Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)
[JNTO] Sustaining the Future of Hiroshima’s Traditions and Ecology (May News Letter)
2023.06.22
Press release
PDF ver.
Dear Journalists and Editors,
The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) is pleased to share the May Newsletter.
Sustaining the Future of Hiroshima's Traditions and Ecology
In May, the G7 Summit 2023 was hosted in the city of Hiroshima. Many visitors to Hiroshima came because of its history, as the site of a nuclear bombing that claimed tens of thousands of civilian lives during WW2 and changed the world forever. The G7 Summit is also about changing the world, but this time with eyes fixed firmly on the future. Topics discussed during the summit include global economic resilience and security and progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. As international tourism seeks a new normal, both world economic stability and sustainable tourism play vital roles in determining what that future will look like.
Hiroshima was perhaps a natural choice for the G7 Summit, with its solemn history from WW2 and its forward-thinking goals toward a sustainable future. Even age-old traditions in origami, textile manufacturing, and sake brewing are playing key roles in the sustainable tourism movement of Hiroshima.
The primary attraction in Hiroshima is the Peace Memorial Park and Museum. The beautifully manicured 120,000 square meter park's broad, mostly flat landscape still allows visitors to imagine the force of the atomic explosion that leveled nearly every structure in its blast zone. The twisted remnants of the A-Bomb Dome, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, represent the horrors war inflicts on humankind.
Orizuru- Praying for Peace in a Sustainable Cycle of Origami Cranes
The classic Japanese origami crane has come to be a symbol of peace, especially when many are gathered together. At the Peace Memorial Park, visitors can see countless paper curtains of these colorful orizuru adorning walls and monuments, many made of folded cranes that have been sent by well-wishers from around the world. As about 10 million of these cranes are donated each year to the Peace Memorial Park, the ORIZURU PROJECT recycles them into fresh origami paper that is distributed to schools, where children can fold these sheets again into new origami cranes in a sustainable cycle of renewed prayers for peace.
Saijo Sake - Protecting the Future of Hiroshima Sake Production
In a mountain valley east of Hiroshima is Saijo, said to be one of the three most famous sake-producing areas in Japan. Sake production can be traced back to the mid-17th century, and breweries that have been operating for over a century line the scenic streets here, continuing to produce award-winning sake year after year.
For those who love sake or simply wish to experience a traditional Japanese craft, Saijo is a perfect day trip from Hiroshima city. Visitors arrive by train and enjoy sake tasting as they walk from brewery to brewery through the well-preserved neighborhoods of Japan's Edo era.
Producing high-quality sake is based on the purity of its two main ingredients: rice and water. The local wells are famous for their soft, mellow-flavored water, and the finest water comes from just a narrow strip of land flowing beneath the ground where most of Saijo's breweries are located.
The breweries know the water is the lifeblood of their business, and they do not make light of their responsibility to keep the waters of Saijo pure. To that end, each brewery donates a small fee for every 1.8 liters of sake sold. The fee supports a group of local volunteers who go into the Ryuo mountains several times each year to clean, gather wood, and make charcoal used to purify the water.
BoleeGa Fukuyama - Taking Sustainable Fashion to A New Level of Luxury
Fukuyama is a city in Hiroshima Prefecture synonymous with denim production. The entire production process for making jeans can be completed at workshops located within a 20-kilometer radius, making Fukuyama the perfect location for the ultimate fashion experience - creating and producing a one-of-a-kind pair of denim jeans.
This 5-day travel experience is centered around the production process of a custom pair of denim jeans, from the natural indigo dyeing process to the design and fitting, and finally, the presentation of the finished product in a luxurious wooden box. Guided tours of each production facility are included in the trip, and many hands-on experiences with the textiles. During the production waiting period, guests are encouraged to explore the beautiful towns and scenery of the Setouchi Inland Sea.
Although the experience isn’t inexpensive, the profits go to a good cause, including a contribution to help sustain the local textile industry. BoleeGa isn't for the masses but for fashion connoisseurs who have a deep interest in how their clothes are made and want an experience, and pair of jeans, to last a lifetime.
As the members of the G7 countries discuss plans and policies towards achieving the goals of the 2030 agenda and SDGs, Hiroshima is already well along the road to creating tourist experiences that support SDGs and help visitors to Japan create unique memories of their trip to Hiroshima Prefecture.
Japan Tourism Topics
1. Long-Awaited Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo - Making of Harry Potter Opens June 16th
Opening June 16th 2023, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo will offer visitors the opportunity to learn about the behind-the-scenes production of the "Harry Potter" and "Fantastic Beasts" film series while enjoying many spectacular sets, including Hogwarts' Great Hall, Diagon Alley, and the 9 and 3/4 line. Various food options featuring traditional English dishes, desserts, and the world's largest butterbeer bar are also available. The Studio Tour is located in Tokyo's Nerima Ward, close to popular accommodation districts such as Shinjuku and Ueno.
