The ocean view from the pristine, white sand beaches of the Yaeyama Islands in Okinawa Prefecture.
©Hirata Tourism, Inc.
 |
 |
 |
Newsletter |
June 2010 |
 |
 "Oni Hanabi" (Demons' Fireworks) takes place every year from June 1 to August 13 in Noboribetsu City in Hokkaido. Demons' fireworks are launched by Yukijin
(hot spring demons) to wish for happiness and rid people of bad luck.
©Noboribetsu City/©Noboribetsu Tourist Association/© JNTO |
|||||
|
|
There is no better time than the summer to consider an incentive trip Whether you're looking to beat the heat in the cool, northern getaway of Sapporo, or soak it in at a tropical resort in Okinawa, summer is a busy season for these two unique destinations - and for good reason. In this installment of our International Convention City Highlight section, we look at Sapporo and Okinawa and how they will make any incentive trip a rewarding and memorable one. For an example of just what an incentive trip in Okinawa and Hokkaido would be like, take a look at this case study from EVT Marketing. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Okinawa - "The Eden of Japan"
Meanwhile, those who would prefer to stay on land can visit Ocean Expo Park and Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, one of the world's largest aquariums, to catch a glimpse of Okinawa's unique sea life. In addition, Okinawa boasts having the largest number of centenarians in the world and is regarded as a kind of fountain of youth - especially the village of Ogimi in the northern part of the island. The Okinawan diet is a large factor in this phenomenon, as it is one of the healthiest diets of any region in the world, comprised primarily of rice, fish, local vegetables, seaweed, and tofu. It is not a strange site to see a 100-year-old man or woman, as healthy and energetic as a 50-year-old, hiking along the road to buy groceries or complete other daily activities. Further adding to the health component that Okinawa holds dear is the fact that Okinawa is the birthplace of karate, the Japanese martial art of hand-to-hand combat. The art of karate began with the fusion of Okinawa's ancient, unique traditional martial art "Ti" with Chinese Kung Fu after the 14th century when trade with China began.
In addition to the aforementioned gusuku sites, Okinawa and the rest of the Ryukyu islands offer very unique sights and experiences to visitors. Off the coast of Yonaguni Island is a huge, mysterious, underwater pyramid-shaped structure, known as the Yonaguni Monument, which was discovered in 1986 and is visible when you take part in a specialized diving tour. Archaeologists and scientists are still unsure if it is of natural or manmade origin, so its creation and purpose remain a mystery. Irimote Island is another unique spot. This island in the Yaeyama chain features an abundance of diverse plant and animal life, which gives it the nickname "The Galapagos of the Pacific." The capital city of Naha is also the site of some of the biggest events in Japan and the world. For instance, the Naha Marathon attracts over 15,000 participants and is the largest full marathon in Japan. Also, every October the citizens of the city participate in a massive tug-of-war game, using a 200 meter-long rope, called The Naha Great Tug-of-War which has set a Guinness world record for the largest tug-of-war game. Okinawa also holds various cultural festivals throughout the year. Summer sees a dragon boat race, fireworks, and a 10,000 person Eisa Dance Festival, as well as its annual Peaceful Love Rock Festival - which is made even more exciting since a large portion of Japan's recent pop and rock musical artists have come from Okinawa. Another unique spot for history buffs is the Heiwa Kinen Shiryokan, or Peace Memorial Museum, which commemorates the Battle of Okinawa during World War II and acts as a beacon and promise for the pursuit of peace in the world. These events and locations, along with the plethora of historical sites, museums, art galleries, gardens, parks, beaches, and other seasonal happenings make Okinawa a truly unique and active destination. Tropical Resorts and Special Deals
Sapporo - "Blessed by Snow"
Unique Sites and Activities
For naturalists and the outdoors-oriented, Mt. Moiwa (Moiwayama), a virgin forest on the edge of Sapporo City, and Maruyama-koen, a virgin woods featuring a zoo, wild cherry trees and a winter ski jump slope, provide plenty of hiking and scenery-viewing opportunities. Also, Moerenuma Park, a municipal park in the east of Sapporo, has athletic facilities, playground equipment, and various art installations built and designed by late, world-famous Japanese artist Isamu Noguchi. Hokkaido has also been growing in popularity as a golf destination. In order to attract more convention and leisure travel, Hokkaido has been renovating and improving its golf courses and facilities. It has even gone so far as to update its tourism sites with golf course listings and information and convene a "Hokkaido Golf Tourism" meeting to discuss Hokkaido's golfing appeal and foreign language capabilities.  Those interested in things gastronomic will love the Kirin Beer Garden and Sapporo's Ramen Alley, featuring a wide selection of Sapporo's famous and distinct variety of the beloved noodle dish. You'll also be interested to know that Sapporo and Hakodate (in southern Hokkaido) came in #1 and #2 respectively in TripAdvisor's 2010 Travelers' Choice Awards for Food & Wine destinations in Asia. Downtown Sapporo also features a series of underground shopping centers and malls connecting the various subway and train stations. Finally, for those who plan on going during the winter months, there is The Sapporo Snow Festival, one of Japan's largest winter events, which has been attracting a growing number of visitors from Japan and abroad each year. Every winter, about two million people come to Sapporo to see the hundreds of beautiful snow statues and ice sculptures which line Odori Park and the main street in Susukino. For seven days in February, these statues and sculptures turn Sapporo into a winter dreamland of crystal-like ice and white snow. The Snow Festival began in 1950, when local high school students built six snow statues in Odori Park. In 1955, the Self-Defense Force joined in and built the very first massive snow sculpture, for which the Snow Festival has become famous for today. The Festival has grown from these humble beginnings to become one of the biggest and most well known of Hokkaido's winter events. For more information visit the event website. All of these spots and activities, in addition to an abundance of other art and cultural museums, gardens and more, will be sure to keep you busy during your stay in Sapporo. For more information on these events and attractions, visit Sapporo City's Sightseeing Guide, Sapporo Convention Bureau's website and Hokkaido Tourism Organization's website.
