Surveys Reveal Honolulu, Europe Top in Summer Travel

With the senior market (aged 60 and above) leading outbound travel the past few years, 2013 is no exception as this summer they will continue to be the trailblazers.

According to H.I.S., a leading travel agency handling individual travel (FITs), Honolulu ranks as the top choice among senior travelers, bringing the overall ranking of Honolulu to the top, displacing Seoul, South Korea, which slipped to second overall. The ranking is based on bookings for overseas travel covering the period from July 13 to Sept. 30, 2013 as of July 1, 2013.

Seniors Choose Honolulu

Among senior travelers, the top rankings after Honolulu include 2) Bangkok (4th in 2012); 3) Seoul (2nd); 4) Guam (5th) and 5) Taipei (3rd).

While the ranking of Seoul fell to second, the entry of Busan at 8th, up from 20th, underscores the popularity of South Korea among seniors despite the dispute between the Japanese and South Korean governments over territorial claims. Stepped-up promotions by Busan Air of its increased services connecting Busan to Fukuoka, Kansai Airport in Osaka and Narita Airport in Tokyo have helped buoy its popularity.

Of the top 10, only three long-haul destinations made the ranking: London (6th), Paris (9th) and New York (10th) with the remainder being short-haul destinations.

In the overall rankings, Paris is ranked eighth while London follows at ninth, trailing Honolulu (1st), Seoul (2nd), Guam (3rd), Bangkok (4th) and Taipei (5th).

A similar survey by AB-ROAD Research Center covering travel for the same period showed Oahu, Hawaii ranking first with a 10.8% share, followed by 2nd) Taipei, 3.7%; 3rd) Paris, 3.5%; 4th) Guam, 3.4%; and 5th) Seoul, 2.8%. The survey was based on the number of inquiries for summer travel by destination.

Its survey findings reflect the number of inquiries this season, which is down some 12% compared to 2012, with only those for "Africa and other destinations" showing a positive gain of 13% compared to a year ago. It said that Asia was off 16%, partly due to the slump in demand for travel to South Korea and China, both of which in 2012 attracted some 38.1% of all Japanese overseas travelers.

Even leader Hawaii showed a 12% decrease while North and South America combined had the second-best performance at -3% from a year ago. Oceania, meanwhile, had the worst result, down 28%.

Europe Heads All Destinations: JTBF Survey

Meanwhile, the JTB Foundation (JTBF) in its annual summer trend survey revealed that this season is expected to see 5.8% fewer Japanese travelers heading overseas to 2.6 million for the period between July 15 and Aug. 31, 2013, marking the first drop since 2008 when the Lehman Brothers financial crisis affected travel demand.

The region of choice this season is Europe, with some 428,000 planning to travel long distance, particularly to France, Italy and U.K., which was the host country of the 2012 Summer Olympics. The number points to a 15.05% increase compared to a year ago, bringing Europe to the top for the first time since 2008. The figure heading to Europe is the largest since 1999 when the number reached 451,000, giving it a market share of 16.46%, up 2.98 percentage points from last year.

Oceania is also showing an increase, up 2.1% to 90,700, led by 50,400 heading to Australia, unchanged from a year ago. New Zealand will welcome 11,000 visitors, up 10% while the South Pacific Islands will be visited by 32,000 arrivals, ahead 3.23%.

Asia overall will be off 11.99% to 1.43 million visitors, with the biggest increases seen for the Southeast Asian destinations , including Thailand (184,000, 29.58%). China (283,000, -32.30%) and South Korea (343,000, -24.78%) have lost traction this year as fewer group tours are bound for the major destinations.

As for domestic travel, a record 74.60 million Japanese will travel during the summer season, up 2.8%, in part due to renewed interest in travel around Japan, especially with Mt. Fuji having been designated in June as the 17th World Heritage site in Japan. Also, global issues involving China, South Korea compounded by social unrest in Egypt and Turkey have made overseas travel less attractive among Japanese consumers.

