"NICHER TRAVEL" Offers Exclusive Tours for those Looking for Engaging Local Experiences in Japan
Tokyo, Japan - December 22, 2023 - NAVITIME JAPAN (President and CEO: Keisuke Onishi, Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo) and Hankyu Travel International Co., Ltd. (President: Jun Sakai, Head Office: Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan.), which together operates "NICHER TRAVEL," will begin offering tours for foreign visitors to Japan as a new project for Japan Tourism Agency. NICHER TRAVEL is a new platform for travel that works together with regional areas to co-create the future of those regions.
For inbound visitors, there are four tours to the following destinations: Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture; Mashiko Town, Tochigi Prefecture; Kannnami Town, Shizuoka Prefecture; and Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
1. Ultimate Tour of Kanazawa Arts & Crafts with World-Renowned Artist Yuki Nara
This is a one-of-a-kind tour where you can enjoy the unique experience of learning how to make Ohi-yaki pottery, directly from the ceramic artist Yuki Nara, whose father is Ohi Chozaemon - the 11th generation and the current owner of the pottery. Ohi-yaki's history goes back 350 years, when it was used in tea ceremonies during the Kaga domain.
Mr. Nara continues to introduce innovative ideas and new craft values from Kanazawa City's traditional crafts to the world. This tour explores Kanazawa's art and tea ceremony culture from its roots to the present day. Visitors can experience what can be called the "ultimate" experience, including a tea ceremony experience by the Ohi family and a rich culinary special dinner prepared by top chefs, including the internationally acclaimed sushi chef Komatsu Yasuke, a close friend of Mr. Nara.
Main tour contents
*Tour contents can be customized upon request.
The tour includes the following:
● Hands-on pottery training session with Yuki Nara
● Introduction of the Ohi Museum of Art and Gallery NODE by Yuki Nara
● Introduction of Nara's father, Ohi Chozaemon 11th
● Dining at Senya and crab course by Chef Yasuke Komatsu and Chef Shinichiro Takagi.
● Tea ceremony experience at "年々庵", a tea room designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma, and a tea ceremony by the Ohi family with Japanese sweets selected by Mr. Nara.
● Order pottery made by Mr. Nara (to be mailed in about 2 months)
● The tour will include a visit to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa with Mr. Nara
*Transportation between Tokyo Station and Kanazawa Station will be in "Grand Class" of the Shinkansen.
2. A New Type of Tour of Mashiko Yaki, Guided by a Ceramic Artist Vol.1 (Tomoo Hamada)
The town of Mashiko in Tochigi Prefecture is one of Japan's world-renowned pottery producing regions. This tour of the Mashiko workshop of potter Shoji Hamada (1894-1978), a leader in the mingei (folk art) movement, is guided by the famed artist's grandson and third-generation potter Tomoo Hamada. Guests on the tour will learn about the historical background to Mashiko yaki (Mashiko ware) and enjoy hands-on creation. This tour offers a look at a lifestyle close to folk arts and encounters with the richness and charm of Mashiko through foods and other angles.
3. Tour of Jukkoku Pass with Comedian "Takeda Barbecue" with BBQ of Local Produce
Jukkoku ("Ten Lands") Pass takes its name from the view it commands of ten surrounding regions, including Izu, Sagami, and Suruga. While gazing out over magnificent scenery from the mountaintop, guests enjoy barbecue directly from popular "barbecue entertainer" Takeda Barbecue. This is a perfect tour for relaxedly enjoying the gorgeous nature and foods of Jukkoku Pass. (Scheduled start of sales: December 20, 2023)
4. A Tour of Atami's Soul Food with a Regional Revitalization Business Advisor
This tour highlights the unknown soul foods of Atami through a knowledgeable local advisor. Along with Atami's history as a sightseeing destination, guests will enjoy the bounty of the sea from katsuobushi (dried bonito) and tofu shops over a century old and will experience the Atami lifestyle and communication with locals in a way not possible through normal sightseeing. (Scheduled start of sales: December 12, 2023)
For more information and registration of the tours, please visit:
https://www.nichertravel.jp/en
About NICHER TRAVEL
Nicher Travel is a travel platform launched by Hankyu Travel International Co., Ltd. and NAVITIME JAPAN Co., Ltd. with the aim of contributing to the revitalization of local communities and human interaction through travel. We plan and commercialize creative package tours that connect local government bodies, tourism associations, companies, brands, producers, creators, local residents, and other parties. By designing cutting-edge regional experience-based package tours and delivering customers, we will contribute to regional revitalization and to interactions between tour planners and the guests they invite.