法人別リリース

海外メディア向けプレスツアーを開催　初めて触れる雪国文化や現代アートなど興味津々に取材

十日町市 — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 15:01:20 +0900

２０１７年３月１７日
十日町市
～まだ雪を知らないアジア圏の観光客を十日町市へ！～
海外メディア向けプレスツアーを開催
初めて触れる雪国文化や現代アートなど興味津々に取材
世界有数の積雪量である十日町市では先月２７日から２日間、中国やベトナム、インドネシアなどアジア圏のメディア向けに、市が誇る歴史的文化財や現代アートの紹介および雪国文化の学習・体験を中心としたプレスツアーを開催しました。

ツアー初日では、はじめに歴史学習を目的に十日町市博物館へ訪問。2020年東京オリンピック聖火台モチーフに検討中の日本最古の国宝である火焔型土器（※1）や豪雪地域ならではの雪かき道具といった歴史的文化財、江戸時代から発展した織物産業に関する展示を見学。次に、越後里山現代美術館キナーレ（※2）へと移動し、越後妻有アートトリエンナーレ（※3）に関係する現代アートの鑑賞や、地元の老舗旅館にてかまくら作りや餅焼きなどを体験していただきました。

２日目は、雪国農耕文化の体験を目的に「都市と農村の交換」をテーマとした総合文化施設まつだい「農舞台」（※4）へ訪問しSNOWART TRAIL（雪国トレッキングツアー）（※5）に参加。伝統民具かんじきを着用した雪上移動や移動ルート上に設置されている雪国アートの撮影などを行っていただき、２日間の行程を終えました。

十日町市博物館館長の佐野誠市氏は、土器が作られた時代が比較的平和だったことを挙げ、「火焔型土器は日本の平和のシンボルであり、日本芸術とものづくりの原点である。2020年東京オリンピック聖火台モチーフになることを願う」と述べ、参加した海外メディアは、「初めての雪国体験はとても思い出深いものとなった。今後十日町市については興味を持って取材していきたい」と意気込みを語ってくださいました。

～十日町市について～
新潟県南部に位置する十日町市は、２０１７年１月時点で人口５５，１８２人をもち
水稲農耕や織物産業、食品小売業を主な産業としています。
十日町市では雪国文化の発信とともに、２０００年から始まった
「大地の芸術祭越後妻有アートトリエンナーレ」が３年毎に開かれていることもあり
現代アートも観光客を引きつける大きな資源となっています。
芸術祭の実行委員会によると、２０１５年に開かれた芸術祭には
約５１万人が来場し県に５０億円以上の経済波及効果をもたらしました。

十日町市役所ホームページ：http://www.city.tokamachi.lg.jp/

[参考リンク]
※1.　火焔土器：http://www.tokamachi-museum.jp/information01.html
※2.　越後里山現代美術館キナーレ：http://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/facility/base/smcak
※3.　越後妻有アートトリエンナーレ：http://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/about/overview/
※4.　まつだい「農舞台」：http://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/facility/base/nohbutai
※5.　SNOWART TRAIL：http://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/calendar/event_20170225_312

Tokamachi Displays Snow Culture, Contemporary Art to Foreign Media Members

Tokamachi City — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 15:00:18 +0900

TOKAMACHI, Japan, Mar. 17, 2017 /Kyodo JBN/ --
Tokamachi City Tourist Information Center
Tokamachi Displays Snow Culture, Contemporary Art to Foreign Media Members
Tokamachi City, one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan, held a press tour for foreign correspondents stationed in the Tokyo area on February 27 and 28 to introduce snow culture and art to lure more visitors from abroad to the area in Niigata Prefecture, central Japan.

(Image: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/opn/release/201703159933/?images)

Correspondents of overseas media took part in the two-day event showcasing its culture and history heavily influenced by snow, as well as artworks.

In addition to snow, contemporary art is a major tourist attraction of the area, as Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, a major art festival, is held every three years in the Echigo-Tsumari region in the prefecture since 2000 to revitalize the local communities.

The latest art festival in 2015 drew some 510,000 people to the area and brought the economic ripple effect of over 5 billion yen in the prefecture, according to the executive committee of the festival.

The press tour started at Tokamachi City Museum where participants saw an exhibition of flame-patterned earthenware, Japan's oldest national treasure created some 5,000 years ago, and the development of the textile industry largely influenced by snow as well as traditional snow-removing tools.

"The flame-pattern vessel is a symbol of peace and origin of Japanese art and craftsmanship," said Seiichi Sano, director of the museum, adding the era in which the earthenware was created was a relatively peaceful period.

Participants, some of whom were from countries with no snow, experienced making a "Kamakura" snow dome at Setoguchi, a Japanese-style inn located in the Kiyotsukyo hot spring resort, after visiting the city museum and Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art KINARE.

"It is the first time for me to experience snow activities and it was a very memorable moment of my life," said one of the participants who hailed from Southeast Asia.

Participating media members also experienced wearing traditional snowshoes as they hiked in the snow, as well as seeing artworks in the snow along the "SNOWART TRAIL" outside the Matsudai Nohbutai cultural facility.

After the press tour, some participants expressed their desire to further explore the city's relations with other countries and regions including their own.

