JAL, which has bases throughout Japan, has been continuously implementing initiatives to revitalize local communities (currently known as the “JAL Hometown Project”), and In August 2020, the company launched the “JAL Hometown Ambassadors” program, in which flight attendants selected through an internal application process relocate to local communities to promote initiatives in their respective regions. In December of the same year, it also appointed the “JAL Hometown Support Team,” whose members engage in regional revitalization efforts while continuing their flight duties. The aim is to utilize the expertise cabin crew members have cultivated in their roles to develop products and address regional challenges in their hometowns or areas with which they have ties.
We spoke with Mai Saito, a JAL Hometown Ambassador who is involved in a collaborative project with JR Hokkaido in Hokkaido.
――Please tell us about your efforts.
Thanks to your support, our collaborative project with JR Hokkaido, the “HOKKAIDO LOVE! Hitomeguri” train, is celebrating its sixth anniversary this year. On this chartered train, which features the multipurpose limited-express “Lavender” and “Hamanasu” trainsets, Hokkaido’s “JAL Hometown Ambassadors” and “JAL Hometown Support Team” will extend their heartfelt hospitality to you.
――Please tell us about the concept.
The concept of this project is “One Train, One Tour: Hokkaido.”
On a single train: On a single train operated by the “Lavender” and “Hamanasu” trainsets
A Journey Around the Line: As I travel along the railway line, I encounter “people who call Hokkaido home,” and
Hokkaido: Why not let your thoughts wander to the homeland of the northern lands?
Guided by this concept, we are committed to providing you with heartfelt hospitality so that you can enjoy a journey where every moment spent on the train becomes a cherished experience. We hope you’ll feel, “Hokkaido is such a wonderful place—I definitely want to come back,” and that this experience will inspire you to visit again and again, as if it were your second home.
――How are you involved in this initiative?
We, the JAL Hometown Ambassadors (Hokkaido Region), have been deeply involved in this tour since the planning stage. On board, we are working closely with JR Hokkaido to ensure our guests have a special experience—from original announcements highlighting the charms of Hokkaido as seen from the train windows to events designed to make the train journey even more memorable.
――Please share a message for travelers.
The greatest appeal of a journey aboard the “Hitomeguri” is not only the breathtaking scenery but also the opportunity to experience the warm smiles and kindness of the local people. We hope this trip will become a lifelong memory for all of you and that it will further deepen your connection with Hokkaido.
We invite you to come and take a “tour” of Hokkaido—a place you’ve never seen before—on this special train. We sincerely look forward to seeing you all on board!
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