This Privacy Policy (hereafter the "Policy") sets forth the ways in which the company Kodo (hereafter "Kodo") will collect, hold and use information about individual persons. All personal information collected will be properly maintained and managed through a Personal Information Project organized within Kodo.

Individual Information Protection Policy

  1. In processing any personal information, Kodo pledges to fully comply with the all federal laws and local ordinances of Japan, and with internationally recognized standards of privacy protection.
  2. In so doing, Kodo ensures compliance by its entire staff with strict standards of security and confidentiality. The education and training of Kodo staff in this matter is to be overseen and implemented by a specified personal information administrator within Kodo.
  3. Before collecting personal information, Kodo will clarify the intended use of said information, and provide contact information customers can use for inquiries on this matter. (Provision of this information includes publishing on the Kodo website.) We will handle all personal information provided by customers with strict confidence, as per the guidelines outlined in this Policy.
  4. We are committed to protecting against unauthorized access, loss, falsification, destruction, and disclosure of personal information.
  5. Kodo continually updates and revises our management system of the protection of personal information.

Defining Personal Information

The term "personal information" as used in this Policy refers to data such as an individual’s name, telephone number, e-mail address, street address, etc., as well as an individual’s accounts or relationships with the Company or other parties, that can be used to identify the individual (including information that can be readily matched with other information for the purpose of identifying the individual).

How Personal Information is Collected

In compliance with laws regarding personal information and the relevant standards, Kodo may appropriately collect personal information from customers in the following cases listed below. Kodo will never ask for information beyond the scope of the company' s activities.

  1. When customers use the "Kodo Ticket Reservation Site", "Kodo Online Store" or "Otodaiku" site (hereafter referred to as "Kodo Sites").
  2. When customers respond to a written questionnaire provided at a concert by Kodo or Kodo members.
  3. Other cases where the customer inquires about or applies for a Kodo event or program.
  4. No personal information shall be collected from individuals 13 years of age or under without the consent of a legal guardian.

Intended Use of Personal Information

When using the services provided by Kodo, we may keep a record of customers' personal information including name, address, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address, and responses to questionnaires, etc. to be used for the following purposes:

  1. In order to deliver merchandise to customers, or bill customers for merchandise or services delivered.
  2. In order to deliver our monthly newsletter to customers, or bill for membership in "Friends of Kodo".
  3. In order to provide customers with concert information, and/or new-merchandise and new-service information.
  4. In order to provide after-service for merchandise and services delivered.
  5. For marketing and sales promotions, and service improvement programs.
  6. In order to confirm a customer's purchase history.
  7. In order to respond to customers’ inquiries and requests.
  8. Other cases when it is necessary for a Kodo staff member to contact a customer for some reason.

Regarding the Disclosure of Personal Information to Third Parties

Kodo will not disclose personal information to a third party except in the following cases:

  1. Pursuant to a valid subpoena, court order or other official request from police or other public law-enforcement agency.
  2. When we have received the consent of the customer beforehand.
  3. In order to provide services promised to the customer, we may share information with an affiliated third party when necessary. (For example, Kodo sometimes provides presenters and concert halls with personal information so that they may provide information on concerts by Kodo or Kodo members.)
  4. In order to provide the customer with merchandise or services ordered, Kodo may disclose personal information to business partners, service providers or other parties entrusted to provide services on Kodo’s behalf.
  5. When the customer’s actions when using a Kodo Site are in violation of the site’s terms of use and/or poses a threat to Kodo’s assets and/or capacity to render service.
  6. In emergency situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, and/or threats to the rights and property of any person.

In regard to items 3 and 4 above, in the instance where personal information in disclosed to an affiliated third party, said party will contract with the company that they will only use personal data for the agreed upon purpose, and will not disclose it to other parties. (Unless Kodo has contacted a customer about some specific predetermined exception, affiliated business partners will never use personal information for purposes other than those outlined above.)

Right of Access

Customers have the right to obtain confirmation concerning whether Kodo is holding or processing personal data relating to a customer, and confirmation concerning the use of the personal information collected. If such a request is made, Kodo requires that the customer or appropriate representative for the customer provide proof of identitity.

However, Kodo cannot release the above-mentioned information in any of the following cases:

  1. If there is a threat to the rights or assets of the customer or any other individual.
  2. If the request presents considerable hindrance to Kodo's business operations.
  3. If there is a danger of volating any laws or ordinaces, etc.

Furthermore, requests for notification or disclosure of information will be subject to a charge to cover actual costs.

Regarding Correction, Deletion, Cessation of Use, and Exclusion of Information Sharing

Kodo will make all efforts to promptly correct or delete any errors in collected personal information.

