JIRO Local, Now

Hello, this is Jiro! In early February, we traveled to Kumamoto, Japan for a field visit. Drawing on insights from this trip, we interviewed KIKUCHI Shoko, Chief of General Affairs at the Kumamoto International Tourism & Convention Association (hereafter “the Association”), about how the MICE industry is contributing to regional revitalization in Kumamoto. The Association plays a central role in promoting the prefecture’s MICE sector by attracting international conferences, exhibitions, corporate events, and incentive travel programs. Notably, many of its staff members are either originally from Kumamoto or graduates of local universities, giving them a deep understanding of the region. So, let’s dive into what she shared with us. Large international conferences typically require major venues, accommodations, and strong transportation access, which is why they are often concentrated in city centers. To address this, the Association is working to build a region-wide hosting system ...

Hello, this is Jiro. Recently, a movie called “The Man Who Lives with the King” has been gaining huge attention in Korea. Today, I’d like to introduce Yeongwol, located in Gangwon Province, based on the historical story of King Danjong of the Joseon Dynasty — the king who was later exiled there. Stay tuned and take a look below!

Hello, this is JIRO. JIRO visited Fukuoka in Japan and its nearby areas. The first stop was visiting Nakasu Yatai (street food stall district) in Fukuoka. How could a common street food stall become a tourism asset?? From Hakata Station to the street food stall district, Source: Google Maps First, the street food stall district is located about a 20-minute walk from Hakata Station, a major transportation hub in Fukuoka. Hakata Station is the largest station in Kyushu and is called the gateway to Fukuoka. Being located close to Hakata Station, which has about 400,000 daily passengers on average, can be considered the first factor that makes the street food stall district an attractive tourism resource. The second factor can be said to be that the Nakasu River runs next to the street food stall district. Because a river flows next to it, it naturally blends with the night lighting and creates a beautiful atmosphere. The third factor is friendly guidance that helps tourists find the loc...