Mt. Fuji Makes It No. 17 in Japan

Mt. Fuji in late June became Japan's 17th World Heritage Site as designated by UNESCO.

Standing some 3,776 meters above sea level, the majestic icon has been depicted in Japanese culture for centuries, having been the inspiration for the ukiyo-e (wood-block prints) by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) and Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) and in other art creations. In all there are 13 as World Cultural Heritage sites, including Mt. Fuji, and four as World Natural Heritage sites.

The designation as a World Cultural Heritage site has led to marketing by many companies and travel agencies to introduce new products aimed at both Japanese and foreign visitors to Japan. Besides Mt. Fuji itself, the property includes 25 component parts centering on the mountain area: the Fuji Five Lakes, pilgrims routes, Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine, Oshi lodging houses, Oshino Hakkai Springs, Funatsu and Yoshi lava tree molds, Hitoana Fuji-ko Iseki, Shiraito Falls and Mihonomatsubara pine tree groves.

It is the first registered World Heritage site since the Hiraizumi area in northeastern Iwate Prefecture was added in 2011.

Where are the other 16 World Heritage sites in Japan? They are listed below by entry into the UNESCO list.

World Cultural Heritage sites:

1) Horyuji Temple in Nara Prefecture (1993). Buddist Monuments in the Horyuji area. The temple's pagoda is widely acknowledged to be one of the oldest wooden buildings existing in the world.

2) Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture (1993). The castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprising a network of 83 buildings with advanced defensive systems from the feudal period.

3) Historical Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities (1994). The properties include 38 buildings designated by the Japanese Government as National Treasures, 160 properties designated as Important Cultural Properties, eight gardens designated as Special Places of Scenic Beauty, and four designated as Places of Scenic Beauty.

4) Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama in Gifu/Toyama Prefectures (1995). These villages are well known for their houses constructed in the A-shaped style characterized by a thatched and steeply slanted roof.

5- Hiroshima Peace Memorial in Hiroshima (1996). Also known as the Atomic Bomb Dome, the ruin serves as a memorial to the people who were killed in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945 in which 70,000 people were killed instantly, and some 70,000 suffered fatal injuries from the radiation.

6- Itsukushima Shinto Shrine in Hiroshima Prefecture (1996). Well known as Miyajima, the shrine on the island of Miyajima in Hiroshima is most recognized for its "floating" torii gate as it appears during high tide.

7- Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara in Nara Prefecture (1998). It encompasses eight shrines, temples and other sites in the former capital city of Nara, including Todaiji, Kofukuji, Kasuga Taisha and Yakushiji.

8- Shrines and Temples of Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture (1999). It includes103 buildings or structures and the natural setting around them.

9- Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu in Okinawa Prefecture (2000). The heritage sites include two sacred sites (one a gate and the other a grove), the Tamaudun mausoleum, one garden, and five gusuku castles sites, four of which are ruins and one of which is a reconstruction.

10- Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range in Mie, Nara and Wakayama prefectures (2004). The sites and routes reflect their historical and modern importance in religious pilgrimages in Japan, underscoring the fusion of Shinto and Buddhist beliefs.

11- Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape in Shimane Prefecture (2007). The Silver Mountain of Iwami was a former silver mine in the mountains of Shimane Prefecture, which generated one third of the world's silver production in the 17th century, then the largest silver mine in the country's history.

12- Hiraizumi--Temples, Gardens and Archeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land in Iwate Prefecture (2011). It is a grouping of five sites dating back to the 11th and 12th century when Hiraizumi served as an important political, military, commercial and cultural center.

World Natural Heritage Sites:

1- Yakushima in Kagoshima Prefecture (1993). Located in the Osumi Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture, Yakushima is known as an ancient forest where there is no records of past tree cutting can be traced, making it famous for its ancient Japanese cedar trees and flora.

2- Shirakami-Sanchi (or White God Mountain Region) in Akita and Aomori prefectures (1993). It is known for its Siebold's beech trees along a tract stretching 1,300 square kilometers. It has never been opened to human activity.

