Akita Prefecture hosts influencer project to promote local culture and tourism manners

The Committee for Promoting Orderly Inbound Tourism conducted the fifth phase of its regional project in Akita Prefecture on September 4–5, 2026. The initiative focused on promoting the history, culture, and cuisine of Kakunodate, Akita City, and Oga City to overseas audiences.

Two Chinese-speaking influencers residing in Japan visited key sites, including the samurai residences in Kakunodate and the Namahage traditional culture in Oga. Through their experiences, they shared content in Chinese via social media to highlight local attractions while also educating travelers on regional customs, food culture, and proper tourism manners to prevent friction with local residents.

The project, which received support from the Japan Tourism Agency, aims to encourage respectful travel by individual tourists. It follows previous regional projects in areas such as Chichibu, Nasu, Yamanashi, and Nara.