• From the Editor

Tourism is Starting to Move Towards the Post-COVID Era at Last

  • delicious Japan
  • May 2022
  • Vol. 14

On December 8, 2019, the first patient in Wuhan, China, was confirmed to be infected with viral pneumonia of unknown cause. On January 31, 2020, the WHO declared a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC). Covid-19 still continues to shake the world. Then, the world was shocked by more bad news on February 24. That was the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

But whatever happens in the world, people keep looking ahead and walking on. Spaceship Earth, carrying 7.875 billion people in 196 countries, continues to sail, carrying with it the interests and the desire for peace of all its countries and regions.

By the way, do you know Nara Prefecture?
It’s a landlocked prefecture, ringed by mountains and located close to the center of Japan. As the Eastern end of the Silk Road in ancient times, it interacted with Europe and Asia. Nara is also known as the cradle of Japan’s culinary culture. Ingredients with their roots in Nara, including tea, udon noodles, sake, manju buns, and tofu, are essential to the Japanese diet.

Nara is starting to move in a new direction by integrating gastronomy with tourism. Nara Prefecture was picked as the first host venue in Japan for the “7th World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism”, organized by the UNWTO. The event is to take place over three days, December 13-15. The primary aim of gastronomy tourism is to go beyond supporting local traditions and diversity, to disseminate culture, advance the regional economy, and help to achieve sustainable tourism.

Nara established the NARA Agriculture and Food International College around the concept of “Farm to Table”, and is working on developing the people who will support the worlds of food and agriculture. In this edition, we report on how Nara plans to integrate gastronomy with tourism.

Why not head to Nara and enjoy its cuisine and local sake with all your senses?
After all, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. We hope you’ll encounter Nara’s history and culture, and make wonderful memories.