3- Shiretoko National Park in Hokkaido (2005). Considered one of the remote regions in Japan, with access via boat or on foot, the park has the largest population of brown bears in Japan.

4- Ogasawara Islands (2011). Located some 1,000 kilometers south of Tokyo, the string of some 30 sub-tropical islands is accessible only by boat. It is referred to as the "The Galapagos of the Orient" due to the unique evolutionary processes many of the animals and plants have undergone.

Calendar of Events

Through Aug. 25, 2013: Tokyo. Art exhibit called Handsome Boys and Good-looking Men of Edo, at the Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art. http://www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp/H250708edonobinanshi-E.html

Through Aug. 25, 2013: Tokyo. Exhibit of Tani Buncho, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the birth of a painter, poet and samurai. http://www.suntory.com/sma/

Through Aug. 25, 2013: Shizuoka. Natsume Soseki and Arts. Shizuoka. Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art. I53-2 Yada, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, Japan.

Through Sept. 8, 2013: Tokyo. Ukiyo-e: Floating World from the Saito Collection. A range of wood-block prints at the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum in Tokyo. 2-6-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. http://www.mimt.jp/ukiyoe/about_eng.html

Through Sept. 8, 2013: Tokyo. The Power of Manga: Osamu Tezuka and Shotaro Ishimori, at the Museum of Contemporary Art. The exhibit pays tribute to two of Japan's pioneer manga artists who have created such works as Tezuka's Atom Boy and Ishimori's Cyborg 009. http://www.mot-art-museum.jp/eng/current.html

Aug. 24-25, 2013: Tokyo. Super Yosakoi, large groups in traditional costumes compete in choreographed dances originating from Koichi Prefecture. Areas include Meiji Shrine, Yoyogi Park and Omotesando. Nearest station is Harajuku.

Aug. 24-25, 2013: Tokyo. 56th annual Tokyo Koenji Awa-odori Dance, one of the major traditional dance festivals in Tokyo with some 10,000 dancers in Koenji’s shopping streets running north and south of the JR Koenji Station. http://www.gotokyo.org/en/kanko/suginami/event/kouenjiawaodori.html

Aug. 31, 2013: Tokyo. Asakusa Samba Carnival Parade and Contest is the largest samba carnival in Japan. Attracts samba dance teams from around Japan, and draws thousands of spectators. Umamichi-dori Street and Kaminarimon-dori Street. http://www.gotokyo.org/en/kanko/taito/event/asakusa_samba.html

Through Sept. 16: Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Yokohama. The Great Japan Beer Festival 2013 is currently held at five different venues on five different dates in Japan, offering the public an alternative to mainstream beers from huge breweries. There will be more than 120 different craft beers to sample at each festival location, some of which cannot be found anywhere else.

- Sept. 14-16, Yokohama, Osanbashi Hall at Yokohama Port http://www.beertaster.org/index-e.html

Through Oct. 8, 2013: Tokyo. An art exhibition called COLOR-HUNTING directed by Dai Fujiwara. It uses method capturing actual colors in the natural and urban environment and reproducing them on paper. At 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT in Tokyo. http://www.2121designsight.jp/en/program/color_hunting/

Spring, Summer, Autumn 2013: Seto Inland Sea Islands. The Setouchi Triennale 2013 is a major contemporary art festival held in four islands in the Seto inland sea (Shamijima, Honjima, Awashima and Ibukijima) during three seasons, allowing visitors to experience various contemporary artwork during the different seasons of Japan. Visitors will also experience the slower place of life in the islands and the beauty that it offer. Between seasons, some art sites will remain open. http://setouchi-artfest.jp/en/

Summer: July 20-Sept. 1, 2013 
Autumn: Oct. 5-Nov. 4, 2013

Oct. 27. Tochigi. AirAsia Grand Prix of Japan in Motegi, Tochigi. It is part of the 2013 MotoGP Championship. http://www.motogp.com/en/events/Japan/2013

Marunouchi District Shows Newer Trendy Side

Compared to a decade ago, the Marunouchi District in Tokyo is boasting a new face with new developments having reinvigorated the city's financial and commercial districts.

