As expected, Kwon Eunbi failed to keep her appointment with the hospital even after a few re-scheduling. Out of courtesy, she has exchanged a few text messages with Dr. Kang Hyewon.

 Wed, Sept 9

Eunbi: Seonsaengnim (doctor), I am sorry I cannot keep my appointment this afternoon. The faculty is calling for an urgent meeting. I will make another appointment with Yuri.

Dr. Kang: okay. Please don't take too long.

Sat, Sept 19

Eunbi: Seonsaengnim, I am very sorry that Jaemin is having a fever. I cannot leave him alone nor bring him to the examination.

Dr. Kang: Understood. Please contact Yuri.

Sun, Oct 18

Dr. Kang: Eunbi-ssi, one month has passed. I hope you take your well being into serious consideration.

Eunbi: Seonsaengnim, thank you very much. I will make another appointment with Yuri.

Mon, Nov 2

Dr. Kang: Gyosunim (professor), I understand your teaching workload must be very heavy, but it is November already. I don't mind if you are seeing another gynaecologist, but you must take care of yourself, please.

And the conversation stopped there.

**********

Lee Chaeyeong knocks at the door of Professor Honda Hitomi anxiously.

"Come in!"

"Gyosunim, annyeonghaseyo?"

"Hey, Chaeyeon, please have a seat."

Professor Honda is very happy to meet Chaeyeon face-to-face again since she went to Fukuoka for exchange.

"So you have applied for an extension? I've approved it two weeks ago, and you may get a letter from the university soon."

"Thank you." Chaeyeon bows lightly.

"Okay, let's start." Professor Honda takes out a printed out document, "I must say, your proposal has been very well written. I particularly like the action research part. Are you collaborating with the Miyawaki Grocery Store?"

"Yes." Chaeyeon switches to Japanese. "We – me and Miyawaki-san have started a Facebook Page and an IG account. The social media did help to bring locals as well as tourists to the Machiya, and sales rose. But now we encounter problems with too many tourists in the community, and that's why I need to seek your advice."

"Chaeyeon, your Japanese has improved so much! You speak like a native now." The professor is impressed. "Well, your question is a typical one. It's not just megacities, but many smaller communities around the world are facing the same problem. Tourists are more and more attracted to authentic places, but these places aren't built for tourists, and usually not prepared for the sudden increase of people. Existing infrastructure is overloaded and locals' life is seriously disturbed. If no preventive or interventive measures are to be taken, overtourism will destroy these places and the money earned is not worth it."

"Exactly," Chaeyeon snaps her fingers. "Even with a 500-1000% increase in sales, the money the store actually earned is not that much. But it brings more trouble. Neighbors of the Grocery Store recently complained and threatened to boycott if no further action is taken to control tourists' behavior." 

Professor Honda nods. "Well, there are now lots of resources online discussing solutions on overtourism for your reference, but it is more important for you to understand the real situation faced by the Taniyama grocery store – did you talk to your friend?"

"Actually she wants to talk to you directly."

"Oh! She is in Seoul?"

"No," Chaeyeon laughs, "she wants to talk to you via video chat."

The professor laughs too, "oh sure! And it will be an on-site live broadcast!"

"Thanks, prof," Chaeyeon immediately texts Sakura and reminds her the professor would like to see the store as well as its environment. And she opens her notebook and put it on the desk.

Professor Honda finds it quite amazing to be connected to the Taniyama community in this way.

After all the polite greetings, Sakura changes to the rear camera of her phone to show her audience in Seoul the surroundings. When she pans her camera across the grocery store, even though it is a Tuesday morning, one can see a handful of customers, mostly tourists judging from their appearance, hanging around the store. A few more are smoking or drinking from a can on the sidewalk across the store. They wave to the camera when Chaeyeon greets them in English, Japanese and Korean with Sakura waving back.

"Over 50% of Kagoshima's tourists are from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Koreans don't rank that high in Kagoshima, but they are number one in pan Kyushu; and actually rank top in many other Japanese prefectures." Chaeyeon tries to impress her supervisor.*

Professor Honda nods, being attentive to her favorite student.

"Thank you, Miyawaki-san, I think I understand well the environment for the time being." Professor Honda says, and Sakura changes back to the front camera.

"So can you tell me the problem you face now?" the professor asks.

Sakura has prepared a checklist. "Noise and rubbish, obstruction to traffic. But the most serious problem is that neighbors feel disturbed. I don't mean tourists are really doing something to intrude into the privacy of the neighborhood, although they may be taking pictures in a not too considerate manner. I think the problem is that, since the reclamation, our neighbors have led a quiet life, and they are not used to having foreigners around,  So they already felt uneasy when tourists wander around and speak loudly in a language they don't understand."

Chaeyeon continues, "we have put up new rules on Facebook and IG, and just put up new signs outside the shop asking people to show consideration. I basically modified what I saw at the Chew Jetty in Penang and Blue House in Hong Kong. But we think we can do more. I think the Miyawaki Grocery Store lacks the participation process of Chew Jetty and Blue House. The local community was not psychologically prepared and now there is a backlash. And the Machiya is only a single private building, so neighbors do not see any public good in promoting one building."

"You are really doing a good job!" Professor Honda feels happy about their passion. "To me, the two keywords here should be empathy and empowerment – to both the tourists and the locals. It is a good first step to ask tourists to be more considerate, but maybe you can push it further and invite them to, say, sign a mini charter and let them be responsible too in the upkeep of the Machiya and its neighborhood."

"Sensei, this is very high sounding. Why do they have to sign...a charter...what is that? And how can we educate ordinary tourists who just stay for half an hour to participate in preserving the neighborhood?" Sakura sounds a bit skeptical.

"Sorry, Miyawaki-san. I am too used to academic language, so let me explain." The professor apologizes. "First, those who make a special trip to visit the Machiya are not ordinary tourists.  They are value driven tourists: for example, they love heritage and support environment protection. So these tourists are more willing to respond to your plea to respect the neighborhood. Secondly, your work in reviving the grocery store is value driven too, and that's why there is a meaningful connection for these tourists. People will behave differently when their values align with yours, and they will naturally feel happy to join up and protect the Taniyama community."

The two young women look at each other and feel speechless.

"As for the neighborhood, I think we need more time here." Professor Honda ponders. "When people feel helpless, they will keep on complaining and do not believe any solution is in sight. Trust among neighbors is very important, but now there is not enough trust. Your