Kyoto launches Circular Business Design School for local firms

Kyoto City will launch a new learning programme this autumn to help local businesses transition to a circular economy. The “Circular Business Design School Kyoto” will run from October 2025 to January 2026, offering free training to approximately 20 companies and sole proprietors based in the city.

The initiative is part of the city’s “FY2025 Circular Economy Foundation Development Project” and will be operated by Harch Inc. It aims to equip local enterprises with the knowledge to develop circular business models, aligning with a national strategy to move away from a linear model of mass production and disposal. Kyoto City has a long history of promoting “waste reduction” and “resource circulation,” and this programme builds on that foundation to foster sustainable economic growth.

Under the concept “Decode Culture, Design Future – Unravel wisdom and design innovation –,” the school will combine modern circular economy principles with Kyoto’s cultural heritage. The programme seeks to apply the traditional spirit of “shimatsu no kokoro,” which values using resources carefully and without waste, to contemporary business challenges.

The curriculum consists of six sessions and a networking event. Participants will learn foundational knowledge of the circular economy, conduct fieldwork in both urban Kyoto and the rural Keihoku area to study local circular practices, and attend workshops on circular design and prototyping. The programme will conclude with a final presentation where businesses showcase their new circular business ideas. Several sessions, including the first and last, will be open to the public.