Tokamachi to showcase its snow culture as tourism asset

Tokamachi City — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 10:00:31 +0900

Jan. 27, 2017
Tokamachi City
Tokamachi to showcase
its snow culture as tourism asset

Japanese-style inn Setoguchi

Tokamachi City, one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan, will conduct a press tour for foreign correspondents stationed in the Tokyo area on Feb. 27-28 to showcase its unique snow culture, local cuisine and artwork in snow-covered fields, as part of its effort to spread charms of the central Japan city in Niigata Prefecture.

Echigo-Tsumari region was once called "inaccessible corner on the island" because of its heavy snowfall in winter.

Participants of the press tour will see winter exhibitions of snow tools and contemporary art utilizing snow, experience making the Kamakura snow dome, trek on the snow art trail wearing snowshoes, and tour around artwork in a snow-covered field, among other things.

Artists who will exhibit their artworks along the snow art trail include Maaria Wirkkala of Finland.

Participants can also enjoy delicious local cuisine around the hearth and refreshments in the Kamakura snow dome.

Other artworks to be covered in the tour include the House of Birds by Jaume Plensa of Spain in an outdoor field.

Travel expenses including one-night stay at a Japanese-style inn in Niigata Prefecture will be paid by the organizer of the tour.

Please fill out and send back the application form by Feb. 17 (Fri) by e-mail or fax.

Artwork by Maaria Wirkkala

Kamakura snow dome

Schedule
Feb. 27 (Mon) & 28 (Tue)   *Schedule is subject to change

2/27
(08:52)   Leave Tokyo Station (Joetsu Shinkansen)
(10:23)   Arrive at Echigo Yuzawa Station
              (riding the bus)
              Visit Tokamachi City Museum
              Visit Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art Kinare
              for the winter exhibition, or elsewhere
              Lunch
              Check into Setoguchi in the Kiyotsukyo hot spring resort
              Build Kamakura snow dome, walk in the snow, etc.
              Bathe in hot spring
              Dinner (sit around the hearth)
              Have refreshments in Kamakura snow dome

2/28
              Breakfast
(8:30)     Leave Setoguchi
              Visit House of Birds (art object by Jaume Plensa of Spain)
              Visit Matsudai Nohbutai cultural facility (winter exhibitions,
              experience wearing snowshoes)
              Lunch
              Visit Ponshukan Sake Shop
(15:48)   Leave Echigo-Yuzawa Station
(17:00)   Arrive at Tokyo Station

Application Form Foreign Correspondents Press Tour in Tokamachi City (Feb. 27 & 28)
Please return this form by Feb. 17 (Fri)
Tokamachi City
Fax: 025-757-2285
Email: t-kanko@city.tokamachi.lg.jp
*Application can be closed before deadline once the number of applicants exceeds the number of spots.

Name: Family name                         Given name
Sex:   [  ] M   [  ] F
Country:
Title:
Affiliation:
Media type (Please check): [  ]Newspaper [  ]News Agency [  ]Magazine
[  ]TV [  ]Radio [  ]Online
Address:
Tel:
Mobile:
E-mail:
Number of persons: [  ]Reporter  [  ]Camera  [  ]TV Crew
Do you need English interpretation?  [  ]Yes  [  ]No

*Please write your special request in the space below if you have one.

*******************************************************************************

Tokamachi Shows Foreign Media Art, Other Attractions to Lure More Visitors

Tokamachi City — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 14:00:02 +0900

TOKAMACHI, Japan, Sept. 21, 2016 /Kyodo JBN/ --
Tokamachi City Tourist Information Center
Tokamachi Shows Foreign Media Art, Other Attractions to Lure More Visitors
Tokamachi City, one of the areas with the heaviest snowfall in Japan, held a press tour for foreign correspondents stationed in the Tokyo area on Sept. 13-14 to introduce attractive features of the central Japan city to lure more visitors to the area.

The two-day event showcasing its art history heavily influenced by snow culture started at Tokamachi City Museum where participants saw the exhibition of the flame-patterned earthenware, Japan's oldest national treasures created some 5,000 years ago.

The museum director explained that Tokamachi and other municipalities in the area are endeavoring for the design of flame-patterned earthenware to be adopted for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic cauldron.

After the museum, participants visited Matsudai Nohbutai, a facility related to the Echigo-Tsumari Triennale art festival which started in 2000 and is held every three years since then, to connect local communities with other parts of the world through modern art and revitalize the communities.

The latest art festival in 2015 drew some 510,000 people to the area and brought the economic ripple effect of 5,089 million yen in the prefecture, according to the executive committee of the festival.

"Since I would like to cover in depth Echigo-Tsumari Triennale, it would be nice to organize a press tour on the preparation of the next event," one of the participants said.

On the second day, media members toured the "Suizan Kobo" kimono factory and observed part of kimono dyeing procedures.

Since the area is blanketed with heavy snow during the winter, people started spinning and weaving inside their houses from a long time ago and Tokamachi is still known for the kimono industry.

They also made their visit to the House of Light created by award winning American artist James Turrell. It is a unique work of art by Turrell because it is a real guest house where people can actually stay.

After the press tour, many of them said they were impressed with tourism resources of Tokamachi and they would like to visit the city again, probably in the wintertime.

法人別リリース

海外メディア向けプレスツアーを開催 初めて触れる雪国文化や現代アートなど興味津々に取材

Tokamachi Displays Snow Culture, Contemporary Art to Foreign Media Members

Tokamachi to showcase its snow culture as tourism asset

Tokamachi Shows Foreign Media Art, Other Attractions to Lure More Visitors

海外メディア向けプレスツアーを開催　初めて触れる雪国文化や現代アートなど興味津々に取材