[DMO Activity Report January 2026] Tourism PR Event & Seminar Held

The Nasushiobara City Tourism Bureau conducts various PR activities in different locations with the aim of promoting the charms of Nasushiobara and encouraging more people to visit. This time, we will deliver a report on the tourism PR events and seminars held in January 2026. ① January 10th Nasushiobara City Tourism PR Exhibition at Tochigi Maru Shop A tourism PR event for Nasushiobara City was held at “Tochigi Maru Shop,” the Tochigi Prefecture antenna shop located in Tokyo Solamachi. The purpose of this event was to directly promote the charms of Nasushiobara City to people living in the Tokyo metropolitan area and to attract tourists. Communication with visitors was fostered through measures to encourage following the Tourism Bureau’s official SNS (a project where you can try your luck at a gacha by following). In addition, the city’s brand character “Miruhi” also appeared, taking commemorative photos with visitors and talking to them, creating a lively atmosphere around the booth and increasing awareness. This initiative utilized an information dissemination hub—an antenna shop—to directly deliver tourism information to urban dwellers. Combined with social media promotion, it served as a practical demonstration of creating online connections. We will continue these mobile PR activities in the Tokyo metropolitan area to further stimulate interest in Nasushiobara City and encourage visits. ② On January 11th, following our participation in the Tochigi Prefecture Fair at Koshigaya Lake Town, we took part in a tourism caravan at Aeon Lake Town, a large commercial facility in Koshigaya City, Saitama Prefecture. This caravan was held with the aim of directly promoting the tourism resources of Nasushiobara City in one of the leading tourist destinations in the Tokyo metropolitan area, thereby stimulating interest in visiting and increasing awareness. On the day of the event, in addition to distributing tourism brochures for Shiobara Onsen and Itamuro Onsen, we also conducted an SNS follow campaign and set up booths along the flow of visitors to encourage shoppers to naturally stop by. We introduced the charm of the hot spring resort, its accessibility, and how to enjoy sightseeing in each season in person. ③ January 17th Tochigi Prefecture Tourism PR Event Tochigi Winter Travel Festa ~Searching for Spring~ On January 17th, we participated in a tourism PR event held inside JR Omiya Station. Taking advantage of its location as one of the leading terminal stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area, we promoted tourism to a wide range of visitors, including shoppers and outing travelers who use the station on weekends. On the day, tourism bureau staff distributed brochures and sold souvenirs from Nasushiobara City, introducing its proximity to Omiya Station, its appeal as a weekend getaway destination, and how to enjoy sightseeing in each season. We also sold Mori Farm’s “Tochiaika” sweet potatoes, which were a great success and sold out by the afternoon. In addition, the appearance of Miruhi increased the visibility and liveliness of the booth, creating opportunities for communication with visitors through photo opportunities and interaction. We created an opportunity for station users to easily learn about Nasushiobara City. ④ January 21st Nasushiobara City Business Seminar A seminar on using social media was held for tourism-related businesses in Nasushiobara City, with the theme of “Latest Trends in What Makes Young People and Foreign Tourists Decide to Travel.” This seminar was held as part of the Tourism Bureau’s efforts to strengthen marketing, with the aim of sharing practical know-how on customer acquisition methods and information dissemination using social media with local businesses. In addition, lecturers from various fields who are well-versed in social media marketing and inbound tourism were invited to share practical knowledge. On the day of the seminar, the latest trends in tourism promotion using social media, the concept of information dissemination utilizing user-generated content (UGC), and the perspective that “buzz is not accidental, but can be designed” were explained, along with actual success stories. In addition, specific examples of posting techniques and points for dissemination that can be immediately used on-site were introduced, using Nasushiobara City’s tourism resources as a case study. A total of 48 people, including tourism business operators and accommodation facility personnel, participated in the event, and their attentive note-taking and question-and-answer sessions demonstrated the high level of interest in using social media. This seminar provided an opportunity to improve the overall information dissemination capabilities of the region and to raise awareness regarding strengthening approaches to inbound tourists and younger generations. ⑤ January 22nd Tochigi Products Fair in Tokyo Marunouchi At the Meiji Yasuda Head Office Building in the Tokyo Marunouchi area, we set up a tourism PR booth in conjunction with an event hosted by Meiji Yasuda Utsunomiya Branch. Taking advantage of the location’s characteristics as a place frequented by business people and visitors in the city center, we disseminated information mainly about Nasushiobara City’s hot springs and natural tourism. On the day, the booth mainly featured agricultural products for sale, and in particular, agricultural products from Tochigi Prefecture, including seasonal strawberries, attracted the interest of visitors. The tourism bureau distributed brochures and conducted a follow campaign on social media, creating a pathway to broaden interest in Nasushiobara as a tourist destination, starting with “food”. By promoting local products and tourism resources in an integrated manner in an urban area, this provided an opportunity to increase awareness of Nasushiobara City and foster future interest in visiting. ⑥ January 30-31 Tochigi Fair ~A Great Gathering of Delicious Tochigi-Grown Foods~ We conducted tourism PR in conjunction with the “Tochigi Fair” held at “Kawasaki Azalea,” an underground commercial facility directly connected to Kawasaki Station. This event is an initiative that has been held continuously since fiscal year 2022 with the aim of increasing awareness and promoting the consumption and sales of Tochigi Prefecture’s products, as well as disseminating information on the charms of Tochigi Prefecture and seasonal tourism, thereby increasing awareness and willingness to visit among residents of the northeastern area of Kanagawa Prefecture, which is adjacent to Tokyo. This year’s fair, which was held again, aimed to create a pathway to broaden interest in Nasushiobara City’s tourism resources, such as hot springs and nature tourism, using “food” as a starting point.