The Kyoto International Manga Museum is seen in Kyoto's Nakagyo Ward on June 1, 2019. (Mainichi/Hiroshi Nakagawa)

       KYOTO -- Of the many local governments making efforts to promote COVID-19 vaccine shots, this western Japan city set its eyes on the Kyoto International Manga Museum as a mass vaccination site, attracting so many residents that reservation slots get filled immediately.

       The venue was set up at the first-floor hall, and is open from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Although users normally need to pay an admission fee of 900 yen (roughly $8), those who booked for a coronavirus vaccine can read any of the approximately 30,000 manga titles at the museum in Kyoto's Nakagyo Ward for free while waiting for their shots or after getting vaccinated.

       Those who made reservations can apparently continue reading until 8:30 p.m. after getting their vaccines, an initiative to promote the inoculation of young people who have a relatively low vaccination rate.

       Citizens of Kyoto who received a vaccine voucher but have not yet received their first dose can make a reservation to receive Pfizer's COVID vaccine at the museum. The individual receiving the shot can bring one person with them to the museum, and both people can read manga for free.

       When the vaccination site began accepting reservations for 270 people on Oct. 24, all slots apparently became filled that very day. In response, the Kyoto Municipal Government resumed reservations on Nov. 2 by adding another 440 slots. As of Nov. 4, slots for the first dose were open on Nov. 8, 11 and 15, which were to be followed by the second dose on Nov. 29, Dec. 2 and 6, respectively.

       Reservations can be made from a portal site at https://vaccines-kyoto-city.jp/ (in Japanese). For inquiries, contact the city's coronavirus vaccination call center at 075-950-0808 or 0570-040-808, or by fax at 075-950-0809 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

       (Japanese original by Kanae Soejima, Kyoto Bureau)

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