The implementation of national travel assistance has brought renewed attention to 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 spoke with Sayaka Tsunematsu, a Kumamoto Prefecture JAL Furusato Ambassador involved in the “Kuma Shochu Special Train and Brewery Tour” tour.
–What can you tell us about your initiatives?
Hitoyoshi/Kuma area, which is also my hometown, is located in the southern part of Kumamoto Prefecture, and the Kuma River, one of the three most rapid rivers in Japan, flows through the center of the city. The Kumagawa Railway, which is an important means of transportation for the people of this region, is a symbol of the Hitoyoshi/Kuma area, with its elegant trains running through the countryside. In the Hitoyoshi/Kuma area, the 500-year-old shochu culture called “Kuma shochu” has taken root, and as a famous rice shochu production area, many “Kuma shochu” products are currently produced by 27 breweries.
However, the Hitoyoshi/Kuma area was severely damaged by the torrential rainfall in July 2020. Two years have passed since the disaster, but the area is still in the process of reconstruction. This tour was planned with the hope that many people will learn about the charms of Kumagawa Railway and Kuma Shochu.
–How are you involved in this effort?
This time, we will rent a train car of Kumagawa Railway and enjoy several kinds of Kuma shochu while viewing the countryside scenery of Hitoyoshi and Kuma areas.
The tour will also include a visit to a local brewery, so you can enjoy the sights and tastes of the area.
In addition, JAL hometown ambassadors and JAL hometown supporters will make special announcements on the train on the day of the tour. Please pay attention to our announcements as you ride the train.
–What are your future plans and prospects?
On February 11, 2023, we will offer a 2-day/1-night tour departing from Haneda. On the first day, the Kumagawa Railway “Rural Symphony” will be chartered for the tour, and visitors will be able to taste Kuma shochu while listening to the brewers’ stories in the train.
The second day is free, but if you wish, you can take the chartered “Kuma Shochu Storehouse Gurururin Bus” to explore the Hitoyoshi and Kuma areas. Enjoy a tour of sake breweries and delicious meals.
–What is your message to the tour participants?
Please enjoy the delicious “Kuma Shochu” in the famous rice shochu production area while being healed by the beautiful greenery created by the mountains and rivers in the Hitoyoshi/Kuma area and the spreading countryside scenery. We hope that the time you spend in this area, the scenery you see, and the people you meet will remain in your memory, and will be one of the reasons for you to visit Hitoyoshi/Kuma area again. We look forward to your participation.
© Source travel watch