Cities
Area
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Immersive cultural tourism driven by the traditional Japanese performing art of bunraku puppet theater
The National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka is the country's center of bunraku puppet theater, one of Japan's traditional performing arts.
Bunraku is a performing art in which three aspects come together to visually express the story of a ballad drama—a narrator explains the scenes and emotions of the characters, a shamisen player expresses the mood and emotional development of each scene, and a single puppet is manipulated by three puppeteers.
Bunraku's themes often focus on the impermanence of the world and the affairs of humanity, and its stories remain deeply moving even today.
In 1955, bunraku puppet theater was designated an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan, and in 2008 it was registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Japan by UNESCO.
In conjunction with performances in November 2023, projection mapping will recreate bunraku scripts, which are placed on the floor during performances, and interactive content in the lobby will allow visitors to manipulate virtual puppets. During this period, tours will include strolling through Osaka and tasting its culinary delights, as well as a bunraku puppet theater experience. Visit Osaka and experience the traditional Japanese performing art of bunraku alongside the renowned cityscape and culinary culture of Osaka. -
Special experience that utilizes a cultural asset: “Stay at the Sankeien Garden” “Cruising immersive theater” is an immersive performance onboard a ship that utilizes the space along the water
For one night only, stay in an Important Cultural Property and a city-designated Tangible Cultural Property (the inside of which is normally closed to the public) and enjoy the Sankeien Garden, a nationally designated scenic beauty spot, all to yourself.
- Experience accommodation in a city-designated Tangible Cultural Property in Sankeien (covering an area of approximately 175,000 meters-squared), which comprises the Outer Garden (gaien), which was first opened to the public in 1906 and features a landmark three-storey Muromachi period (1336–1573) pagoda relocated from Tomyo-ji Temple in Kyoto, and the Inner Garden (naien), which combines an old building and garden used as Hara Sankei's private garden. This program provides accommodation (one-night, two meals) for up to two groups of maximum four people per group.
- Dates: From Tuesday, October 31, to Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Premier cruise entertainment ~ Japan’s first "cruising immersive theater" ~ Premium performance for two days only
- Japan’s first waterside "cruising immersive theater" in areas such as “Yoshida Shinden,” the cornerstone of Yokohama’s development
- While taking a cruise down Ooka River and Nakamura River, experience the history and culture of Yokohama through the story of the origins of Yokohama told via an immersive performance
- The performance stages are all public spaces (onboard a ship, pier, or bridge, or in a town near the water, etc.)
- Performance by the dance company DAZZLE, a top tier Japanese immersive theater group, which has achieved many large-scale and regular performances
- Dates: From Friday, October 13, to Saturday, October 14, 2023
- Number of performances: 12 (six performances per day over two days)
- Start times: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9 p.m. -
NAKED Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Fall 2023
NAKED, INC., the company that is responsible for event planning and direction, is a creative company that has created various flower- and nature-themed creative events such as Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Spring 2023 and NAKED FLOWERS, a nighttime light installation at the World Heritage site of Nijo Castle in Kyoto.
Fall leaves and light—illumination brings out their natural beauty by night.
This event goes beyond simply lighting up the garden to create a complete new world with projection mapping and sound evoking the atmosphere of Shinjuku Gyoen
Visually appealing food and beverages centered around "fall in Japan" as the theme will be available
A health-conscious menu, including vegan options, with a focus on environmentally friendly and sustainable practices, including less plastic use
Safety and security based on new normal practices
Designed as a safe space, with lanterns to naturally provide distance and extensive measures to prevent crowding, close contact, and accidents, both inside and outside of the venue -
A program to create an experiential tour of daily life and the challenges of revitalization along the Fukushima coast through exchange with local residents
Content provision and the reception of visitors is mainly performed by residents living in the area around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, and all of the resources used (facilities such as old houses, tour guides, residents who can be interacted with, gourmet experiences, etc.) are based around the experience of the nuclear disaster and trying to rebuild through trial and error. This provides an experience of the conditions and local life at the time of the incident and explains the challenges that regional revitalization pose for the future, which cannot be learned from the news, thereby providing new value to visitors.
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2-day 1-night package with a Ghibli Park ticket and an authentic tea ceremony experience at a long-standing Japanese restaurant
1. Shiratama, a long-standing Japanese restaurant in Nagoya, the culture of hospitality has been passed down over 400 years from the Edo period. In this tour, guests are offered special cuisine overflowing with seasonal flavor and carefully selected dishes within the restaurant's beautiful interior decorations.
2. At Shiratama, guests will participate in an authentic tea ceremony experience, one of Japan's most famous traditions. Each tea ceremony strives to improve on the last so that guests can experience the intrinsic art and aesthetic beauty of tea ceremony. Guests can also admire tea ceremony tools from the Owari Domain. This program is a one-of-a-kind, rare opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the charm of Japanese tea.
3. On the second day, you will visit Ghibli Park, which opened in Aichi Commemorative Park (Moricoro Park) in November 2022, and celebrates the world of Studio Ghibli films. There are no large attractions or rides in Ghibli Park; rather, walk around the forest and paths, feel the breeze on your skin, and discover the secrets of the park's magical atmosphere.