New Convention Website In order to attract more international meetings, Hokkaido introduced a new meetings and conventions website last month. The website is called "Hokkaido Convention Guide" and is available in five languages - Japanese, Chinese, Korean, English and Russian. It lets users search its meeting and hotel facilities by region, nearby facilities and amenities (onsen, golf, etc.), and if the place is foreign language friendly. The various facilities and accommodations will have their capacity numbers, basic fees, facility information, awards and achievements listed. It also features photos of the region and different seasons in the "Photo Library." Furthermore, to increase attraction, a number of Hokkaido's towns, cities and municipalities are publishing news about things such as meeting support packages, special deals and products, tourist spots, Hokkaido's nature, cuisine and so forth on the site. Access to Hokkaido Sapporo and the rest of Hokkaido are accessible via domestic flights, as well as Japan Rail train routes. There is currently a Shinkansen (bullet train) line being built to connect Hokkaido's southern port of Hakodate with Japan's main island of Honshu, which is expected to be completed in 2015. To extend it further, a Shinkansen station is being constructed in Sapporo as well, which is estimated to be done by 2020. For visitors who want to see a variety of spots in Hokkaido, JR Hokkaido offers a Hokkaido Rail Pass which allows for unlimited train rides on any JR Hokkaido line for a designated period of time (3, 4, and 5 day passes available). The pass can also get you discounts and special offers with car rentals and more. For more information on the Hokkaido Rail Pass and transportation information, click here. Travel Agents and DMCs To plan a unique and memorable leisure, incentive or convention trip to Japan, contact one of our travel agency or DMC supplier partners at: http://www.japantravelinfo.com/mice/dmc.php |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Only 36 minutes from Narita Airport to central Tokyo.
|
Our website is constantly being updated with recent rankings and distinguishing accolades regarding Japan as a tourist destination. For meetings, incentives and leisure, Japan is one of the top travel destinations in the world. People from across the globe have flocked and continue to flock to Japan for its one-of-a-kind sights and experiences. But don't take our word for it. Here are some of the prestigious rankings and honors Japan and its many unique destinations have collected recently:
Best Destination Awards TripAdvisor® 2010 Travelers' Choice® Destinations Awards Wanderlust readers for the 2009 Travel Awards August 2008 issue of Travel + Leisure Magazine Smithsonian Magazine's January 2008 issue Forbes Traveler.com "Best Of" Lists 2009
Hotel Awards The 2009 Gold List published by Condé Nast Traveler Hotel.info Budget Travel TripAdvisor® 2010 Travelers' Choice® Destinations Awards Food & Wine Go List 2009 The 2010 Michelin Guides to Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto TripAdvisor® 2010 Travelers' Choice® Destinations Awards Convention Awards ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) 2008 Union of International Associations (UIA) 2008 Other Awards FutureBrand 2009 Conde Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards 2009 |
For more Japan travel information, visit http://www.japantravelinfo.com
* Disclaimer:
The JNTO Newsletter is published as a complimentary service to our valued partners in the travel and convention sectors. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the official view of JNTO. While every sincere effort is made to ensure accuracy, readers should confirm prices and schedule information directly with the relevant organizer. All information is subject to change without notice. Neither JNTO nor any holder of copyright to the information shall be held responsible in any way whatsoever for any loss or misunderstanding, either direct or indirect, that is incurred as a result of utilizing the information.
© 2010 Japan National Tourism Organization
Japan Convention Bureau
Japan National Tourism Organization
Tel: 212-757-5641 ext. 21
Fax: 212-307-6754
Email: mmotegi@jntonyc.org