For a further example of citizens’ active participation in improving the environment of their city, workshop participants visited Suma Ward Office, in the west of the city, to learn about the activities of the Suma Beach Beautification Campaign Council. With the facilities of the Ward Office for meetings and planning purposes, the Council arranges events for locals to improve the environment of Suma Beach. Stretching 1.8km and 50 -80m deep, the beach is one of the most popular beaches in the Hanshin area, attracting over one million visitors per year, who come to stroll, sunbathe and make use of its boating, restaurant and entertainment facilities, and was a feature of early modern Japanese literature, such as The Tale of Genji.

Citizens clean Suma Beach, mobilized by the Suma Beach Beautification Campaign Council

The Council was established in 1973, and in its 36th year, local residents and Kobe City government have been working together to make Suma Beach free of waste, usually caused by littering and illegal dumping. The Council is made up of members from local community, women’s, children’s and senior citizen’s associations of Suma Ward. Activities arranged include a twice-yearly beach cleaning project at the beginning and end of high summer, an information and awareness campaign to encourage visitors to take home their waste, beach-cleaning walks, and noise/ firework reduction projects. 

In 2009, the beach cleaning events attracted 4,000 and 2,500 people, of over 50 local schools, organizations and private companies. More than five tons of waste was collected over the two events, showing the importance of the Campaign to Take Home Garbage. This latter activity was implemented twice in the middle of the bathing season. Fifty participants informed beach-goers to avoid leaving garbage on the beach, and distributed take-home garbage bags and leaflets. The Suma Beach-cleaning Walk started in 2008, to commemorate the G8 Environment Ministers Meeting in Kobe, to promote health and environment beautification. 

The activities of the Council have resulted in the Ordinance Relating to the Preservation of the Suma Coastline being put into effect by the city government. Vehicles, loud noise and fireworks are prohibited in certain areas of the beach, meaning a safer and more pleasant environment for all.