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From The Newspaper (38) 　Tourism

June 22nd, 2023

Recently he read an article about tourism in the newspaper. It was about a new policy of the government to allow tourists from abroad to stay longer in this country. The article's title was, "For long stays for foreign tourists by making a 'story' as a whole ~ The Tourism Agency plans to choose model areas and their 'staying around' plans". "The Tourism Agency has started the new policy 'The Long Story Tour', in which they aim to urge foreign tourists to tour broader areas. The pillar of the plan is to make a story and announce it with some cities using themes like sake, volcanos, long nature trails, adding the historical backgrounds and future prospects. They want to connect regional resources effectively and make a week or longer broader areas tours. They are going to invite applications for model areas, then choose 10 model areas in July. As applicants, they expect corporate bodies which are related to tourism and regional revitalization, as well as transportation and accommodation enterprises.     From August until the end of the year, demonstrative experiments like monitor tours will be held, the government will support by giving subsidies for sending specialists, costs of monitor tours, etc. It can cover large areas, for example, with a theme of volcanoes Hokkaido and Kyushu, with a theme of sake & shochu in Tohoku, Hokuriku and Chugoku. Regions with the same theme can cooperate together and develop wider area tours. The government is also emphasizing 'consistency' like connection to the past, the present, and the future. They gave an example as 'the story of sake' : omiki (sake for a god) in a shrine and its spirits (past), sake brewing in a brewery for a month (present), and beauty and health like a sake bathtub (future).  Through the various types of experiences in one story, tourists will be more curious and, as repeaters they will come to other places, this is their ideal goal." After reading this article, he thought that it is a very good thing to connect tourism spots in different cities. His prefecture has 33 municipalities and each makes their own tourism brochures. For tourists this isn't convenient. Recently, he guided an American women's group and a family from Switzerland, they said they went to various other cities and came to this town. Thanks to the convenience and comfortableness of bullet trains, and, as foreigners they can purchase heavily discounted tickets which are rather cheaper than for nationals, so it makes it more affordable go to various places. Making stories is not a bad idea, but it looks a little bit like an 'impractical theory'. Recently when he was watching TV, they introduced a remark by a famous historian and writer. "There is a difference between civilization and culture. Civilization is the best thing for all people; and, on the other hand, culture is good for only people who live there, and culture is totally different for outsiders. But even so, or because of it, cultures can feel something to outsiders. There were about 270 clans/domains in the Edo Period for about 270 years. At that time, it was a kind of a market economy. Tokugawa Shogunate didn't impose tax and didn't give subsidies to each domain. So, each domain (and individuals) had to do business by themselves. They wanted to produce good sake to sell, they wanted to make good lacquerware, dyed clothes, paper for writing and screens, wax for lights, processed food, etc. to sell. They were competing. This country's forests make up 67% of the land mass, before it was more, which limited people's movements, creating each own area's culture. Good water from mountains enable people to make good sake and food, thanks to volcanic activity there are hot springs all over the country. Different climates in such a long land mass allows for different fruits to be produced. If a combination of information with different cities becomes better, tourists will be able to enjoy different cultures effectively.

No. 525



*pillar :柱
*prospect :見通し
*corporate body :法人
*revitalization :活性化
*enterprise :企業
*consistency :継続性
*affordable :手頃な
*impractical theory :絵に描いた餅
*land mass : (広大な)土地