2. Hilton Okinawa Miyako Island Resort Opens
June 18th marks the opening of the first Hilton resort to open on a remote island of Okinawa Prefecture. Adjacent to Miyako Sunset Beach, the hotel offers breathtaking views of the sunset and the impossibly blue hues of the Miyako sea, which visitors can enjoy from their private balcony in each of the 329 rooms. Families with children will enjoy an onsite Kids’ Club and five indoor and outdoor pools to choose from. With a rooftop bar, lobby lounge, spa, and all-day dining options, visitors might be tempted to stay in the facility, but then they would be missing out on Miyako Island's famously pristine natural landscape and abundant outdoor activities.
3. Shimoda Hydrangea Festival - June 1st to 30th
Hydrangeas are the colorful flowers of Japan's early summer months, and Shimoda city on Shizuoka's Izu Peninsula is celebrating with its annual Hydrangea Festival. Located in Shimoda Park and including the site of the former Shimoda Castle, more than 3 million flowers will bloom here overlooking historical Shimoda city, where Admiral Perry signed a friendship treaty with Japan in 1854 making Shimoda the first port open to Americans. Besides the lovely flowers, Shimoda and the rest of the Izu Peninsula are home to many relaxing onsen hot springs facilities. The festival runs from June 1st to the 30th.
4. Outdoor Adventures in Open Field Museum Kamaishi
The lovely coastal town of Kamaishi suffered severe damage in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Through innovation and perseverance, the area is slowly recovering through a unique sustainable tourism initiative. A meaningful way for overseas tourists to support the local people and economy is by participating in Open Field Museum Kamaishi, where the city and its surroundings are turned into an open-air experience for tourists to enjoy. Local activities such as trekking, fishing boat cruises, SUP and sea kayaking, and seafood harvesting are led by local people, with the profits going directly into growing the local economy. Kamaishi is located on the coast of Iwate Prefecture in northeastern Japan.
5. ASAI Kyoto Shijo Opens on June 1st
Thailand's Dusit Hotels and Resorts opens its first location in Japan in the heart of Kyoto's historical Shijo district. The city's largest shopping area features a mix of traditional and modern shops and the famous Nishiki Market, known affectionately as "Kyoto's Kitchen." Stylish and functional rooms located in a neighborhood that feels surprisingly local are the main appeals, but surprising touches like Soi Geang, the on-site restaurant fusing Thai drinking foods with premium Japanese whisky, sake, and beer, offer other intriguing reasons to book a stay here.
6. HIROSHIMA ORIZURU TOWER
Hiroshima was the host city of the recent G7 Summit. Visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the Peace Memorial Park from the observation deck on the rooftop of the HIROSHIMA ORIZURU TOWER, which opened in 2016 next to the east side of the Atomic Bomb Dome. Inside, you can pay 100 yen to fold a crane using special origami paper and drop it into the 50-meter-high ORIZURU WALL, a majestic glass-paned display of origami cranes folded by visitors. As cranes from around the world accumulate, the wall is completed, symbolizing the culmination of heartfelt wishes from people across the globe.
Notes:
・Items 4 is based on information from JNTO Partners.
・The above details are correct as of the time of publication, and are subject to change.
[Contact]
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Photos (From the left):
1. (Orizuru- Praying for Peace in a Sustainable Cycle of Origami Cranes) Photo by Hiroshima Tourism Association
2-3. (Saijo Sake - Protecting the Future of Hiroshima Sake Production)
4. (BoleeGa Fukuyama - Taking Sustainable Fashion to A New Level of Luxury) Photo by Hiroshima Tourism Association
Japan Tourism Topics
5. (1. Long-Awaited Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo - Making of Harry Potter Opens June 16thKey Visual)
Photo by ‘Wizarding World’ and all related names, characters and indicia are trademarks of and ©Warner
Bros. Entertainment Inc. – Wizarding World publishing rights© J.K. Rowling.
6. (2. Hilton Okinawa Miyako Island Resort Opens)
7. (3. Shimoda Hydrangea Festival - June 1st to 30th) ©Shimoda Tourist Association
8. (4. Outdoor Adventures in Open Field Museum Kamaishi) Photo by Kamaishi DMC Ltd.
9. (5. ASAI Kyoto Shijo Opens on June 1st)
10. (6. HIROSHIMA ORIZURU TOWER) Photo by HIROSHIMA ORIZURU TOWER
