JOMC Newsletter
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.
The Making of Harry Potter
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.
Hilton Okinawa Miyako Island Resort
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.
Shimoda Hydrangea Festival
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.
Ohakozaki Senjojiki Oceanside Trekking
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.
ASAI KYOTO SHIJO
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.
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