our customers’ reactions, I’m reminded of just how vast and beautiful it is.
I hear there was a customer who left a lasting impression on you.
Naito
A customer once asked to see the sunset over the Seto-Ohashi Bridge and the night view of the Mizushima Industrial Complex in one trip.
They had come from a prefecture in the Kanto region with no coastline, and I remember how deeply moved they were by the scenery.
I was incredibly happy then, too. As a taxi driver, it really makes me feel that my work is worthwhile.
Future plans
Could you tell us about your plans for the future?
Naito
At present, only a few drivers who have completed in-house training can handle the Mizushima Night View Taxi. We’d like to gradually increase the number of drivers who can lead the tour.
Also, I think Mizushima still has many more attractions to enjoy. We’d like to come up with various tours and plans that can meet customers’ specific needs—something larger companies can’t do.
As a local company in Mizushima, Nomura Kotsu hopes to contribute to the revitalization of Mizushima as well.
Could you leave us with a final comment?
Naito
We’d like to promote the “Mizushima Night View Taxi” tour more widely.
We have a set of spots we usually visit, so you can of course leave it up to us. And if you have a particular place in mind, we can flexibly change the route—I think that’s another great thing about this tour.
This is a tour of places that are difficult to reach by public transportation, or that even local people rarely get a chance to visit—places you can go “because you’re in a taxi”.
We hope you’ll take the Mizushima Night View Taxi and let us help you create precious memories.
From the Writer
For local people, the Mizushima Industrial Complex may be nothing more than an industrial landscape they see almost every day.
But when you take another look, the factories’ complex structures resemble iron castles, and the smoke billowing from the chimneys and the lights reflecting in the night sky make the scene feel like a city of the future.
The power and beauty of the view cannot be conveyed in photographs.
If you want to tour the area efficiently, a taxi whose drivers know the area inside out may be the best way.
Nomura Kotsu serves as transportation for local residents, and says it will also step up its efforts to contribute to the community.
Why not recommend the Mizushima Night View Taxi to visitors from outside the prefecture, as well as enjoy it yourself?
Mizushima Night View Taxi details
| Name | Mizushima Night View Taxi |
|---|---|
| Address | 860 Konshinden, Fukuda-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-455-3554 |
| Parking | Available Nomura Kotsu Co., Ltd. has parking available |
| Business hours | Office: Weekdays, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Taxi bookings accepted 24 hours a day |
| Closed | None |
| Payment methods |
|
| Website | Nomura Kotsu Co., Ltd. |
What would you like to know about Kurashiki?
Enter a search term to find articles on this site