Further, with respect to such personal data which Kodo places in a systematic collection controlled by the company, the data subjects have the right to correct their personal data when the data are incorrect, or request cessation of use, deletion or exclusion from information sharing with third parties. In such a case, the request will be carried out promptly upon verification that the personal making the request is indeed the data subject.

However, Kodo will not delete the minimum personal information required to conduct normal business operations.

When using the "Kodo Ticket Reservation Site", users may at any time review or update personal information by logging in to the site. To protect user privacy and security, we will take reasonable steps to verify user identity before granting access or making corrections.

If at any time a customer wishes to quit "Friends of Kodo" or cease to receive our newsletter, etc., he or she may log onto the Japanese Kodo website and press the "registration change" button to go through this process online. Customers may also contact Kodo directly (contact information listed below) to make such requests.

Sharing of Personal Data Among the Kodo-Group Companies

The entirety of Kodo's business affairs is handled by the three organizations outlined below. Personal information collected by one company may be shared with other Kodo-Group companies.

Kitamaesen Co., Ltd.

Principal business activities: Manages business affairs related to the group's performance activities. Maintains the "Kodo Online Store," the "Kodo Ticket Reservation Site", and oversees the manufacturing and marketing of official Kodo merchandise.

Kitamaesen, Kodo's mother company, serves as a base from which Kodo interacts with the rest of the world, sharing the culture unique to Sado Island. The name of this company comes from the "Kitamaebune" or northern-bound ships which once flourished in the Japan sea, carrying people, goods and culture from port to port in Edo-period Japan.

The Kodo Cultural Foundation

Principal business activities: Acts as an umbrella for Kodo's non-profit activities. Non-profit activities include workshops, the planning and production of the annual international arts festival "Earth Celebration", maintenance of the Kodo Library and Kodo Apprentice Centre, sponsorship of research on traditional performing arts, book publication, and maintenance of the "Friends of Kodo".

Supporting non-profit activities which a focus on social education, the Kodo Cultural Foundation strives to expand Sado-based activities and to give back to the community that Kodo has made its home.

Otodaiku Co., Ltd.

Principal business activities: Manages group copyrights, planning and production of recordings, workshop planning and production, the development and sale of musical instruments used in Kodo's performances as well as other crafts and goods particular to Sado Island.

Emloying a unique understanding of the "interaction between people and things" cultivated through Kodo's extensive stage experience, Oto Daiku strives to develop a wide range of superior products.

Use of Internet-Based Technology to Collect Personal Data (Cookies)

The Kodo Ticket Reservation Site uses "cookies" to identify particular users. Cookies may be transmitted from the server of our site and stored in the personal computers of our site users.

Cookies
This enables us to provide users with better service for future visits to Kodo sites. "Cookies" as used by the Company cannot be used to discover the identity of an individual user, nor cookies do not damage the user's computer.

Links to Other Sites

This Policy applies only to the Kodo Sites to the exclusion of third-party websites. Kodo may provide links to other websites which it believes may be of interest to visitors, and we aim to ensure that such websites are of the highest standard.

However, due to the nature of the World Wide Web, Kodo cannot guarantee the privacy standards of every website to which it links or be responsible for the contents of sites other than the Kodo sites, and this Policy is not intended to be applicable to any linked, non-Kodo site.

A Caution to Our Customers

Kodo may at times ask for customers' personal information in order to provide our services, and we will treat that information with the highest standard of confidentiality as described in this Policy. However, there are times when the information transmitted to our site, such as a response to an online questionnaire or entry into our weblog, when personal information may be compromised to third parties without the knowledge of the user and/or Kodo.

Customers are asked to take the appropriate measures to make sure that online transmissions are secure and passwords are kept confidential.

Changes to this Policy

  1. Kodo reserves the right to update this policy without informing customers directly. Please note that our terms of use will be subject to the most recent version of our privacy policy.
  2. Unless stated otherwise, the updated version of our privacy policy will be recognized as valid at the time that it is posted on the Kodo sites.

Anyone with inquiries about Kodo's compliance with this Policy should contact our personal information administrator at:

  • Tel. 0120-32-0015 (Kodo toll-free number)
  • From a cell phone or PHS: Tel. 0259-86-3630 (Mon - Fri, 9:30 - 17:00)
  • Email: heartbeat@kodo.or.jp
  • Fax. 0259-86-3631
  • Kodo Personal Information Project: Kodo Village, 148-1 Ogi Kanetashinden, Sado Island, Niigata 952-0611, Japan

This document was created on April 1, 2005

Amended on October 4, 2006

Amended on April 1, 2008

Amended on June 1, 2009

Kodo Group

Kitamaesen, Co., Ltd.
Managing Director: Takao Aoki
Kodo Cultural Foundation
Chairman: Makoto Shimazaki
Otodaiku, Co., Ltd.
Managing Director: Takuro Susaki

Kodo