Attracted by its year-around warm weather and emerald Green Ocean, Okinawa Island attracts many foreign tourists.
A large number of visitors are coming from Asia who demand comfortable car journey.
ORIX Auto Corporation, which has some 62,000 vehicles, is expanding business countrywide to make an effort to meet the inbound demand.
Yasuyuki Takematsu, General Manager, Rent-A-Car Sales Headquarters, ORIX Auto Corporation, said, "The network of ORIX Auto Corporation has more than 1000 locations in Japan. Since it does not belong to a car maker, from small to luxury, the company owns a variety of cars. By far, a majority of customers were interested in travel-packaged products. Lately, there have been more customers applying for the FIT(Foreign Independent Tour)with self-arrangements".
The largest ORIX location in the prefecture has a full range of services. With the related information on the rental agreement explained from the shuttle bus on their way from the airport to the shop, the customers are able to depart quickly.
Also, to support foreign customers, English speaking staff is available.
Multi-language pamphlets covering Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean are available.
Also, a car navigation system that shows Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean is equipped in the vehicles.
A sticker on the car makes others aware that a foreign driver is behind the wheel.
Takematsu added,"As a large company, not only the driving itself, but also making the surroundings be cautious is part of the effort that ORIX has been making towards driving safety. As a tourist destination, Okinawa is an enjoyable place. We will be pleased to have our customers visit Okinawa, utilizing our car rental services, and feeling the charm. We are looking forward to it".
Facing the Tokyo bay, Toyosu recently organized Tokyo Marine Event and Marine Carnival 2016.
Other than the boats or marine jets being displayed, various family oriented programs are being organized such as crash courses for boat licenses, Tokyo Bay cruises, etc.
The purpose is to have ordinary people to become interested in marine leisure.
Jun Takenaga of the Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.said, "We take this as an occasion of becoming interested in new things. In Japan, water sports tend to be considered as a pleasure that only can be enjoyed by high profile, a limited amount of affluent people. That is not the case. We would have people know that there are many ways to enjoy and to play".
With Yamaha as one of its members, the Japan Marine Industry Association has announced a target of 10 years to increase the population for marine leisure in Japan from the current 500,000 to 1,000,000.
Takenaga added, "It's not all about owning (a boat). There is a setup at YAMAHA to lease the boat and enjoy it. We would like to introduce a service that can be enjoyed with ease to many more people. We think that will lead to the growth of the marine sports population. Now YAMAHA is actually expanding a marine club called Sea Style. At the moment, the number of its members is about to reach 20,000. This similar situation is happening overseas. It opened in Pattaya, Thailand in Southeast Asia this year. We would like to expand this activity to have more people to enjoy marine sports. And as initiated at YAMAHA from Japan, we would like to spread it to the world."
Since its opening more than 150 years ago, as the port entrance to Japan, Yokohama is known as the city of cultural enlightenment. One of its specialties is Gyu-Nabe (Beef Pan).
Since its establishment 120 years ago in the Meiji era, ARAIYA has been serving its unchanged flavor.
Junko Arai of Sukiyaki Yokohama Style Araiya said, "The residents in Yokohama, or the Japanese people, due to Buddhism disciplines, did not eat beef then. From Bakumatsu (the late Edo period) till the civilization and enlightenment period, when beef was introduced and people witnessed the meat being made into steak or stew, the residents then had the desire to make beef suitable for their own taste by experimenting cooking with Miso (bean paste), soy sauce, and sugar. The result was Gyu-Nabe. At that time, Yokohama was the transmissions center of culture and economics. It seemed that the beef-eating culture spread around after many people visited Yokohama."
Lately there have been more and more foreign tourists.
One female manager's analysis was: Gyu-Nabe is accepted because it is seasoned with soy sauce and sugar, which resulted in the TERIYAKI-flavor.
Arai added, "It seems that the TERIYAKI-flavor is generally welcomed. We have never made changes to this inherited flavor. It's quite obvious that customers from any country enjoy the soy-sauce based flavor."
It is a soul food that merges western ingredients and Japanese sensitive seasoning.
