The JNTO's list of events is so inadequate. Among other things, it shows no listings of events in Kyushu during the entirety of June. It is pretty much what we've come to expect from the national bureaucracy, though it isn't acceptable because it is our taxpayer monies that go into such useless pablum.
There are far batter lists of events out there. Here's two that cover the whole of Japan:https://en.japantravel.com/eventshttps://www.japanlivingguide.net/events/Since I live in Kyushu, I'll post a few event lists that focus on the region I live in.https://media.magical-trip.com/best7-festivals-events-in-kyushu-june-2018/https://en.japantravel.com/events/fukuokahttps://yokanavi.com/en/calendar/https://japancheapo.com/events/location/fukuoka/
I wrote about that event specifically because it is held, in part, on the grounds of a shrine. It is a commercial event, but it is being conducted to feature the historical park in a manner that attracts the attention of the public. The shrine and park were so happy with the success last year and invited TeamLab to do it again this year.
When tax monies are used to promote events and activities, it is in the public interest to introduce things that are of genuine interest. That is precisely why many people believe that government bureaucracies are wasteful. They mistakenly believe that it is their duty to only do things things that are exclusively not profit. But for the general public, profit is how they generate their livelihood. While it isn't in the public interest to promote things that are price-gouging, most people want bureaucracies to use public funds to generate quality-of-life for their communities, including things that are for profit.
The Japanese government does a lot to promote the interests of JA and JT, both of which encompass for-profit enterprises. Both include for-profit activities that are clearly not in the interest of the general public. Yet, when it comes to tourism, education, the arts, and other things, the government is predisposed to what appears on the surface to be altruistic. It isn't. It just maintains the status quo, which benefits the major tour operators and major corporations that are directly involved with the DMOs.
I work inside of a local bureaucracy that conducts research, archival, and education concerning history and culture. Our department conducts archeological research and we have tens of thousands of artifacts in our collection. While I can't directly change the policies concerning using our facilities for profitable activities, I can use our facilities and activities to generate interest in things that are ultimately profitable and generate income for people (and especially young people) in the community. This, in fact, is ultimately critical for the survival of local communities throughout Japan.
Much of the time, I'm trying to find unique methods that undermine the hyper-conservative policies of the bureaucracies that are concerned with education, tourism, kominka, land use policies, and many other things.
You said - "Yet, when it comes to tourism, education, the arts, and other things, the government is predisposed to what appears on the surface to be altruistic. It isn't. It just maintains the status quo, which benefits the major tour operators and major corporations that are directly involved with the DMOs. "Agreed.Pre-pandemic our local chamber of commerce discussed how we would generate interest in not just local heritage but also small business. We produced a bilingual map highlighting big business, local merchants, heritage, etc.One thing that struck me while we were planning promotions is how little the CofC members understood what attracts inbound tourists. When I brought up features of the town that appeal to my visitors from abroad, they were surprised. My impression is that the government tourism authority deals in volume, bird's eye view rather than ground level (small communities). Where we need income to sustain vitality.Anyway, this post went places I didn't expect! Thank you for your insight and effort to support your community.
Thank you! I agree that this has been a very interesting conversation. I've been working with local DMOs, bureaucracies, companies, and educational institutions for 35 years in Japan. Tourism and international affairs have been core topics, but I've also done a lot of work concerning ICT implementation (or DX today). And my core competency is in soil regeneration and environmental science.
So I've really been working on how to make local communities competitive in their appeal to younger generations and to outsiders while building a more regenerative natural environment and sustainable society. It's been my preoccupation since my university days in the early 1980s. :-)
July 2022 Calendar includes Kyushu events. https://partners-pamph.jnto.go.jp/simg/pamph/346.pdf
The JNTO's list of events is so inadequate. Among other things, it shows no listings of events in Kyushu during the entirety of June. It is pretty much what we've come to expect from the national bureaucracy, though it isn't acceptable because it is our taxpayer monies that go into such useless pablum.
There are far batter lists of events out there. Here's two that cover the whole of Japan: https://en.japantravel.com/events https://www.japanlivingguide.net/events/ Since I live in Kyushu, I'll post a few event lists that focus on the region I live in. https://media.magical-trip.com/best7-festivals-events-in-kyushu-june-2018/ https://en.japantravel.com/events/fukuoka https://yokanavi.com/en/calendar/ https://japancheapo.com/events/location/fukuoka/
Good to know! Thanks for this info 👍