Multi-billion yen investments over the past decade have led to Marunouchi becoming a cool and trendy place to be, especially on weekends and evenings. Naka-dori Avenue, for example, today is peppered with a wide range of high-end fashion boutiques and stores as well as restaurants that draw many visitors.

Marunouchi is the area that stretches from the Outer Gardens of the Imperial Palace to Tokyo Station, of which the Marunouchi side completed in October 2012 an extensive five-year renovation program that included the re-opening of the Tokyo Station Hotel. Originally opened in 1915, the hotel was restored to its pre-war condition, including the domes adorning the rooftops of the building that were destroyed during the bombing of Tokyo during World War II. The renovated station now reflects the offerings of a department store in the form of GRANSTA, with numerous unique souvenir, lunchbox shops and restaurants, including the Tokyo Ramen Street and Tokyo Character Street.

And earlier this year in May, the Japan Post Co. opened its new 90 billion-yen high rise that includes the restored post office structure, continuing the wave of developments happening in the Maruouchi District. It joins other high towers, including the Marunouchi and Shin-Marunouchi Buildings -- referred to locally as Marubiru and Shin-Marubiru -- both of which boast panoramic views of the area from its many restaurants on the upper floors; the Marunouchi Oazo, glass-walled open space structure with several dozens of shops and restaurants; the Marunouchi Brick Square, featuring fashion shops and restaurants, and the Ichigokan Square. Nearby is the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, the first office building constructed in Marunouchi in 1894, which has now been replicated and opened as a museum that houses more than 200 paintings by French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Within the Japan Post tower is a shopping complex called Kitte, which means postal stamp in Japanese, referring to the history of the original building, now home to Kitte. It boasts a redesigned open-ceiling structure that still retains the classic features of the post office. Unlike other shopping complexes in Japan, Kitte offers a range of Japanese shops from regional areas specializing in a line of goods from shrimp crackers, sundries, arts and crafts and fashion totaling 98, a number that helps connote the "Feel Japan" concept.

In its food court known as Kitte Granche, it features some 34 eateries, all from regional areas of Japan, including Niigata and Fukushima. Also, food items and omiyage (gift items) also cover a range of prefectures from Northern to Southern Japan. And 16 restaurants are also available on the fifth (10) and sixth (six) floors.

As Marunouchi generates more interests, promotions of its Meet@Marunouchi included in late July its first-ever Marunouchi Bon Odori Festival along Nakadori Avenue. Bon festivals are a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. Attracting visitors clad in summer yukata wear, it featured traditional music and obon dance, mobile kitchen vans showcasing nine of the district’s most popular restaurants.

Meanwhile, other developments are planned or are in the works. One of them that will be completed by Sept. 20, 2013 is the creation of a new look to the opposite end of Tokyo Station's Marunouchi side, better known as the Yaesu side. The project will feature a commercial complex called Granroof, home to some 15 shops and restaurants that will center on regional cuisines of Japan, underscoring the modern facets of Japan, a contrast from the Marunouchi side, which embraces the traditional aspects.

Did You Know?

- Thailand has become the darling of outbound travel this year as the number of visitors from Japan in the first half of 2013 has reached 731,241, up 17.35%, the highest ever in its history for the period. Last year, the annual count of Japanese setting foot in Thailand reached 1,371,253, also a record high. Since 2011, arrivals from Japan have been on a double-digit increase as the country has recovered from challenges the past few years including political demonstrations and flooding issues. Also, the influx of Thai travelers into Japan -- up 52.9% between January and May to 181,300 -- has spurred two-way tourism, prompting Thai Airways International to introduce new services linking services from Bangkok to Sendai and to Hiroshima from October. And with the Japanese government's new visa-free program for Thai travelers, increased seat capacity between the two countries is expected. Also, H.I.S., which offers charters from Japan, started in July a privileged system for entry procedures at Bangkok International Suvarnabhumi Airport that reduces the wait time from 40 minutes to a few minutes.

