With the beginning of national travel support, there is renewed interest in domestic travel.
JAL, which has bases throughout Japan, has been continuously implementing regional revitalization initiatives (currently the “JAL Furusato Project”). In August 2020, JAL launched the “JAL Furusato Ambassadors,” cabin crew members selected through an in-house recruitment process, who settle in local communities to promote regional initiatives. In December of the same year, JAL appointed “JAL hometown supporters,” who are involved in regional revitalization while serving as flight attendants. The aim is to develop products and solve regional issues for hometowns and other regions with which they have connections, utilizing the knowledge they have accumulated as flight attendants.
We interviewed Ms. Yoshiko Fuji, an Oita Furusato Ambassador who was involved in the planning stages of the “Tobikkuri no Tabi! Yoshiko Fuji, an Oita hometown ambassador who was involved in the planning stage of the “Takeda!
–What can you tell us about your initiatives?
Takeda City in Oita Prefecture is located in the center of Kyushu, in the southwestern part of Oita Prefecture, bordering on Kumamoto and Miyazaki Prefectures. The city is surrounded by magnificent nature, including the Kujyu mountain range in the “Aso Kujyu National Park,” the Kusumi Plateau stretching at its foot, and the UNESCO eco park Mount Oomiyama. Oka Castle Ruins, a national historic site designated as one of the 100 best castles in Japan, and Nagayu Hot Springs, one of the world’s most famous carbonated hot springs.
Although Taketa City is a long way from Oita Airport, this project was initiated with the hope of utilizing cabs, which can serve as secondary transportation, to promote the city’s attractive tourist content throughout Japan, and to allow visitors to enjoy the city of Taketa throughout the day. The Takeda Tourism Association and JAL have teamed up to create an “exceptional trip.
–How are you involved in this effort?
JAL hometown ambassadors and JAL hometown supporters actually visited Takeda City and were impressed by the charm of the ingredients, which led us to establish this course.
In particular, we recommend “Course C: Following the Thread of Odamaki (Odamaki) to Takeda,” which includes a visit to Anamori Shrine, the setting of the legend of the divine marriage between the serpent god and the princess in the chapter of Odamaki told in the Tale of the Heike, a tale of love and romance. This tour will take you around the city of Takeda with its beautiful scenery, while touching on stories that cannot be learned from history textbooks.
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