[February 05, 2014]

Addition of New 'IS JAPAN COOL?' Content for Foreign Travelers

All Nippon Airways (ANA) has released new content for its special website, 'IS JAPAN COOL?', which is designed to evoke demands for overseas travel to Japan. The new content is geared towards Japan's SHOPPING culture, a popular attraction among foreign travelers. From shopping in Tokyo with cutting-edge goods from around the world in one place, and traditional crafts that are uniquely Japanese, there are many ways to enjoy shopping in Japan. As an essential element of any narrative about Japan, ANA is introducing Japan's shopping to the world with this fresh content.

Depachika is the nickname for the basement floor (B1) of Japanese department stores. It's gourmet heaven for fine-quality foods and beverages from around Japan and worldwide. You'll find a cornucopia of popular brands - from washoku (Japanese foods) to Chinese and Western fare to desserts. Many customers buy food for dinner for home, souvenirs for families, and meals to celebrate special occasions. You can even try selections right after buying in a break area of the department store or a park nearby. (Photo: Business Wire)

The 'IS JAPAN COOL?' project aims to give the world with an in-depth look at what makes Japan attractive as a culture and destination in order to generate demand for travel to Japan. So far, the site has introduced cities like Tokyo and Okinawa and various elements of Japan's unique culture such as cosplay, kawaii, traditions and ramen to highlight the charms of Japan. The content has been well received by foreigners, garnering more than 2.5 million YouTube (News - Alert) views and over 600,000 website hits. With Tokyo having been picked to host the 2020 Olympics, the city is still fresh in people's minds, and with Japan attracting increased attention from around the world, ANA has continued to promote 'IS JAPAN COOL?' to share what Japan has to offer, from its culture and traditions to anime and characters.

Shopping-From Japan's unique brand of hospitality to items that evoke traditional culture

In the latest content we focus on department stores, popular among foreign travelers as places for "entertainment shopping." Department stores condense the charms of Japan into one package, and we work with "the Mitsukoshi" and "the Isetan", Japan's leading department stores, to share information on Japan's shopping culture. We take a look at depa-chika, the basement levels of department stores that assemble high-quality foods from all over Japan in one place and allow shoppers to fully take in the world of Japanese cuisine, which was even added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list last year. We also detail gift wrapping services, which offer a selection of more than seventy varieties of wrapping paper and hundred kinds of ribbons to wrap gifts just the way customers want with a uniquely Japanese spirit of hospitality. In addition, along with back stories we introduce products that embody Japan's traditional techniques of craftsmanship with a selection of the highest quality products from around Japan that only a department store could assemble, including Nambu ironware, Japanese sake and kimono clothing. The 'IS JAPAN COOL?' SHOPPING section introduces the world to shopping culture filled with the hospitality of the Japanese people and uniquely Japanese products.

In the latest news, "the Mitsukoshi Isetan" will open the POP UP STORE "NIPPONISTA" for exhibition and sales to share its selection of Japanese fashion, art, cuisine, lifestyle elements and technologies during New York Fashion Week, which runs February 6 to 13, 2014. The themes are FASHION & ART: JAPAN LUXURY and FOOD & DESIGN: JAPAN STYLE. Their vision to energize Japan and reintroduce the magnificence of Japanese manufacturing is a perfect match for the purpose of 'IS JAPAN COOL?' and is the reason for this latest collaboration.

The 'IS JAPAN COOL?' Website System
On the 'IS JAPAN COOL?' website, users can vote on content by clicking "COOL" when they think something is cool or great, and "NOT SO COOL" when they disagree. This ranks the charms of Japan in real-time from the perspective of foreigners. Incidentally, the results of the "COOL" rankings from the first season of content might come as somewhat of a surprise to Japanese people. "Hospitality" got the most votes, followed by "high-tech toilets," "hot spring baths," "Mt. Fuji" and "next-generation vending machines." The system also retains comments shared on Facebook (News - Alert), so users can see at a glance why other users found particular content cool.

Experience JAPAN Fare
ANA has established a new bargain discount fare for customers residing outside Japan across all segments that connect to domestic flights. Under the new fare, customers can fly a single domestic segment to anywhere in Japan for 10,500 yen (including tax), regardless of which airline they arrive in Japan on.

'IS JAPAN COOL?' Operator
'IS JAPAN COOL?' is produced and operated by All Nippon Airways (ANA).

About All Nippon Airways
All Nippon Airways (ANA) is the eighth largest airline in the world by revenues (2011) and the largest in Japan by passenger numbers (2012). Founded in 1952, ANA flies today to 31 international destinations and 50 domestic cities with a fleet of 232 aircraft serving a network of 175 routes.
ANA was voted Airline of the Year for 2013 by Air Transport World Magazines, and was awarded five stars by the world's leading Airline and Airport review site, SKYTRAX.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140205005026/en/

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