- With Mt. Fuji officially designated as the 17th UNESCO World Heritage site in Japan in June, travel demand to the areas including Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures is on the rise (see related story in this edition). News reports said that reservations for hotels and Japanese inns near the iconic landmark has surged by between some 40% and 60% compared to a year ago, underscoring the rise in popularity following the official announcement in June in Cambodia. The travel industry, department stores and outdoor companies recognize the rise in popularity of Mt. Fuji as an opportunity to generate more business, including new tours for domestic and foreign travelers and products featuring Mt. Fuji designs. And the hiking season began July 1 and concludes at the end of August. A year ago during the hiking season, some 320,000 visitors trekked up the mountain. This year a trial 1,000 yen fee was collected from climbers over a 10-day period from July 25, on four routes leading to the summit, generating 34.12 million yen from 34,327 hikers.

Summer Means Chilled Soba Noodles

The summer season in Japan is perfect for eating chilled soba noodles -- buckwheat noodles -- as it creates a cooling effect.

Mostly produced in Hokkaido in northern Japan, soba is considered a fast food, found easily at stand-up shops in and around train stations, although there are many soba-specialty restaurants that are more elegant and high end in style and presentation.

Soba, mostly made from 100% buckwheat though some can be a mixture with flour, is served hot in the winter with a broth and garnishes and toppings while in the summer the chilled noodles are served on a bamboo strainer known as a zaru and eaten with a chilled soy-based dipping broth called tsuyu. It usually comes with wasabi (Japanese horse radish) and scallions, both added to the tsuyu. Soba noodles can also be paired with tempura (deep-fried vegetables and shrimp) and other items. At soba shops, after the noodles are eaten, the water in which the noodles were cooked (sobayu) is served -- mixed with the leftover tsuyu -- as it is rich in nutrients.

The noodles are also recognized as a healthy diet food (a good carbohydrate) as they are low in calories, about 344 in 100 grams, and contain all eight essential amino acids, including lysine.

Various regions create a variety of soba noodles, such as hegi soba, flavored with seaweed (Niigata Prefecture) or cha soba, featuring green tea powder (Kyoto Prefecture).

First introduced in the Edo period (pre-modern Tokyo era), soba today is also part of Japanese culture, eaten traditionally on New Year's Eve (toshikoshi soba) as one celebrates the passing of the old year to the next. Another tradition in Tokyo, though less practiced, is the giving of hikkoshi soba to new neighbors.

Soba eating has also become somewhat of entertainment in the form of wanko soba, originating in Iwate Prefecture in northern Japan in which the noodles are served continuously in small mouthful quantities in small bowls as a competition until the patron says, stop! The empty small bowls are stacked up to see how much one can eat in one sitting. In fact, each year the All-Japan Wanko Soba Eating Championship is held in Hanamaki City in Iwate, Prefecture with 2013's champion setting an all-time high of 254 bowls in February. How many can you eat?

TABIHAKU Information

‘TABIHAKU Night 2013’ to Highlight Zojo-ji Temple

The JATA TABIHAKU Travel Showcase 2013 will host its pre-opening “TABIHAKU Night 2013” (Organizer’s Reception) on Sept. 12 at the Zojo-ji Temple in Minato-ku in Tokyo.

JATA said that the venue will help showcase Tokyo’s modern skyline amid the traditional and cultural past of Japan’s Edo period (ancient Tokyo). The reception will recreate Tokyo’s ancient side-street culture surrounded by the beauty of Zojo-ji Temple, which can serve as a MICE venue.

Top officials from Japan Tourism Agency and JATA will attend the matsuri-style (festival) event.

The move by JATA to host the event at the temple sets the pace for many major events in the future as the Japanese government is setting up a panel of officials to discuss how to better promote historical buildings in Japan to be used for international conferences and events.

Temples and cultural facilities in Japan are rarely used as venues for events, compared to destinations in France, which allow sites such as the Louvre Museum in Paris, or in the U.S. where many key museums throughout the country have been the venues of major large-scale events.

Japan by Numbers