TOKYO, Feb 20 (News On Japan) –
Foreign vacationers visiting Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture, often called “Little Edo,” have surged to about 6.2 occasions the variety of the earlier yr.
The city is bustling with worldwide guests, drawn by the attract of unexplored Japanese meals. Kawagoe, with its Edo-period ambiance and warehouse-style streets, is a proud showcase of this cultural heritage.
Visitor from the USA: “It’s very beautiful, and I think it’s a good place for Americans.”
Visitor from Thailand: “It’s a very good feeling. It’s exciting and a very clean country.”
The variety of overseas vacationers in Kawagoe had been on the rise earlier than the pandemic. However, after the easing of border measures, the variety of worldwide guests has dramatically elevated.
Last yr, the variety of overseas vacationers rose by about 6.2 occasions from the earlier yr, considerably surpassing the earlier document set earlier than the pandemic. So, why do they select Kawagoe?
Masashi Tokuda, Kawagoe City Tourism Division: “After landing at Narita or Haneda airports, Kawagoe is often chosen as a stopover on group tours to destinations like Karuizawa and Mount Fuji.”
Just an hour by prepare from Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, Kawagoe is now a well-liked stopover for vacationers.
The sound of the bell echoing via the city is from the Time Bell Tower, an emblem of reconstruction.
Visitor from Taiwan: “I felt a lot of history.”
The Time Bell Tower, an emblem of Little Edo Kawagoe because the early Edo interval, has change into a well-liked spot for foreigners to take photographs.
Inside a restaurant in Little Edo Kawagoe, 100% of the seats are stuffed with overseas guests.
Yuuji Kobayashi, Manager of Unagi Denbei: “Sometimes when I look around the restaurant, 100% of the customers are from overseas.”
Among the overseas vacationers having fun with Japanese delicacies, a repeat customer from the USA was seen holding a candy potato delicacy.
Visitor from the USA: “The ones in the USA are thicker. The ones in Japan are very thin, so I prefer these.”
Sweet potato snacks are available many variations, resembling brulee and honey butter, and these candy potato treats appear to be in style.
Masashi Tokuda, Kawagoe City Tourism Division: “We recognize that the way people travel has changed, and as COVID-19 becomes more distant this year and next, we need to observe how their behavior changes.”
Source: ANN