4. This program includes same-day tickets for Ghibli Park’s main area “Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse”. In this massive facility, you can enjoy video exhibitions, three technical exhibitions, a children’s play area, shops, and cafes. -
Surfing culture tour to experience the Tokyo Olympics surfing event site
Enjoy a two-day, one-night premium tour in November (planned) to experience the history and culture of surfing and the sea at Ichinomiya, a surfing event site for the Tokyo Olympics and a place where 700,000 surfers visit each year. On the first day, experience real surfing with a personal surfing guide on Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach, which was used as a surfing event site during the Tokyo Olympics. After that, head over to Tamasaki Shrine, a tangible cultural property of Chiba Prefecture, to enjoy a special performance of gagaku music, a classical genre of Japanese music often played at imperial court. Performed by Tamasaki Gagaku Association, this musical performance has strong ties to the ocean, adding the unique cultural element to this surfing tour. Finally, enjoy a premium dinner made from local ingredient and relax in the evening at a luxuriously private hotel. On the second day, you might choose to enjoy surfing at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach or perhaps even go for a round of golf; a personal car is prepared for all activities, and an interpreter will be available to assist you with whatever activities you decide to do.
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Aomori Nebuta Festival Complete Experience Project
Available during the Aomori Nebuta Festival
Participants will be able to go beyond just watching the Aomori Nebuta Festival. They will change into the costumes worn by the haneto (Nebuta Festival dancers) and participate in the festivities themselves. They will first learn about the history and background of the Aomori Nebuta Festival and undergo a viewing of the structure of the nebuta floats at the Nebuta Museum Wa Rasse. They will then head to the Nebuta Hut, which houses the 23 large-scale nebuta floats that will be a part of the procession that year. Along the way, they will stop by the Aomori Prefecture Tourist Center (ASPAM), taking a break in the 3D Theater and Observation Deck. After visiting the Nebuta Hut, participants will be taken to a designated space where they will change into the haneto costumes and learn the dance of the festival. Once the Nebuta Festival begins, they will participate as haneto dancers, experiencing the Aomori Nebuta Festival right alongside the locals.
Events outside the period of the Aomori Nebuta Festival
Outside the period of the annual Aomori Nebuta Festival, participants will be able to take part in private musical accompaniment and haneto workshops at Nebuta Museum Wa Rasse, attend a talk show by a nebuta master (with complimentary local Japanese sake and fresh ingredients from Aomori Prefecture), and take part in a workshop led by a nebuta master to create a miniature nebuta float. -
Japan’s first-ever exclusive early-morning opening of a national park public trail & environmentally-conscious national park tour
Because of Japan’s geography as an island nation surrounded by the sea and steep mountains,
nature has long been an object of worship in Japanese culture, and there is a long history of people harmonizing with and living in close proximity to nature.
The Alps Sangakukyo area in particular has seen people build their lives among the 3,000-meter-high peaks of Japan’s Northern Alps.
This relationship with the environment has also influenced the history of local architecture and folk art in the Matsumoto city area.
This tour is designed to provide visitors with opportunities to learn about and experience the relationship that Japanese people have with nature, as well as their traditional culture.
Visitors are encouraged to enjoy the special way of life people have created within the breathtaking natural landscapes within the national park.
Highlights of the tour include the first-ever early-morning mountain biking experience on a public trail in a Japanese national park, a hands-on trail maintenance session, and woodworking and lacquering using local natural materials.
The tour will conclude with a dinner made from local ingredients, providing participants with one last taste of the region’s strong ties with nature. -
Program to attract wealthy Thai tourists with a special experience-based plan to watch Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo home games
At Sapporo Dome, a dome stadium unlike any other, participants will enjoy a Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo match, whose roster includes Supachok, a member of the Thai national team.
Prior to the game, guests will be able to tour the players' lockers and experience penalty kicks on the pitch—something not permitted during normal games—and will be served meals prepared by Chef Nobu Shimokuni, one of Hokkaido’s leading chefs, using ingredients unique to Hokkaido.
After the game, guests will have the opportunity to interact with Supachok and take a private tour of Shiroi Koibito Park, one of Hokkaido's leading tourist facilities. A priceless experience is guaranteed.
*Content will vary depending on the course. -
1st Japan Annual International Arts Festival
The Japan International Arts Festival is a new international arts festival to be held on the occasion of the 2025 Japan World Expo. It will be held in Kyoto, the former capital of Japan for a thousand years and a city brimming with history, art, and culture. The Agency for Cultural Affairs has also relocated to the city. The co-creation of art, design, science, technology, and economy will generate creativity all through the city, paving the way to a brighter future toward Japan World Expo in 2025 and beyond: from Japan to the world.
With its main venue as the World Heritage site of Daigo-ji Temple in Kyoto, the idea is to connect with galleries, studios, corporate showrooms, university labs, museums, and more in Kyoto City and Kyoto Prefecture in line with plans put together by the Expo organizers. The first festival will be held from Friday, September 1, to Sunday, October 15, 2023, and is set to recur annually in 2024 and 2025 and even after the Expo in 2026 and 2027.
The Yumeshima Organization to Create New Industry and City will serve as the festival organizer.